New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-10-30

Whoever has any knowledge Of Human Ma
turc. and more especially of Negro nature,
must know that the Virginia Blacks would
most gladly and proudly have voted for the
ablest and most eminent of the Virginia Whites,
if the Whites as class, would have let them
But for the ever-p present horror of being sold
to some slayc-tradcr and sent South 20 be
driven i'm gangs in the cotton-felds, the Nr-
ginia slaves were happy pcasantry-not over
worked, for the most part amply though
coarsely fed, and loving their homes with a
passionate devotion. A slave was proud of his
masters social rank, his wealth, his broad do
main, whenever he could be, aud spoke fondly
of my cattle" "my horses &c, with an UNI
conscious identification Of his own interests
with his masters. We know no country with
strictly labOring class superior in dOcility or
efficiency to that of Old Virginia. All that was
needed to attach that class firmly to the politi-
cal fortunes of her White aristOcracy was
simply an earnest, hearty recognition of the
Freedmens manhood and their newly acquired
political rights
The great mass of the Whites, and especially
Of the former arstoCracy, have chosen to refuse
that recognition They began, directly after
Lincoln's death, by conspiring 20 give the
Freedmen barely starvation wages. They pro-
ceeded in legislating, under Johnson's recon
structon, to deny them the most essential civil
rights. And when Congress dictated new
and different plan of Reconstruction, by which
power is based on Loyalty and Manhood, not
on Color, they combined to resist such Recon
structiOn TO the bitter end.
Cucb hninO tho facis-auu The VJmcQ suhgt1n-
italy admits them-we ask, earnestly, what is
meant by "the folly and insoence of the
BLACKS n We challenge specifications We
sue for evidence. That they did not vote to
disfranchise themselves, is certain would not
The Times have scorned and fOuted them if
they had? That they sometimes made mis-
takes, and dstrusted where they might wisely
have repOsed faith, we believe; but is it a
wonder that--in view Of the formidable con
spracy to crush them-they chose to vote for
the candidates who seemed most thorough
going in defense OF their rights? Professions
are cheap, you say; but, rs between the
man who offers To render me great service
and one who puts his pistol to my head and
bids me stand and deliver, can you blame me
for prefening the former This may possibly
be "foly," though We hardly see it; but how
can it be insolenceg DO let MS understand
The Times intimates that some of the Whites
who volunteered to counsel and lead the Blacks
are neither Solomons in wisdom nor models
of DISTINGUISHED virtue. We do not quarrel
with this judgment. We regret that Gov. Peir-
point, Judge Riyes, and several more of their
stamp, were not chosen to the Convention We
believe it would have been better for all classes
that they had been But do Whites evince
such perfect, unerring wisdom in the choice OF
Representatives, that they can afford to throw
stones at Blacks on this scoreg Have not Others
us well "a negroes sometimes given more heed
to noisy, vehement professions of Difference
and devotion than to solid but modest worth
Did the Blacks elect Andrew johnson!