The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-08-11

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called forward Colonel johnson Introduces
him to the audience. ho
- olonelsW informed his hearers tnas ne
vas ho,rse. worn, and fatigued with MS long
service in the campaign just conSiuue
Ha came here not expecting to be calieo IN
hnt he never declined to serve when. caneu
on TO defend the principles and tne '''A0'
of his country = 49, ,,,,b1;c
in Virginia, he could assure ais
hearers that, come veal or woe, Ine W.
men of Virginia were determined tha s .ne
control of the public affairs OF the -oIa's
should never be wrested from then gnu
confded to the hands of their late Slaves.
And he was satisfied that the people o. .he
North began to see that blood was snieAe.
.han water, and to acknowledge the claims
~ lineage and blood in standing oy theif
wb;te fellow-citizens of the South.
Had the Constitution. been suDmltteo "
the neonle according to the Original pro-
aramme. Colonel W. was convinced sna1 ~
s,onld have been defeated by larger ma
;oritv than was ever given in the state.
~ r y, W. stated his view OF what con-
o+;to+ed the force against which we had to
sght The negro, he said, we oil under.
stood with regard to "carpet-baggers,
III northern men could not be so consider
"a The officers and soldiers of the army
wore here to obey their superiors, and were
mot 9 carpet-baggers." They were discharg-
;ng their duty, and therefore could be re-
snected. There were also honest and con-
scientious northern man VINO come 10 I'VE
amongst us-whose interests were the same
as ours, and who we're helping to build up
Virginia and restore her to her former
prosperity. These he respected, and would
always be ready to welcome all such, as ne
was sure the people of Virginia would. 10
these northern men we would be ever ready
70 extend the right hand of fellowship and
to wish them God-speed. ;,
What he meant by "carpet-baggers "
were the lean, hungry, and cadaverous
wretches who came here as soon as they
learned that Virginia was PROSTATE, and
that the negroes had been roped into the
Radical party, to prey upon the people and
eat out the substance of the State. They
came like the locusts Of Egypt across the
border, to eat up every green thing: Ihey
were without name, and where their ante
cedents could be ascertained, in numerous
instances it had been found that they lett
their country for their country's good.
In the category of !" scalawags he did not
mean to include every honest, upright, and
conscientious Union man-those who con-
scientiously resisted secession and consist
emily adhered to their opinions. he HIM
self belonged to that class until Virginia
seeded, and then, acting upon his sense
of duty to his State, he rallied to her de-
fence, and stood BY her when the foot of the
invader stepped upon her soil. Before
God his conscience did not convict him of
error.
Colonel W. spoke Of another class, who
pretended to be secessionists, aud who
affected to rejoice over our victories, When
in truth they mourned our trlumphs ana
reioiced at those of the Federal armies.
These men were, now that offices were to be
distributed, ready to take any oath, although
they might be blackened with the crime OF
perjury. These men were " scalawags."
They were for inficting disgrace upon their
countrymen because they were too much OF
men, too proud to crawl on their knees to
beg pardon. They pursued this object
to crafty their malice, even to the length
of advocating schools in which the races
would be indiscriminately mixed. For in
that way they deemed that the white race
would be permanently degraded to level
with the mongrel races of Mexico, and be
too cowardly to resist oppression and ty-
ranny.
Colonel w. referred to the cheering signs
in favor of a Democratic triumph. lie con-
sidered that Kentucky had fired the first
gun with her unparalleled majority. Vir-
GINA, although shackled, found that Ken
lucky, her daughter, stood by her and gal
lantly sustained constitutional rights.
Referring briefly to General Grant, he
contended that no man had yet been elected
President on merely military fame unless
he had the enthusiasm Of the people enlist
ed on his side. This General Grant had
not. Nor did he believe he could have;
for man who had sacrificed the lives of
900 men to reach point which he
could have reached without firing gun
could never excite the enthusiasm of the
people of the United States. [Great cheer
ing.l He prophesied victory for the Demo
Gratis.
Colonel W. said there were some things
worse than death, and if this State adopted
the proposed Constitution framed by the
scalawags, carpet-baggers, and negroes in
the capitol last winter and spring, they
would find out what was worse than death.
Some few said that were this Constitution
rejected something worse might be imposed
on us. He believed that there could be
nothing worse. But it was our duty to de-
fend our rights and resist all attempts to
degrade us, 30 far as it was in our power.
We should never quail before fears and sub
nit to dishonor. TO vote for this Constitu-
ton for fear of something worse would be
like man cutting his throat now because
he might have typhoid fever next year
[Laughter.]
Colonel Withers continued discussing this
topic at some length, and was followed by
Judge Guild, who made speech Of remark
able force and eluquenee-am mere outline OF
which we are unable to give at the late
hour of the preparation of this report.
1t was during the delivery Of Judge
Guilds speech that disturbance occurred.
On the east side Of the stand, on the side Of
the street, stood row OF RoouSh snantles
occupied chiefly by negroes, in front of
which stood number of that race. They
were, however, behaving very well, save
one who had thrown in rather offensive ex-
carnations during the speaking. The Judge
was commenting upon the oppression and
tyranny Of Congress in going behind its own
laws, as in the case Of Alabama, and by it's
own dictum reversing the decision Of those
laws. AS soon as it was found that
Virginia would reject the Constitution,