The native Virginian. [volume] (Orange Court House, Va.) 1867-187?, 1868-01-03
A PICTURE OF THE RADICAL CoNvEN-
TON.
BIZ A NE1GnBon1Na ARTIST.

EDITOR OF THE n ALIVE VIRaINiAN 1T
was my good fortune on yesterday to
get into the HAN of the House of Dele
gates, in which the Constitutional Con-
vention, as it is called, is now sitting.
How succeeded in getting in, will
not state, but will say, was not invited
in by one of the negro Delegates, nor
by the Delegate from our own county,
who passes here for a white man, al
though the newspapers have done the
negro Delegates great injustice by
chasing him among their number. 1
understand he has neither brains nor
character, and the county would have
been better repre- scented if it had sent
some respectable negro.
l had a look at the chief s'0rai1g .eu-
tang" Hunnicut, and heard him make q
short speech. He looks like a highway
robber, and has a natural twang, after
the negro preacher order. He had seat
by an Unlocking copper-colored negro
who, 1 was told, was "knee-deep''
Lindsey, and next to him was the
blacklist, greasiest and most nappy-
headed looking negro you ever saw,
who. no doubt, was good OK driver in
days gone by. 'sDr. Bdne" from Nor
folk attracted my special attention, and
Ilheard him speak for .nearly--an hour
upon some "Rislution" as he called it;
but what it was no one could have told
from hearing him. He talked about .the
blessed Union," ''stars and stripes
"Constitution," ."Rebels," Sc, without
any sense or connection. He was just
such looking negro as Mr.. SCOTS
Brooks ; if anything, Brooks is the bet
ter looking of the two and has equally
as much sense. l was told by gentle
man from Norfolk that he formerly be-
longed to Dentist in that city, cleaned
out his office, blackedihis boots &c. No
doubt he was better at that than con-
stitution-making.
noticed that the negroes generally
had "a pile of books. papers, &c. on
their desks, and thought saw one. ot
them actually writing; but upon a
closer observation found him practice.
ing Pot-Hooks and Hangers, the copy
of which had, doubtless, been set by his
leader, the "black-man's friend"
1 scarcely know what to say about the
President of the Convention, who IL
called here "Mr. McVeigh's tenant
He reminded me of one of those table
cloth pedlars, who used to travel
through our country before the war;
and if should meet such looking fell
low in crowd, the first impulse would
be to put my hand on my pocket-boox.
have the history of several of the prin-
cipal Grads" in the convention fan d
would like to get "Mozis AddumS'' to
sketch them for the "Nutive Vhginian. ~
am told that at least twenty of the
Radical members have been tried for
larceny, several Of them sentenced to the
Penitentiary and at least dozen OF
them publicly whipped.
The Conservative Delegates occupy
one fourth of the Hall on the extreme
right of presiding officer, and have no
communication whatever with the Radi-
cal cattle.
They are firm looking body of men
and deserve the confidence and respect
otevery good man in the State, for they
are making great sacrifice of their in
dividual comfort to occupy the same
hall within constant sight of the dirty
Radicals and the loud-smelling negro.
I think, however, the negro portion
of the Radical delegation decidedly the
most respectable, if there could be any
responsibility attached to such stock
"Yankee Allen" from Prince Edward
was pointed out to me, and he is as ill
looking, dirty dog as could be found
out side or even inside Of the Peniten-
tiary. They have a negro door-keeper
who knows as much about his duties as
Wat Jones would about the duties OF
"Judge Watson" He is not only ig-
norant but impudent. l suppose he is
a disciple o.. the "Orang Outang' and
receives his daily lessons from the "Old
Cuss."
More anon, ORANGE.