Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1868-05-11

the election Of the Radical States officers
in Florida In Georgia the official returns
have been received from all but one county,
and show that the Constitution is ratified by
II, 1923 majority
Review OF Gov SVeIEs's Speech.
Having published in full, Gov. Weiss
speech accepting the Radical nomination, and
endorsing the Radical creed and doctrines, we,
now give extracts from review OF the speech
by the Richmond Dispatch
Tie speech Of Mr.. Wells accepting the NOM
nation conferred upon him proves clearly what
manner of pubic man the new Governor is
His declaration that no political body has as.
sembled in this city since the war who stood
higher in its character than the Convention
aforesaid, is not couched in tolerablo English;
but it informs Us at once that be IS not disposed
to pay much attention to facts when he has
q point to make. 1t is some satisfaction, how
ever, to know that he may have been IN good
earnest and made this sweeping assertion be-
cause he really is unable to discriminate. His
motions are probably correct!y=indlcatcd ln-1ls-
tribute of respect to the memory OF John
Brown. Men quoth he, may go back
wards sometimes, 60 down before their nights,
and fail to maintain them; but right is march
IF this appeal TO the backs Of Virginia-this
attempt to arouse the base passions which the
negro naturally INDUCES in when one who, as
he believes, died in his cause, is thus referred
to--shall not of itself make for MIR. Wells q
fame which he would willingly let die, then
we are mistaken ia our estimate OF the people
of Virginia and ofcthe United States: az b.
Mr.. w ellis says that sta man is a-frecman
If he is citizen, and clothed with the rights
of citizenship-it will be a great crime to take
from him the means necessary TO protect those
|Irights'-that is the ballot. Now, this is
downright political hypocrisy. This same man,
who thus pirates about the great crime OF de-
prying negroes of the right to vote, In the
same speech praises u Constitutions which dis.
franchises thousands Of men of his own race,
and disuuaifes for holding Office nine out Of
every ten respectable white men in Virginia.
1t is all right in Mr.. Wels's estimation to
disiranchisc thousands of men of education,
staesmeD-like qualities, and unsuIlled charac-
tiers, but "a monstrous criuIe' to say that an
Ignorant negro shall not vote Everybody
knows that Mr. Wells disscmbles either when
he lauds the Constitution or when he says
that it is a crime to take, away the ballot from
"a citizen.
i Ola piece with the rest of his speech is Mr..
EWelIs's twaddle about the Supremacy Of the
law" For man. who holds his own office in
defiance Of the Constitution and laws Of Vir
ginia, in contempt of the wishes OF ninety.
niue hundredths of the respectable men in the
State and only because the military power Of
the Government silences all State law, to pirate
about indicating the supremacy of the law"
is the acme OF impudence. None but a Radi
cal could have had the effrontery to do it.
Again: Mr., Wells gives as reason for
making voters Of the negroes that the Consti-
tuition of the United States provides that ANY
man, without regard to race Or color who is
born in this country, IS a citizen. This is an
other error. The amendment in question
has not, become part Of the organic law of the
land" On the contrary, one OF the first acts
required Of the new Legislature OF Virginia
will be the ratification of the said amendment.
New Jersey and Ohio have. both withdrawn
their resolutions ratifying it. They could not
have done so had it become q part Of the Con
stitution But conceding that Mr.. Wells
made this assertion in ignorance rather than
with an Intention to deceive the negroes, how
can he excuse himself for teaching the poor
Iignoranuscs that that amendment gives them
the right to vote? His own State of Michigan,
like the States of Ohio, Connecticut and in
deed nearly all the northern States, refuses to
allow negroes TO vote IF bis auditors had
been of that high character of which he would
fain have his northern friends to believe they
were, they would have had sense enough to
know that lis speech was an insult to their
understandings. -
! Mr.. Wells threatens to fight He declares
that if the whites decline to allow the negroes
the exercise of the full rights Of citizenship,
eve must take it from you" How if the
disfranchsed whites preach the same doctrine?
What would General Schofeld say if they
were to hold public meeting in the Capitol
and threaten to take their rights by force? Or
is it true that white mems rights are not worth
protecting?-tha none but negroes are to be
considered as deserving the privileges Of free
men? .,... ~
/ Perhaps the richest thing in Mr.. Wells's
speech is his declaration to crowd of ignor-
ant negroes and vagabond arpet-baggers, that
the way to get the white people Of Virginia to
vote for negro equality is to educate them
The force Of folly and impudence could no
further CO." 1t is as if Butler were to tell
crowd of thieves that the way to make men
good men like themselves is to educate them.
1t is as II DonnelIy were to say that Mr. Da,
Wis must be educated until he is able to rival
him in the use of Bilngsgate. Education, in
deed Negroes and carpet-baggers talking
about educating the people Of Virginia
But we are giving too much importance to
the rantings of this nominee. As he has soWn,
so let him reap. Let him look to negroes and
to John Brown white mon for political sup
port and countenance Let him take his rights
''by force, and sec whether we cannot use as
much 'foree" as he can. -
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