Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1867-06-04
From the Lynchburg News.
Registration.

The PRONUNCIATION of the opinion of the At
torney General of the United States settles
concluslvely the question as to the .preponder-
ance OF white voters in this State-the disfran,,
chised class constituting comparatively small
number OF the people, When it is remembered
that there are about one hundred and twenty
thousand white voters, and about seventy-hve
thousand colored ones In the State, as ascer-
tanned by official returns, it will be apparent,
that after making most liberal estimates of the
number OF whites who would vote with the Rad
lcals, and placing the number OF disfranchlsed
at the largest estimated figure, there will still
remain conservative white majority in the
State of at least $4,000. Sufficient to control
completely all elections even in case the colored
populations should be induced by the appeals
OF Northern Radicals to array themselves in
open hostility to those amongst whom their lot
is cast, and upon whom they are generally de-
pendant for the means of living.
We repeat then, that the conservative whites
have 1t IN their power to control completely all
State elections provided they choose to do so.
We will not believe that any considerable num-
Der of white voters will be so infatuated as to
refuse to register and vote. because by an in
exorable law, the same privilege has been &C.
corded to thenegro.
We would also call the particular attention of
the colored people themselves, to the existing
lions of mischevous demagogues who desire to
control the colored vote for the advancement of
their own selfish purposes, strong feeling has
been manifested by many to organize themselves
into party whose bond of Union shall consist
in saoorn hostility to the whites of the South.
We would wish them to ponder we'll the ul
innate and inevitable consequences of such &C
ton in view of the statistical estimates we have
given above. Can they be SO humbugged as to
believe that $4,000 colored voters can control a
State which numbers 10000 white sufragans?
Suppose their object could be attained, and
every colored man in the State could be induced
to vote with the Radical party, would not the
whites in self defence be compelled to make a
similar test, and for their own protection cast
their ballots in solid phalanx in favor of the
white mems candidate With $4,000 majority
against them, what would be the necessary re-
suit of their effort They would be refused
employment. White labor would at once be
introduced throughout the State, and the negro
would be compelled to seek in other and more
uncongenial climes that encouragement and
employment which would be denied him here.
In view Of such consequences, would it not be
greatly to the interest of the colored voter to
unite with the whites by whom he is surround
ed, and with whose interests he is so thorough
ly identified, and choose for the various offices
such men as are properly qualified to discharge
the duties incident thereto The election of
such men will promote the interest of all classes
and colors. No one proposes anywhere to at
tempt to deprive the colored man Of any of the
privileges conferred upon him by Congressional
action. They may more safely trust all their
political, personal and pecuniary interests to
the protection Of those amongst whom they
reside, than to Northern sympathizers' as
they style themselves, whose much lauded phi
lanthropy is exhibited only in schemes for the
advancement of their own selfish purpose. En-
trusted with the right of suffrage, and admitted
to all the privileges of citizenship, living in the
same section, interested in similar pursuits, and
bound together by the cords ofacommon destiny,
it would seem worse than folly for the colored
people to array themselves in direct hostility to
those upon whom they are dependentfo for employ
ment,