The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1867-09-18
The Negro and his Fate.

The New York Mercury has an able edi-
torial, introducing the following letter from
a gentleman, formerly citizen Of this county.
1t concludes:
We arc permitted to make the following
extracts from letter received in this city
from distinguished Virginian, who is now
devoting himself to the work of preserving
what is left of the old Government bequeath-
ed by our fathers. The subject Of the let
ter deeply concerns all who desire peace and
harmony to the white race, North and South
RICHMOND, Aug. 10, 1867.
Dear Sir Your townsman, Col Ed
monson has returned to Philadelphia, and
his impressions of Virginia and the Virgin
ians, I have reason to believe, are pleasant.
The Colonel made friends Of all who have
met him, by his frankness, good sense and
amiable disposition. Many of our Richmond
people made his acquaintance at the White
Sulphur Springs, and all retain pleasant re-
collections of their intercourse. Such men
do vast deal of good by mingling with and
talking to our people, and encouraging them
with more hopeful views of the future than
generally prevail. Asperities are softened
down, and recent animosities gradually give
place to mere kindly rememberances Of the
past, when there were cordial personal friend
ships coextensiye with the Union, and ties
and associations that drew men of the North
ard South together.
The Radical party Of this country seem to
aim at making the whole land Pandemoni-
UNI. We are powerless to restrain it, and are
forced to look on in deep concern, to see
where it will all end. am frank to say that
see but one means Of escape from the po-
litical diseases Of this country, and that is,
to accept the fact that the old Government Of
our fathers is lost to us forever and as soon
as it can be done without bloodshed. adopt a
form Of government in harmony with the
national decision of Capitalization, and seek
refuge in stable and fixed constitutional
monarchy, that will give protection against
tho irresponsible tyranny of an unbridled
mob of semi barbarians and the sans culottes
masses.
Conservative men of the North are not yet
prepared to entertain this view, but they will
be in less than three years. This is the only
escape from humiliation of the poor negro.
Trusted with political power, he will be led
to doom himself. His present masters, the
Radicals, are fast leading him to ruin and
extinction. But / will not tax your time to
read my convictions on this subject In
Virginia we shall have little trouble with the
negro, under whatever political condition we
may beplaced in. The white man will be su-
preme in Virsinia,and the negro will be rapid
ly passed Southwark, and on the fields of the
Carolinas, Georgia, and the Gulf States, his
race will perish as the Indian is now perish
ing on the plains Of the far West, hemmed
in by civilization all around him, which he
cannot rise to, and has not the force to resist,
as its waves burst upon him. Idleness, vice
and disease will first do large part of the
work, the sword will finish it, and in my
Judgment, the day is not twenty years dis
tant when the warcry Of extinction against
these helpless barbarians, as cumberers of the
ground allotted by the almighty to His
saints, will be heard in Faneuil Hall and on
Boston Common-raised by those who will
resolve that they arc the ''saints" entitled to
the land and the fatness thereof
Truly, yours,