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Staunton Spectator: April 13, 1869 Go To Page : 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |

Vote on the Constitution
(Column 01)

Summary: The Spectator announces that the President can now submit a new state Constitution to the people of Virginia. Also lists the separate categories of voters on the question of ratification and asks Virginians to vote, at minimum, against certain features of the Constitution.

Full Text of Article:

It will be observed by the bill, published in another column, which was passed on Friday last, that the President is authorized to submit, at such time as he may deem proper, the Underwood Constitution to the vote of such as will be registered voters at the time of the election, and to submit to a separate vote such provisions of the Constitution as he may deem proper. So it is now settled that we will have an election upon the ratification or rejection of that instrument, with a vote at the same time upon striking out some of the more objectionable features.

At the same time, elections will be held for members of Congress, members of the State Legislature, and all officers of the State, provided for by that Constitution.

All who vote on the question of ratification or rejection of the Constitution, whether they vote affirmatively or negatively, should vote in favor of striking out such clauses as may be submitted to a separate vote. There will be three classes of voters:

1st. Those who will vote for ratification and for striking out the provisions submitted to a separate vote.

2nd. Those who will vote against ratification and in favor of striking out the clauses submitted to a separate vote.

3rd. Those who will vote for ratification and against striking out the clauses submitted to a separate vote.

There is no apology for any one, white or black, who will vote with this third class.

All those who are opposed to Wells and the unmodified Underwood Constitution should be united in the support of a single State ticket, otherwise Wells will probably be elected. -- There should be united action, if possible, on the part of all those who are opposed to the ratification of the unmodified Underwood monstrosity. Those who will vote for Wells and the Underwood Constitution unchanged should be anathema maranatha. They will deserve to be ostracized and should be.

The time when the elections will take place, and the designation of the clauses of the Constitution to be voted upon separately, remains to be announced by the President.

[No Title]
(Column 01)

Summary: The paper reports the Enquirer and Examiner's opinion that if African-Americans receive suffrage rights, whites will be driven from the South and make the region a "Hayti" or "Santo Domingo." The only hope is to encourage white migration to the region.

B. F. Butler's Bill
(Column 02)

Summary: Reports on B. F. Butler's bill, which allows Southerners to regain their political rights after swearing to certain facts. The Spectator outlines how the wording of the bill will actually leave the mass of Southerners without any political rights.

Full Text of Article:

A few weeks since, it was announced, says the Baltimore Gazette, that Mr. Butler intended to make an effort to conciliate the people he had so often outraged and plundered. He was about, it was said, to bring a bill into Congress to relieve the ex-Confederates of their political disabilities. It was to be just and generous in its terms, and of general application. But people who expected kindness from Butler forgot the truth of the old maxim that "men always hate those whom "they have injured," and that the intensity of their malignity is in proportion to the wrongs they have inflicted, or the crimes they have perpetrated. The instincts of Butler are essentially devilish, and any act of betraying even a gleam of nobility of soul would be as foreign to his nature as tenderness was to that of Barabbas.

His bill for the restoration of the disfranchised Southern people to their political rights and privileges is characteristic of the man. Under the provisions of the bill, every Southerner, who seeks relief from his political disabilities, must first prefer a petition to that end before the District Court of the United States in the State where he lived during the war. He must confess, to the minutest particular, "in what manner he had given aid, "comfort, or assistance to the rebellion, either "voluntary or involuntary."

He must further declare "that he "believes, and confesses, such acts were wrongs, rebellious and wicked," and that the State, and Confederate Governments, established by, and during the rebellion "were, in his belief," treasonable, and "ought not to have been sustained," and, finally, he must say "that he truly repents of all "acts done in maintenance thereof, and heartily desires to atone for any part he took in the same, by hereafter acting and conducting himself as a true and loyal citizen of the United States."

But the measure of self-degradation does not end here. The applicant has next to affirm that his loyalty has been perfect and immaculate, since the 1st of June, 1865; that subsequent to that date he has done no hostile act, or committed any crime against the laws of the United States, or of any individual State; "that he has not endeavored, by force or fraud, to interfere with the civil rights of any citizen of the United States," or to prevent the freedom of election or of speech; but that "he has behaved himself as a man of good moral character," &c., &c.

Having thus abjectly humbled himself with his face to the ground, and his mouth in the dust, he has then to undergo another ordeal. -- His petition, setting forth all these things, is to be published in a newspaper, so that his utter ignominy may be made known to all his former friends and acquaintances. When this penitential act has been accomplished, the next thing required of him is that he shall get two Union men to stand his sponsors, and who shall declare "that they verily believe each and every fact stated in the petition to be true." But the process of purgation is not yet complete. After all these steps have been taken, any citizen, whether black or white, may appear on the day appointed for the return of the notice, and if he object "that anything set forth in said petition is not true in fact, thereupon an issue shall be framed by the Court," and the case set for trial.

Such is the bill brought forward by this man Butler, ostensibly for the purpose of relieving from their political disabilities large numbers of Southerners who are now disfranchised. Its true title should be "a bill to render the Southern people infamous forever."

The Situation
(Column 03)

Summary: Discusses the political situation in Virginia. The Conservatives are a third party, but are nonetheless poised to make a powerful impact on the policies of the Republicans and the Radicals.

Full Text of Article:

Politics, says the Lynchburg Virginian, are in a great muddle in this State. We have a sans culottes Radical party, composed of Wells, the carpet-baggers, and their sable allies; a "respectable" Republican party, inspired by Mr. Walker, the spirit of Rye, and "two dollars a day with roast beef"; and a Conservative party so-called, that can hardly be considered a political party, since it ignores office and looks only to the honor and welfare of the State. For the first time in the history of parties in this State, one, and perhaps the larger of the three, is not "held together by the cohesive power of the public plunder." Its members do not ask for office; they only want to see the Government administered upon just and honorable principles, and with a view to the common welfare. They are prepared to take the self-denying ordinance if need be; and certainly their conduct is not such as to justify the imputation that they are influenced by considerations of self-interest. If they regarded office as the supreme good, their action would be such as to commend them to those who dispense patronage and control the offices. Hence, we say, that the men who are numbered with this Conservative organization can hardly be considered identified with any political party. They are not Whigs; they are not Democrats; they are not Republicans, in a party sense. They are simply Virginia patriots, determined, as far as in them lies, to prevent the permanent ascendancy, in this State, of a party that regards not the Constitution of law, integrity, or truth, justice or virtue, when those conflict with their party shibboleth, or stand in the way of preferment, or interpose obstacles to the consummation of their nefarious purposes.

But what is to be the issue of these complications? That is the question. Third parties, as a general thing, do not accomplish much; and it is the fate of the weaker, frequently, to be absorbed by the stronger. It is obvious that the "respectable" Republican party in Virginia can accomplish nothing without the aid of the Conservatives. Theirs is a forlorn hope, so long as the Wells party can control the negro vote and is backed by the Federal Government, as it now seems to be. Their chance of success consists in making such overtures to the Conservatives as will insure, if that were possible, an alliance against the common foe. As we have said already, the Conservatives are looking chiefly to the interest and honor of this State, and regard these as vastly more important than the success of any political tricksters. They will not yield their conventions on this subject at the behest of any political party. What they might be willing to concede on the score of policy, to insure the ultimate triumph of great principles, we are not prepared, at this time, to indicate. There will be time enough for negotiations of this character, while events shall be moulding themselves into such a shape as will enable all to apprehend more clearly the contingencies of the future. But, for ourselves, we may say that we desire to see a union of all the Conservative elements of the State, whether they stand now committed to Withers or Walker, in order to defeat the ends of Radicalism, and the Underwood Constitution, as it is now presented to us. And, surely, men who love their State, and regard the interests of her people more than they do the interests of a party, may be able to find some ground of compromise where-on they can stand together, and co-operate in the work of defeating the most proscriptive, intolerant, and venal political organization that ever existed in this country. This is a work that should fire the heart and tax the energy of every man worthy of the name of Virginian or patriot.

P.S. -- It would seem now that the Wells party is not backed by the President, though the reinstatement of Wells certainly had that appearance.

[No Title]
(Column 01)

Summary: Erasmus L. Houff has qualified for Commissioner of the Revenue for Staunton's 2nd District. He replaces John G. Stover.
(Names in announcement: Erasmus L. Houff, John G. Stover)

[No Title]
(Column 01)

Summary: The citizens of Staunton will meet at the Court House on Tuesday to appoint delegates to go to Baltimore to lobby for funds for the Valley Railroad.

[No Title]
(Column 01)

Summary: The Staunton Council, No. 47, Friends of Temperance, will hold a public meeting with speeches and a procession. The Institution Band will perform. Members are requested to wear regalia of the order.

[No Title]
(Column 01)

Summary: The Valley Virginian has been re-issued under new ownership. The proprietors are now J. H. Burdett, C. D. Stoneburner, J. B. Pemberton, and N. H. Anderson. It is edited by J. H. Hewitt, professor of music. "Prof. Hewitt is a good writer and has had considerable experience in editing newspapers--having been connected with several. He has contributed a number of well written and humorous articles to the Spectator which appeared under his nom de plume. He will, doubtless, make the Virginian an entertaining paper."
(Names in announcement: J. H. Burdett, C. D. Stoneburner, J. B. Pemberton, N. H. Anderson, J. H. Hewitt)

[No Title]
(Column 01)

Summary: The Staunton Musical Association will give a concert in the chapel of the Deaf, Dumb, and Blind Institution on April 16th. "The programme will be new, and will be made up of both vocal and instrumental pieces." The association has been expanded and improved under Prof. E. Louis Ide. Prof. August Ide adds expertise on piano, and Dr. J. L. Brown brings his skills as a bass singer.
(Names in announcement: Prof. E. Louis Ide, Prof. August Ide, Dr. J. L. Brown)

Fire Company
(Column 02)

Summary: The Augusta Fire Company elected new officers in the wake of the resignation of Captain Waters. The paper reminds citizens and property holders that the company is still not properly provisioned.
(Names in announcement: Capt. Waters, John B. SchererJr., J. Hardy, J. H. Waters, B. F. Fifer, Charles W. Stafford, Jacob Scherer, A. E. White, James Crickard, A. S. Peaco, James Trayer, A. M. Taylor, J. W. Cook, James Johnson)

Married
(Column 03)

Summary: Jared W. Spitler and Miss Sallie F. Eakle, both of Augusta, were married near Mt. Sidney on March 25th by the Rev. J. J. Engle.
(Names in announcement: Jared W. Spitler, Sallie F. Eakle, Rev. J. J. Engle)

Married
(Column 03)

Summary: Robert L. Roberts of West Virginia, and Miss Margaret E. Shreckhise, daughter of Jacob Shreckhise, were married on April 6th at the house of the bride's father.
(Names in announcement: Robert L. Roberts, Margaret E. Shreckhise, Jacob Shreckhise)

Deaths
(Column 03)

Summary: Kate Crockwell, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. J. R. Crockwell, died in Staunton on April 12th. She was 14 months old.
(Names in announcement: Kate Crockwell, Dr. Crockwell, J. R. Crockwell)

Deaths
(Column 03)

Summary: Minnie O. Craun, infant daughter of George A. and Amanda E. Craun, died near Centerville, Augusta County, on March 27th. She was almost 4 months old. "Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for such is the kingdom of heaven."
(Names in announcement: Minnie O. Craun, George A. Craun, Amanda E. Craun)

Deaths
(Column 03)

Summary: J. William Props died near Moscow on April 5th of chronic rheumatism. He was 29 years old. "The deceased had been on a visit to his uncle, some 8 or 9 days, and, in company with a cousin, was returning home when he was taken very ill, a half mile from the former place, and died in a few minutes. The writer of this notice was often in his company, and although he was a great sufferer, was never heard to murmur at his fate. He received all the comforts that could be bestowed by a kind mother and affectionate brother."
(Names in announcement: J. William Props)