Alexandria 1867 Delegates and the Richmond Convention

Alexandria elected delegates to the Virginia Constitutional Convention that convened from December 3, 1867, to April 17, 1868. Alexandria citizens John Hawxhurst and Linus M. Nickerson were selected as delegates to the Convention. The Delegates elected federal judge John Curtis Underwood, a white Richmond native, to preside over the convention on December 4, 1867. The Convention consisted of a mix of Unionists, Conservatives, and Freedmen. Nevertheless, the Republicans majority consisted of members such as John Underwood and Alexandria/Fairfax delegate John Hawxhurst. Alexandria delegate Nickerson succeeded in his attempts to include a specific provision that prevented any further attempts at Virginia secession. Hawxhurst attended the convention held in Richmond, Virginia on April 17-18, 1867 along with various African Americans where they voted on articles from school integration to Black Suffrage. Republicans achieved various successes when they created Virginia’s first integrated public school. The convention subsequently created additional education for Freedmen apart from the Freedmen’s Bureau. Republicans subsequently redrew state legislative district boundary lines, provided the Virginia Governor more power to pardon, and created iron clad loyalty oaths and disenfranchisement clauses to punish former Confederates. The Republican Party gained control of the Virginia General Assembly to continue Radical Reconstruction.  Radical Republicans selected Henry H. Wells, to be the next Virginia Governor after Pierpont. They appealed to General Schofield to appoint a new Governor. Schofield believed that Wells could unite the Republican Party during Radical Reconstruction. Wells led a brief tenure as Governor but eventually lost reelection to Gilbert Walker in 1869. Schofield attended the end of the convention on April 17, 1869, when he denounced the loyalty test oaths and argued that the oath should not be submitted to citizens for ratification or at the very least it should be submitted as a separate ballot to ensure that citizens ratify the constitution without the test oath. Schofield argued for separate ballots before the Conservatives considered the idea in 1869. He objected to the Federal Government’s prescribing qualifications for state officials or voting in state elections. Schofield’s support for the Fourteenth Amendment did not persuade the Virginia Legislature when the state government voted unanimously against the Fourteenth Amendment. Schofield advocated for Virginia to ratify the Fourteenth Amendment to prevent a broader more radical reconstruction.

Results of the Constitutional Convention

            The Constitutional Convention affected Freedmen in Alexandria because it allowed them to advocate for their rights through public office and obtain the benefit of having Wells, a Radical Republican as the next Virginia Governor. President Andrew Johnson did not receive a second term despite his acquittal by the Senate during his impeachment trial. Union General Ulysses S. Grant became the eighteenth President of the United States and witnessed the end of Virginia Reconstruction. Grant emerged to end Virginia Reconstruction and superseded Schofield’s inaction when Grant called for a statewide referendum on the Virginia Constitutional Convention. Foner described Grant’s actions when he said, “President Grant called for a popular vote on the constitution (with separate balloting on the stringent disenfranchisement clause) and the simultaneous election of state officials.”  Grant allowed Conservatives to end Virginia Reconstruction that hindered radical reconstruction but maintained Freedmen suffrage. The Constitutional Convention provided for Black Suffrage, free public schools, a loyalty oath and disfranchisement of all former Confederates. 

            Alexandria Freedmen experienced more freedom during and after the 1868 Virginia Convention. Schofield appointed an Alexandria city government of members selected by the recently created voting lists of city council members. William Berkeley became Alexandria mayor until the end of Virginia Reconstruction. The convention allowed local elections to resume but Freedmen voted for the Republican Party. Therefore, moderate Republican Gilbert Walker became Governor and a majority of moderate Republicans were elected to both Houses of the Virginia General Assembly. Alexandria Freedmen were instrumental in electing Berkeley and other members to the Virginia General Assembly in 1869. Alexandria Freedmen elected successfully a radical republican that advocated for their right to vote. Freedmen elected Alexandria native Lewis McKenzie to the Virginia House to advance for Black Suffrage. Freedmen in Alexandria were unable to vote directly within the Virginia House. Therefore, they elected directly delegates to advocate for Freedmen’s interests in Alexandria and Virginia