Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1866-01-09
COUNTER-ACTION.
LOUISA Co, VA, January, 1896
IL The E,II5r Of ttc Wig;

10 TIE Editor Qr the JPhig
seek Your indulgence a third time for my
..tt,." IL Ii, tie cause OF ny country aud oil uuth
and confess 20 lu anxiety that D. Should IdS'eh lhy
.j.-l-.g u. y.. tag people. 1cl lhtie is So'u
season 60 fear chat most Oi Us age sunk into an aH-
rly "a suiigu Indifference, W-ca masses Us careless
aI.lut tire ISSUE oil current cVcHt-.
.bc,. event, tend Ji,craliy) 20 universe sui
r.s." All collins &ll conditions all sexes all ages
1913, lo be adu.t.ci almost nd>ysimEateiy' 10 zoe
.......,. franchise. Guar LuriS Paounoun- are not
- t .i,,r-I. %. trir intentions. lie who runs may
..r .rE understand. IuuJ-mOUtAcd iiad'e"ii>ll
I..r.s tl.. tyc.1 body .a.b vote. " "C ~
trvJnt ar-umeu, Ou ti.S '"'s'.'' 'iS ~
...'. ,..tf- o.. 40 i. fi-'t' ..'".t' '"d '"'""'
- .-,.l ir s'uruJu yelbc opposition % IT. "ut shalt
c.',... ,,r h, merely passive cor. Jt Huat, OiJur-
.4tur,. Snail we rely solely upon thc PRESIDENT III
.. IsJ,.l;ftI contest Wit au gidncd and unScrunu-
,uu, multitude! be God helps tuo-c who help the'I'-
selves" 20, P1Jc Richard Nys; and 10 Is ios as To ana
and comfort the President 10 cooperate cordially
ANA promptly with u.ia il We dcSIc 90 secure TO our
~..y,, and our pJstcuty those rights and iberCc'
f...t Nc once tuuw. Ne are not mpJ;cut IN this
matter Under martial law, all our legislation sud-
iertcd 70 yctOcs, strange and alien, we Yet have u
moral power which, duly eNerted. may save us from
rucH o. impending evil Besides, the executive de-
---u,.1t of the United States with rkSOmc llmita-
lions, tr,ily) rec OgnZcs in H. as State and people,
some authority aud force; through which, 1--WE can
not declare our will we can At least show our ulspO-
~ ]
ra. orators and public meetings, by our quasi Leg
i-ltture and our quasi Convention that Tor causes
that Will effect the whole country, we are opposed
. 20 the projected muddy lnuudauOn oil the ballot
box; but, that, on principles oil justice ana III i
spirit OF compromise, We advocate anu are NlilIlS
o. accept qualified franchise, without respect OF
color / know no good reason why the franchise
may not he even pruuered 10 Jemes sole OF proper
a. a.. Aside from considerations OF right and JUS
tee Ccrbcrus must have sop.
a. .rL-l AftF AL Ia ftts
President has said that he gayOrs the publication
and elevation OF the suffrage; and yet that were he
in Tennessee he would advise that the negro be per-
mftted 10 vote when he owned property to certain
amount Ne. lie, then, would be with Us, and we
with him. Let Virginia lead OIL and all the south
cru States will tOllOw-the people unanimous. Tie
Southern people are sick of universal voting, and 81
are vas, numbers North, East and West. The move
lurut OF condensation headed by the Chet-Magis-
trtt, of the nation and supported by moderate ana
conservative men everywhere, will be success, and
Rldirali>m will die amid its wOrShippcrS. The
rouutry is ripe for this movement. The minds ul
lucu are ready for it, through most bitter eNpe-
renee Tks movement Is necessary to the protection
of the Southern States; but il is equally necessary
60 the security OF the liberty peace and prosperity
OF the whole Union.
If extremes do not meet, they come very near
each other. There is but narrow interval between
.. Let everybody vote" and Let nobody vote. y
The annals OF mankind speak TO this point with
emphasis. Radicalism will find its own utter defeat
In tb. very moment of full victory. These tides
s., the alIalrs of men" have their ebbS as well a.
their floods We have but TO stand by, and our
curm,c, will plunge themselves into the abySm which
tbey intend only for Us. This common ruin would
De welcome 10 many among Us, know. They looh
eagerly ahead 10 the mad anarchy which we are
rlnidlv approaching. They see the stern monarchy
thit would result in the inevitable reaction. For
shame Is there anything Christian or wise IN these
vcngeful sentimcutsl Let Us endeayor to fOrctend
these two tremendous ills. There is that in anarchy
and in monarchy which even blind vengeance should
shrink from.
We must not wait for anarchy and its consequent
reaction. They are both too bad to contemplate
We must stop the insane progress Of RadiculSih ny
am honest aud healthy confederation. WI here i
tho influential man who will raise this banner and
shout Tor followers They will come eagerly To ms
rrv. I am not prophet nor the Te'"'''' -
one: yc. bciuG quite purhhhd can sec WHAT i
uIIiuly indicated 10y the signs OF the tines Many
of the deepest convictions ol the people are hidden
in their hearts; they think long before they speak.
Isn't the moment has arrived, or Is near ut land,
VI hen they are prepared To denounce universal sui
fr,ge and the reckless and irresponsible tyranny M
L,r,ut in it. They see that all men are not lifted
L. rule 80, by parity OF reasoning all men are mol
H.ted To select thoSa' who should rule. They feel
shat now or never. patriotism and intelligence must
tiV an impcuetrdbr args over Freedom and her
blessings.
Let me briefly recapitulate ms propositions of De-
cember 10Th lS65-That universal suffrage is an evil
That liceutous majority IS the worst of tyrantS.-
III at our maioritjes are fast becoming reckless ana
uuScrupulous That, nevertheless, no present Notci
should be DISTINGUISHED except 10y certain oretupS
That all new voters without exclusion for color
,hould have certain educational and property quail
common legal competency Of witnesses. That there
should be fewer elective offices.
W. c. E.