The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1866-05-04
NORFOLK RIOTS AND MURDERS.

in relation to this matter, by the proof of the
reference we made to the calumuies which
have been set afoat, in all abolitiondom, res
pecting the good people Of Norfolk. The
Washington Chronicle publishes letter to
screen the negroes from responsibility for
killing Mrs. Whitehurst and the rest, res
ponsive to the statements of the Tribune, and
Of the other Yankee letter-writers from Nor
folk, all Of whom may have derived their in
formation and impressions from headquar-
tiers here, from which comes, in the first in
stance, the imputation that the negroes are
not to blame, but that the whites commenced
the attack which led to the sanguinary cons
clusion we all SO much deplore.
The correspondent of the Chronicle declares
that Mrs. Whitehurst was killed by her own
son. Major Stanhope is the father Of this
statement. We do not say what connection
subsists between Major Stanhope aud the
writer his councils are inscrutable to us
but we do know one or two Of the prominent
abolitionists Of this place and if they are
friends and advisers of his, we uolonger Won
der that the prestige of a highminded officer
Of the army has been dimmed and obscured
and demoralized under their counsels What
Major Stanhope lacked in nerve and activity
at the time of the celebration : what he
failed to do to prevent the collision and
preserve the peace Of the city all his tremors
and fears, and imaginations, and wild dreams
Of being shot at--even the running away of
his horse-are now to be shifted away upon
the shoulders of the unoffending citizens of
Norfolk, whose peace and property and lives
were freely submitted to the tender mercy of
an armed and brutal mob of negroes, suffered
to parade. our streets and insult our city,
unmatched, and probably sympathised with,
by all the abolitionists in the place
The letter-writer in the Chronicle says, that
1.-The only trouble that occurred was COM
msnced bya drunken policeman, and followed
up by the young man, Robert Whitehurst"
BE declares that the only mob was "an orga-
mixed and offered ,ohtte mob, which turned
out, as soon as darkness set in with the
aunwed intenI1ou vs-.-.-.a-.inys Sr--lA~- sAarA
and negroes Unfortunately, which they
showed at the commencement by firing upon
the commander of the post and upon every
colored man they met in the streets, as well
as entering one house and dragging out and
killing the negro occupant" He represents
this mob as firing upon every negro they
met, often with fatal effect" lie says, sit is
we'll known that several negroes were killed,
but their friends, from fear of the after VEN
geance of the whites, when they are turned
over to their tender mercies conceal the
facts"
The same writer gives great credit to the
military for preserving order ;" and designs
by this expression, to throw perfume, to ex-
hale elsewhere, over the fading laurels of
Major Stanhope, which are quite withered
here
We come now to the "sist' OF the whole
matter of which, says this correspondent,
this Norfolk eme,.te is but slight instance"
To do no injustice to Major Stanhope, we
publish these reflections
The people of Virginia are incapable Of
self-government. Every intelligent army Of
fcer, Of whatever politics, stationed among
the people, will agree that at the present
time, and ever since the fall Of the rebel gov
eminent, they are and have been only fit for
one kind of government, and that is the
strong arm Of military force 1t is the only
force they respect while in their present state
of anarchy. After Lees surrender they ex-
ofal nd fn,>l, oI fn+ tl,n 10
imposed upon them the better for their pros
perity and real reconstruction; without it the
life Of every Union man and every negro is
unsafe from day to day" =
We assume,---we think We are warranted
IN assuming,--that this is defencs of the
military authorities Of Norfolk Part of the
statements and information given by this
correspondent seem to owe their paternity to
Major Stanhope; and we submit them with
out further reflections to the people of Nor
folk.
Why the radical cause should require false
hoods and ISLANDERS for its support. we leave
to those interested to say We have never
seen letter written by Northerners from the
South that did not contain these elements.
Once in a while it becomes necessary for the
press at the South to show these things up.
1t i. not an agreeable task. But this matter
about Norfolk should be put to rights; and
the responsibility for the riots and murders
here cannot be shifted from the shoulders
upon which it belongs to those Of our citi-
sens.
In connection with this matter, our citi-
zens are Informed that Court Of IHquiry is
now In session at the Adjutants Office, in the
Custom House. investigating the late riots in
this city. The board composing the court,