Year: 1866

by their respective Houses, indOrsing his views
and pledging their support to his policy of
restoration. The coloquy that ensued will be
found reported in other columns Of this issue.


These gentlemen are set forth in the report
as representing every section of the State, and
''every shade of her past and present politics.;
yet we cannot recognize one of them as having
been a Unionist in the struggle that so recently
convulSed our country. UnioniSts there were
in Virginia White UniOnists-goOd and true, II
not maryland some of these are members
elected when Rebels scOrned to yOte) oil the
present Legislature; but we recognize none OF
these as having been deemed worthy to convey
to the President the satisfaction with which his
policy is regarded by the other sort. The
exclusion seems significant and notable.


Then there are Half Million Of native Nir-
ginians who were heartily loyal as class
who were UnioniSts by instinct and from the
outset-and most OF whom owe their per-
sonal liberty 70 the triumph of the Union over
the utmost efforts of those who elected tie
gentlemen who represented Virginia Ill the
conference on Saturday. This Half Million are
not quite half the surviving inhabitants oi Old
Virginia. but, add the Whites vino were also
Unionists throughout, and they constitute a
full moiety Of the Virginians Of to-day. Is 1t
quite fair that all these should be suppressed
and excluded where the loyalty Of Virginia is to
be certified and guaranteed!


The deputed eight make no pretense OF rep
reSenting or speaking for "niggers they
would scorn the idea, But they vouch for the
good intentions and kindly feeling of those they
perSonate toudrd their colorcd neighbors; 50
let Us hear them on this point:


THE condition of the freedmen among US, and the
policy TO be adopted with regard TO them, Will be recog
nzed by yOu calling for the exercise OF The highest
faculties Of the and the best feelings OF the
Christian phanthropst. the General Assembly OF
Virginia is engaged earnestly in the consideration OF
these subjects; and, in anticipation OF the results 0


their lsbors only say that whae' er policy may
be adopted viii be adopted in good faith and with KIND


feeling the Improvement OF the physical intellectual
and mOrcl condition Of our freedmen You can under
stand ard will readily believe that the feelings oi our
people toward these freedmen those OF kindness
sympathy and good will and that to treat them with
harshness and Injustice is opposed as much to our et


ugs as ii is to interests and our sense OF right


Fair words, certainly; but they compel us
to remember what the interests" and the
sense Of right" of these gentlemen and their
constituents have prompted them to do and TO-
forbear toward these, their humble neighborS
and former dependents,.up to this time. Not
only has Virginia-the Virginia of Messrs. Bald
win and Co.-neyer yet made any provision
whatever for the education and intellectual
development Of her Blacks, but she las
made it a felony 10 teach them even
to read the Bible; while she has Systematically
sold their children into even harsher bondage
than their own, until it has been carefully com
putcd that all the property III old virginia al
the outset Of the Rebellion was not worth 50
much as She had realized since 1900 for her own
human flesh and blood, sold to Subdue and til
the cotton fields rce-swamps and cane-brakes
of the further South. And that this horrible
traffic is now ended forever, and legal posi-
bility of education and intellectual progress
opened to the Virginia Blacks, is solely
due to the defeat and overthrow Of those on
whose behalf Messrs. Baldwin and Go. scout
the suggestion that hey could regard and treat
L
Justly. Would not their assurance on this point
have been strengthened had they been able
truly TO say, "Mr. President, We the legislators
of Virginia. have abolished all our laws which
subjected any class or race to legal or civil dis
Abilities; and MiS is our answer to those who
question or dstrust our disposition to deal fairly
with the Freedmen"


The President, in his reply to the delegation,
fOrcibly says:


81 feel that the day is not distant speak confident,


v in reference TO the great OF the American peo
pie when they will determine that this mon shall be
made whole and the great right OF representation IN
the councils of the nation be acknowledged. Gentle.
men-tnat fundamental principle No tdIai,on uihou'
representation one Of the principles which carried
through the Revolution. This <reot prinsipe piI
hold good yet and If but perform duty II We
but comply with the spirit Of the resolutions presented
TO me to-day. the American people win maintain and
sustain the great doctrine upon which the Government
iDaugurated. Ii can be done and IL will be done
and think that il the effort be fairly and fully made
with forbearance and with prudence and with dis.
cretion and wisdom, the end Is not very far dis.
tant."


--Truer words were never spoken; and they
indicate the true and final solution OF all our
remaining troubles. Let Virginia adopt for her
self the "great principle" here enunciated by
the President, and no power on earth can pre-
vent her complete restoration, not merely to
representation in Congress, but to fraternity
with her steadfastly loyal sister States. No
matter what few prominent men may say, the
North is eager to shake hands with the South
and forget all that ever divided them. The
chief obstacle to this is the determination
evinced by those who monopolize power
in the South to keep the Blacks forever