Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-05-08
THE SITUATION In VIRGINIA,

The following is extracted from let
ter of Hon. Robert Ridgway, of Lynch
burg, to committee of gentlemen who
called on him for his views as to the po
litical issues of the hour. The evils he
predicts for Virginia are equally sure to
follow from the same causes. We are on
our way down:
1t is fact, gentlemen, susceptible OF
the easiest demonstration, that universal
negro suffrage in these Southern States
necessarily and inevitably implies (for
some years at least) unrestricted and
absolute negro supremacy. And against
policy so unjust, so despotic, so iniqui-
tous and so fraught with the gravest and
most imminent danger to our liberty,
our property, our lives, and our very
existence as a people, we should protest
and struggle, day in and day out, with
all the might, energy and enthusiasm of
our natures. Nor should we relax our
efforts for single moment until this
great and hagrant wrong of negro suf.
frage shall be righted, and the white men
and women of the South shall be relieved,
not only of the insulting stigma implied
in such legislation, but of the mighty and
multitudinous peris which must infalli.
bly, and always follow in its track Is it
monstrous and horrible beyond example
and beysnd conception, that the Radical
party should have put the law making
power of the South in the hands of race
that, in its native country, never met in
convention for any other purpose but to
roast and eat its enemies Can such q
people-ignorant, superstitious and de-
graded-be made fit repositories of polit.
zeal power, and the proper guardians of
the sacred legacy of freedom bequeathed
US by our fathers2
1t is, l know, emphatically impossible
that such race can become the perma-
nent, dominant and governing power of
the South, except through such earth
quake commissions and such scenes of
blood as have never saddened and deso-
lated any land on earth before. tits the
very hight of folly and madness to sup
pose that such an event can be brought
about by peaceable means. No system
of political legerdemain, which the in
genuity of man can devise, will be COM
petent to the accomplishment of that
result. If, however, against all rational
expectation and in spite of all our re
monstrances and efforts-and after resis-
tance on our part in all its forms-the
catastrophe of negro supremacy should
be consummated in the Southern States,
nothing will be left us but to appeal from
the cruelty of man to the mercy of God
by giving our women and children to the
grave and following the example of the
brave old Edmund Ruffin. The remedies
Of hopelessly oppressed people are few
but they are simple, sharp and de-
cisive.
Look at some of the very curious and
melancholy results of the recent cleo
ton in Virginia for members of the So
called State Convention. Some twenty
FIVE or thirty negroes, not more than half
a dozen of whom perhaps could either
read or write, were elected delegates to
that body; and under the malign, yet
absolute influence of such unprincipled
and vindictive wretches as Hunnicutt
and Underwood, engaged in the work of
framing the fundamental law for the
people of this ancient and renowned
commonwealth; work the most deli
cate, difficult and responsible to be found
within the range of human intelligence
and statesmanship-and to be confided
to such hands Was there ever so wild
and fantastic, and withal, so serious and
dangerous farce enacted on this earth
before, in any age or in any land any
where beneath the circuit of the sun 7
To witness such spectacle, amid the
boasted light and glory Of the nineteenth
century, is enough to mantle the face of
Christendom with burning blush Of
shame and indignation.
But look, / repeat, to a few Of the par
ticular results of the election last fall. In
four principal cities Of the Common
wealth, containing a large proportion Of
the intelligence, refinement, wealth and
commercial enterprise Of the State
Richmond, Norfolk, Petersburg and
Lynehburg-negro representatives, we're
elected to the Convention. The county
Of Hanover, that gave birth to Patrick
Henry and Henry Clay-the county Of
Charlotte, where rest the remains Of
John Randolph aud Patrick Henry-the
county Of Aibemarle, the seat Of our
State University, the home Of the Ran
dolphs. the Riveses. the Gilmers, and the
home and burial place Of the immortal
author Of the Declaration Of lndepend-
.nce-she county Of Orange, which is
The county Of Madison, the chief author