Year: 1867

-


RICHMOND, Va, July 9-The following are
the main points in the first portion of the ad-
dress of Governor Pierpont, to the people
of Virginia, which will be published to-mor-
row in one of the Richmond papers. The
Governor says


"I united in the call for the Convention which
is to assemble in Richmond on the lst of
August next. The object of that Convention is
to agree upon basis of action which shall be
acceptable to all the people of Virginia, with
out distinction of color or race who LoUe the
Government of the United states, and are will
ing to rally under the protecting folds of the
old flag; to adopt Constitution for the State
that shall guarantee equal rights and equal
privileges, legal and political, TO all her people,
adopt the spirit OF our free Institutions make
labor honorable and recognize education
world, who can be made 10 receive it;
and TO lay again deep in the foundations OF
the old Commonwealth, the eternal principles
of freedom and enlightened progress as taught
by our fathers. Painful experience has taught
me that there are men in the State who hate
the government of the United States; who re-
gard loyalty to it a reproaeh, and who would
place the heel of prescription on the neck of
every Union man, and politically and socially
ostracize him If they could. Many of these men,
or all of them, claim to be loyal TO the Govern
to prescribe every man who professed loyalty
during the struggle through which we have just
passed? have been assured that the masses of
the white pit ople of the State do not share in
their sentiments From my personal In
tercourse / am satisfied tnat there are





gagged in the. late Rebellion who do not
share the feelings to which refer, few, if
any of the cOlored people do 1t is an effort
the part of certain political leaders to infame
supposed preJnnices OF the people, That they
continue policy of agitation and hatred; that
the spirit OF enterprise and progress may be
banished from the State for ever; for when pro-
gress and education come, the occupation of
these leaders will be gone. Republican was
the name of the party OF Jefferson and Madi-
son. 1t passed away; 1t was revived, and is now
the name of the great dominant party in the
United states, pledged to equal political and
legal rights OF all the people; pledged TO that
these rights shall be given to every man in the
nation; pledged to the support of the Govern
ment-to the education oft he masses-to liberal
progress in internal improvements-to build
up our country in all that is great and good,
and that tends 70 the liberty and happiness
of the people. The men acting in this great or


ganization are from all the old party organi-


cations of the country, aud may be termed a


day. There is great opposition to this party by


q large body of men North and South; but 1t is
opposition for the sake of opposition. The
object of the call alluded to is to give to all


such an opportunity TO combine in one great
party without distinction of race or color, and
unite in placing the old commonwealth on
| living basis, extending the hand of charity and
coed fellowship to all, that both white and
colored may have an opportunity to select the
| best men Tor members of the Convention, ami


for future officers of the State; that our Govern
| ment may be stable, administering impartial
| justice 10 the rich and the humble alike. 1 say
| 1T o the credit of the colored men, that have
| desire than for honest and capable men in
| office be they white or black. They want jus
| tice, liberty, and peace, that they may en-
| joy the fruits of their labor, lay foundation
| for their future fortunes, get homes of their
| own, that they may educate and rear their
| children to honest industry, and qualify them


for future usefulness. Seeing the effort to array
| one race against the other in the State, and


fully appreciating the fatal result of such state
| Of things to the prosperity and welfare of the
Commonwealth, and believing that there was


danger thata m9Sority OF the white peoPilte, Were
| their country, should have been false TO my
| self and to my state had not Joined the call to
| enable the people to vindtcate themselves, and
| establish their Government on a firm FONDA
| tio1 Of prosperity and comfy with our sister
| States"


The second portion of Governor Pierponps


address is entitled 1.-THE Lost Cause;" and after
| some explanation as to the derivation of that
phrase, he defines IL as follows


| Il think it was bad cause, that ought to


have been lost, and SO will future history pro-
moters was not that labOring meu or the mid
| die classes might have greater privileges; with
| frage was enjoyed by all the white men who
| were OF lawful age, and not convicted OF
| crime. 1t was not TO elevate the social condi-
| tion of the white masses of people by extend
| ing to them system of general education; for
| the free schools of the North were made sub.
YVES not to lessen taxation and lessen the bur-
| dens of government; because two standing
| armies two navies, two sets of national offices
| of every grade, home and foreign, would
| have to be supported, instead OF one. II was
| not on dccOuub hlRu ploJeCllNO tdtiAit OC
| cause the necessities OF the "Confederacy'
| would have required the very ighest duties on
| foreign imports that could have been laid TO
| meet the requirements OF the Government. IL


as not on account of the failure OF the Northern
| States 10 execute "Fhe Fugitive Slave Law"
| because the cotton States that inaugurated the
| Rebellion scarcely lost slave, except In their
| own swamps and jungles. The leaders of the
| Rebellion had none OF these objects in view:
| When South Carolina passed the ordinance oil
| secession her leading men declared that they
| mad been educating the people for the act for
| thirty years. and that II they were not taught
| then they never would be. Her Governor de-


elared they must have a stronger Government


the term 'Democrat," as party name, was al
| once dropped. the declaration became fashion,
| able that there was an end of free voting and


free schools and that Republican Govern.


ment was q failure; it might do Tor rude
| TO live under in q refined stath OF society


II had no power to preserve OF perpetuate


itself Among the first acts oi the Legls-
lature o. South Carolina was one ~ exempt the