The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-10-26
LETTER FROM PETERSBURG.
Correspondence Of the kssn mond Dispatch.
PerFxsurRe, October %, 1857

PETEKsBrRG, October 81 1867.
The iu;clliSenc &C in the papers of thu, morn
Ing that the Radicals had carried Richmond
Wis received with profound grief. After the
c.,iltnt fight which tho Conservatives made
during the two .irSt days, we felt sanguinc OF
thrir coming out victorious In til" end. But
The odds We're TOO great, nor wonld they have
hann allowed 10 succeed If IL had taken every
,,nr-o IN the ad iaceGt counties 10 defeat them.
We now begin 10 sec in all It's horrors tho
evils OF radical reconstruction. With the two
races pitted against each other almost 10 4
man there can he no peace or prosperity and II
is much 10 be feared that we shall experience
no relief until We have passed through a
fery ordeal After the evidence afforded by
orr recent elections of the iniquity of con-
crc<sional legislation, the North cannot fail
10, rercciv We where IT IL all 10 end Tn view OF
the approaching elections in the great State OF
New York and other important States, II may
be bes, that the result here should have been
what il is. II rightly used by the Conserva-
tive press and speakers of that section. IL
mast produce Il profound impression and If
there is any virtue left III the masses, we may
Vet be rid Of this terrible incubus of negro
government. If not. We cannot do other than
give up this fair southern land 10 ruin. or
assert orr supremacy by force.
The leading men of the Republican party in
this city withdrew from the organization as
soon as II became obvious that its policy was
that OF extreme rad,calism. They had hoped
so 10 control the course of events as to avoid
the line of demarkaton was irrevocably
drawn, they came out openly against a
Convention and In favor Of the Conserva-
tive candidates. I speak of the native
Petersburg men, who We're from the first
consistent Union men--meu of character and
property. An these, with one or two excep-
tons. cspous.d the Conservative side. The
remainder of the whites that voted the Radi-
cal ticket, amounting in all TO fifty-three,
We're born under other skies. and have no per
manent interest in this community.
Every appliance WAS used, both here ana
throughout the country, to get the negroes TO
The polls. Wherever any lukewarmness was
exhibited, they were told that If they did not
vote they would be liable to fine and i'm
priSonmcnt. After ALL however, these poor
CrralurrS--or at least the great body of them
scarcely knew what they were doing, while
the really guilty parties are those who took
advantage of their ignorance and imposed on
them for selfish purposes. The experience OF
the coming winter may possibly serve i'll Il
measure 10 disSipate some OF their deluSions
when physicians and medicines may be needed
in sickness, and when it may be difficult 10
lind employment. AS yet l have heard OF
none being discharged from work, but in the
present pTostration Of almost every industry,
and the continually increasing scarcity of
will be imposed on every family and on every
kind Of business.
1t is pretty generally rumored on the streets
to-day that Captain Platte ;vows himself 10
be more Conservative than Radical, and that
he is not in favor of any harsh or extreme
measures.
The tobacco market is somewhat weaker to-
day. while cotton is decidedly frmer, and has
advanced ope-half cent since yesterday.