Staunton Vindicator

We have heretofore spoken of the necessity of all, who are not disfranchised, registering when they are called upon to do so, and we now desire still further to impress upon our people the necessity which urges to such a course. We are about to see the experiment made in our midst of enfranchising a whole class of uneducated people, who have not the slightest idea of the subjects upon which they will be called upon to vote. We have already seen that the endeavor has been made, and that they are to some extent being manipulated by those who are inimical to us and them. Necessitated, as we were, to bend all our energies to the recuperation of our damaged fortunes and disgusted with the political phases assumed after the war, we have been loth to engage in politics, and yet feel a great disinclination to do so, even to the extent of registering. This latter is all wrong. We have seen the Government of Maryland, Tennessee and West Virginia controled by a minority, who lorded it with a tyrannical hand over the majority. this will be the case in Virginia if we fail to register and place ourselves on an equality with this minority, but different from those States, the majority here are able to prevent it, there they were not. But what signifies our ability to still control the government of our State, if we fail to do it? By failing to register we will surely fail to place ourselves in a condition to vie with a minority for the control of the State and hence the imperative necessity to register. Upon the registration of voters will be apportioned representation in the Convention, if one be called. If we fail to register we lose not only our weight in the apportionment of representation, but the right to vote. The Attorney General says after the Books of registration are closed, which must be done before September, neither a name can be added as a voter nor officer. The voluntary refusal of any to register may therefore, disfranchise as virtually, and perhaps for all time, as if he had been disfranchised by act of Congress. We have all to save and nothing to lose by registration. Then let us not fail, one and all, to have our name entered on the register.

It may be thought that the white majority in the State is so large that some of us need not be particular about registering. Be not deceived by this. Every colored man will register. Let those, who have not been satisfied with this heretofore, read the following order from General Brown, which speaks for itself:

BUREAU OF REFUGEES, FREEDMEN
AND ABANDONED LANDS,
HEADQ'RS ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER
STATE OF VIRGINIA
RICHMOND, Va., May 28, 1867.

Circular Letter.

it is reported that many of the freedmen of the State will fail to register under the military bill through the agency of persons hostile to their exercising the rights of suffrage.

The act to continue in force and to amend "an act to establish a bureau for the relief of freedmen and refugees" requires the officer of the Bureau to aid the freedmen "in making the freedom conferred upon them available to themselves and beneficial to the Republic."

It is, therefore, clearly your duty to counteract, as far as possible the influence of persons inimical to the freedmen registering or voting, and to advise and instruct them in regard to their rights under the above named bill, and the great importance of their exercising these rights. By availing yourselves of the various meetings of the freedmen, and others means at your command of spreading information among them, not one in the state need be uninformed in regard to his right and duty in the matter.

If any freedmen fail to register through ignorance, the Bureau officer in charge of the sub-district or division where such failure occurs, will be considered derelict in the performance of his duty.

The opinion expressed in this letter in regard to the duties of Bureau officers is in accordance with that held by Major-General Schofield, commanding this district.

O. BROWN
Brvt. Brig. Gen., Ass't. Com.

No one desires to intimidate or prevent the colored people from voting, however much they may regret the hallucination which has forced this upon us, but it is made a pretext to have every colored man registered, without even a desire expressed to have the white men of the State registered also. The object is plain and patent, and if those, who have proposed to themselves not to register, will reflect upon the damage to themselves and posterity by such a course, they will, as sure as the time comes round, present themselves and have their names recorded as voters on the books of the Registrars.

We publish elsewhere Gen. Schofield's order, no. 31, superseding, to all intents and purposes, the civil by the military authorities in this State, to which we invite the attention of our readers. We are at a loss to understand the treasons which induced this extraordinary order in this State. Since the day of Gen. Lee's Surrender our people have quietly subsided into a quiet and peaceful condition, yielding ready obedience to the authorities that be, caring more to advance their own immediate private interests, by a wonderful energy and industry, than to infringe the rights of others, be they whites or blacks. For many long months, and long before Gen. Schofield, in accordance with the Reconstruction act, was assigned to the command of District no. 1 our civil tribunals have, with a marked impartiality, adjudicated between all classes, according to laws adapted to the changed condition of affairs, and without complaint from any source that we are aware of. The civil tribunals and officers have not failed to afford protection to persons in their rights of person and property and have had to call on no assistance, except in a few cases, arising from the teaching of bad men, who inflamed the ignorant material in the South to an extent, which could only find its vent, as it did, in several riotus demonstrations, which could only be suppressed by the assistance of the military. these cases have arisen thro' parties, who, are not of or with the vast majority of our people in sentiment and feeling, and have furnished the only reason for civil officers calling in military assistance. Although it is asserted that the Military Commissioners are intended only to aid and not to supersede the civil authorities, except in cases of necessity,yet it seems to us to virtually override the civil authority the civil authorities, the reason for which will hardly transpire, unless Gen. Schofield, who heretofore seemed to be greatly averse to interfering with the civil officers, should vouchsafe an explanation. The reason can scarcely be arrived at otherwise by our people.