Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1867-11-12


Ito guess the answers to riddles we cannot
solve. Who for example) can say achy, by the
cruel wrongs and tortures OF the middle pass
age In slave ships, thousands of the strange
children OF Africa were brought to our coasts
and spread over our land? Why in slavery,
though sometimes cruelty treated, the ne
groes increased and multiplied, under the fos-
tering care of the master, We're raised far above
their savage state and increased in intelligence
and virtue, and moral stature, under the benign
influence of our common Christianity, until the
thousands of heather savages became millions
of chrstanized men aud women, happy aud
contented In their lot, and apparently bless
! ing to those who had cared for them? aChy,
| without the movement OF an arm or the stir of
| passionate outburst of desire for chapge-tbe
change came!-the bonds were stricken from
them and they were set free; and not only So
but were MADE the equals OF their masters be
| fore the law? Why, without education or
training to lit them for its use, power over those
| masters has been given to them, nay, thrust
upon them, so that In u large portion of ten
States OF the Union they may, if they choose
govern and, politically, put under their feet
those who once controlled them? Why, with
all these gifts bestowed on them, nearly ,0OO,-
600 OF these people, las the commissioner of the
Freedmens Bureau reports,) have perished
since the boon OF liberty became theirs? Why
a conflict OF races should be imminent! con
hict, which may be peaceful, slow in its effects
but sure In Its crushing force or, which, if
prudence and wisdom control not the passions
of the two races, may become fierce, bloody and
cruel to the determination of the one or the
other? WY the fairest and most productive
of our Southern lands seem about to be surren-
dered to the control aud almost exclusive occu-
pancy of a thriftess, inlprovldent and inefficient
race of men? who, many think, must totter
backwards into heathenlsm, If they let 90 their
hold upon the whites who have, heretofore,
sustained and advanced them in knowledge aud
usefulness? Why the speudor is fading from
the flower and the glory from the sunlight OF
our once happy South? Why all these signs
of desolatlon and goom--of conflict and ago
ny? Why these porteats OF blood and exter-
mination-why all these strange mysteries?-
Who can tell? Who? Vel may we say, we
are nearing the Cataract aud already hear its
dull roar; and We'll, oh well, may We pray the
God of the current and Ut the storm to give US
Plot to guide our bark INTO calm waters and
d safe harDour! We may we, as a people,
now say, in God alone is oar hep-yain is the
help OF man
And yet gentlemen, We must remember that
as the heather SAID, Hercules helps those ouly
who pat their own shoulders to the wheel-and,
as the christian says, God gives success to those
gentlemen. in this pcrilous hour Of trial is our
duty ?-o9r dGty here IN this sacred temple Of
justice " Mhy, 1t is to keep the fire on its al
tars burning pure and bright so that the long
levelled ilnes OF streaming light that go forth
from them may lliuinlne the darkness that
threatens our pathway, and guide Us all into the
ways of order and peace and happiness. The
duty tor me is to keep tie ermine pure and un-
suilied, as when | received it from the hands OF
hlm who preceded me, and Who now stands
among the just men made perfect and the
duty for you is to administer impartial justice
to all Ito uphold the standard Of the law with
a firm grasp and steady hand
Gentlemen, this asar be the last time I shall
ever speak to you as your Judge; for [ am Que
OF those whom the turn OF the wheel of power
during the next six months may dlop iuto the
ranks OF the private citizen and, as it may be
my last opportunity L viii use it for few mo
ments, IN 1mplorng you and all who shall have
the power OF the ballot, high and low rich and
poor, white and cQlorad, to keep the Judiciary
independent and pure. let the judges be as
priests and LeylteS set apart and consecrated to
a sacred service; let them be walled in, as it
were, by the confidence and reverence of the
people let them have no ears to hear, nor eyes
to see, anything but what is presented to them,
here, Ill open Court let them know nothing
nounce their Judgments, affecting life, liberty,
character and property let them be, not only
pure and unbamable, but held up SO high by
the reverent respect of the bar, and the jurors
and the people, as to be far, far beyond the
reach OF the breath OF suspicion; let them con
tlnue to be as Vlrginian Judges have, thank
GOD, ever been In times past, and the poltl-
Clans may differ, and men may vote in other re-
spects, as they please for the time, and the
country will still be safe the trivial errors and
partial wrongs OF legislation or Of executive ad-
mnistratlon will be rectiied after awhile; but
talnt upon the Judiciary OF a people, once af-
fixed with their consent or tolerance, is the
mark OF moral leprosy which proves, beyond
cavll, that the whole body polite is corrupt
And could my voice reach and influence our
colored people, would tell them, that when
the days OF military rule and Freedmen S Bu-
reaus have passed away, as they mast, In pro-
cess OF time, they will need, perhaps more than
the whites, fearless and lncorruplble Judiciary
to stand as tower OF strength and wall OF de-
fence tor them IN their ignorance and weakness
and poverty !-thy will need to have Judges
whose ears will hear the Cry of justice Tor oU
men, without DISTINCTION Of Color race or caste,
with equal heed, who will help the weak against
the strong, and protect the lgnorant aud the
dependent against aggression and wrong who
viii stand before them III the way and shield
them against the powerful and the influential
None, repeat, will need pure, iearncd lear
less anu Independent judiciary more than the
coored people; and II they be not stone blind
TO their own highest good, they viii detaand III
the first exercise Of their power Us voters pure
and independent judiciary! TO you, gentle
men, and Others OF the Anglo Saxon blood, who
belong to u race ct people who have been wont
to respect the law and reverence Its eXpUunders,
to remember with pride the Hales, Manslields,
Marahas, Siorys aud Ianeys who have Illus
trated their Jurisprudence, and who shuuder
with disgust and horror, y, tney think ot the
Jefireys, Coke, Racons, and some perhaps III
our own land, who have corrupted the law to
vile purposes oI oppression anu wrong TO you,
IL is hardly necessary, that IA word oi warning
should De gwen on this subject. You will un-
derstand that the nlaIu supports OF Tree and
happy governments are Virtue and morality, anu
that unless cur women be pure, our clergy en-
iightened and holy nen, and our Judges learn
Ell, fearless and lncorlupuble, those supports
are Weak and must give way.
Gentlemen, Gil former occasions L have fore
told to you things which have cone to pass,
and | have pointed out to you your duties Ill
our new and delicate relations with the colored
people. l will not repeat What 1 have said. L
only charge you III your jury room ana III the
walks OF daily hle to see to 1t that the laws, now
equal to all, be fairly and llnpartaily adnlnls-
tered to all | Will only remind you that no
longer is there one law tor the white nian ard
another for the coiored nan-that NO longer Is
the colored man TO be excluded as IA wltueos be-
| a