VIRGIN I A. 



sri 



The iv.ri-tration wont on without intcrrup- 



II ciintc-lcd ca-M-x brill;.' refrlTcd I.) the 



roiiiniiiMiliir^ otlin-r I'm- d.---':-ioii. Tin- first S6- 



Ml'ds i if IJf^i-Ir;lticili cloM-d nil 



.ih of September. After the iv\ Niou had 

 made, tin- final n-Milt -bowed a prepon- 

 derance f white regNtcr.-d voters over the 



in most df tin.- counties. In a feu 

 tin- disparity was \vry marked as in Alleghany 

 Count \ tiler.- \\cre, whites, 4dl, blacks. '. |- J ; in 

 Ulan.!. I; IVichamm, 4' 1 .:! to "; Cam,l, 



1,877 to 64; Page, 1,205 to 190; Koekingham, 

 to !K>; Scott, 1,861 to 110; Shenandoah, 

 8,168 to 176; Washington, 2,502 to (U'.i; WN.-, 

 ' '.. On the other hand, in Amelia 

 Conntv there were 1,47* blacks to -177 whites; 

 Brunswick, 1.7<>6 to 810; Charlotte, 2,064 to 

 900; Din widdie, 1,608 to 692; Kli/.abcth, l.:>7<> 

 to 869; Halifax, 3,398 to 1,905; Powhatun, 

 1,178 to 4')1 ; York, 1,186 to 411. The total 

 number iv-isteivd in the State \vas 221,754, of 

 which 116,982 were whites, an<l Hi 1,772 col- 

 ored. 



The election order was published on the 1-th 

 of September.' and appointed October 22<1 for 

 the taking of the vote on the question of hold- 

 ing a convention, and at the same time for ihe 

 choice of delegates. The number of delegates 

 apportioned by this order among the various 

 cities and counties of the State was one hun- 

 dred and five. The apportionment was made on 

 the principle of giving separate representation 

 to the smallest practicable subdivision of the 

 State, and of so combining counties in election 

 districts, in case of surplus fractions in the divi- 

 sion, as to represent most accurately the sum 

 of theee fractions. 



!'. 'vdes the body of Republicans represented 

 in the convention of April 17th, there was 

 another wing of thj party, more conservative 

 in spirit, under the lead of the lion. J. M. 

 Botts. lie had called a convention of the ( 'on- 

 servative I'n : on men to me*et at Charlottesvillo 

 on the 4th of July, but at a meeting held on 

 the 12th of June, in which Mr. Botts-, Governor 

 IVirpont, and J. \V. llunnieutt, the leader of 

 the Radicals, took part, and at which there 

 were present prominent Republicans: from the 

 North, including Senator Wilson, of Massachu- 

 setts, and John Jay, of New York, it was 

 d to ci'.l a convention of all the "uncon- 

 u'itioiiMl 1'nion men of Virginia," to meet in 

 the African Church at Richmond on the 1st 

 of August, the intention being to secure a 

 c liilition of the Botts and llunnieutt wings of 

 tin' Republican party. The convention as- 

 irdanco with the call, on the 

 1st of Aug 1st, but was so overcrowded with 

 negroes aiider th.- lead of llunnieutt, that Mr. 

 Botts and the body of dilega'es which he 

 headed to,>k no part. TLe Radicals, in their 

 soin/u h it tuiMiilent convention, added nothing 

 to the phrt'o.-iu of April 17th, but after their 

 adjournment a mass meeting assembled and 

 wa^ jrldvs-.'d by Mr. Uotts, who presented 

 the platform which he had prepared for the 



convention. This embodies the following prin- 

 alples: 



1. Thut xccosRion ia trcuon, and treason U not ft 



MuidiT tiui|.l\, but ii criinu, to !o punuhed; and 

 whilst we \v i- u]i indemnity lor tin: pait, we most 

 ili-iiiiiti'l sfcurity l'ir tlu; I'm 



_'. Thut tin- lir.-t ulli-.-. \n due 



to bin country, uinl not to his St:i;. , .,;. 

 component putt of hU country. 



8. A lilnT:il in; : -ystem of education for 



nil, tit the ]>ubli< 



4. Ini]i;ir'. and ciiuulity in all political 



1 to nice or 



prcns, 



vitli-iut ru-L-ntioiiMicss , throughout free 



America. 



6. A recognition and perpetuation of universal lib- 

 erty, whether heretofore oonstStatioiullyMOCMnplished 

 or Iitln i 



7. Th- tiKiiiitcnanco of the public faith und credit 

 by the piiyim-nt of the j.ul^ .r the 

 perpetuation of American liberty, and t-.n- r. I'uJiatioa 

 oi'tlu- 'oiit'i-ilcrate debt, created for our i- 



8. To give elevation and respectability to labor, 

 that honest industry in all honorable pursuits may 

 be appreciated anil rewarded. 



9. A liberal system of internal improvement*, for 

 the full development of the resources of the v. 



1". (Iriieral amnesty and rest unit ion to all civil and 

 political rights to the" rank and file of the army and 

 to the groat body of the people, who were misled and 

 seduced into the war by more artful and wicked men, 

 or who were forced in by conscription or otherwise, but 

 i-\elii>ion from all political power hereafter to those 

 who were instrumental, either by speaking, writing, 

 or preaching, in bringing on the war. by winch this 

 State was reduced to division, humiliation, penury, 

 and ruin, as unfit custodians of the public honor and 

 general prosperity of the State. This is nothing 

 more and nothing less than they would do with all 

 opposed to them (who have committed no crime) if 

 they had the power. 



Before the close of the meeting resolutions 

 were adopted indorsing General Sheridan's 

 course, and proposing him as a candidate for 

 the presidency. 



On the 2Cth of September there was a con- 

 vention of the ex-officers, soldiers, ami sailors 

 of the U. S. Army and and Navy residing in 

 Virginia, which met at Richmond and chose 

 Ceneral II. II. Wells for its |. residing officer. 

 Speeches were made by several delegates, and 

 the following series of resolutions adopted: 



]V /ti'i-eos we, the ex-Federal officers, soldiers, and 



sailors of the Army ami Navy <>t' the I'niu-d States, 



now residents oft Virginia, having fought 



to preserve the unity of the Government and tho 



principles upon which it was founded, and having 



ome all armed opposition to that 



niu'iit, have assembled herein council, under 



a full appreciation of the solemn obligation resting 



upon us, to pcrfonn another and much more agree- 



ai'l- M-rvice to our Government, viz., to discharge 



faithfully our duty as citizens. That we recognize 



and deeph : ;'eeliiiLr "f discord thai exists 



. bo, though lately struiri'linij for_a 



e ifo-eminent, have now no interests but in 



e 1111:11011 with our>elves. And that we regard an 



expression of our opinions as a dut \ >t only 



-, but to those with whom many of us 



have latelv assoeiated our fortunes ; therefore, be it 



That \ve, the ex -Federal toldien and 

 sailor* of tne United State* Army ai ;-tthc 



following resolutions as an expression of our prin- 

 ciples : 



Jtetolctd, That we regard a speedy restoration to 

 i i on of those States lately in rebel! ton as second 



