Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1868-04-21

IN the State, and to give a decided preponder-
ance to the negroes In the Legislature, as well
as in the county organizations a.7nG5 - 10
.4iii COUNTY AND TOWN ORGANIZATION
- The article adopted by the Convention on
county and town organization fearfully intensl-
fes the practical operation of this universal
negro, and restricted white suffrage. The
counties are, all divided into townships the
smallest to contain at least three. For each
county there is to be one county judge, one
sheriff, one attorney for the Commonwealth,
one clerk, one county treasurer, one superin-
tenderit of the poor one superintendent OF
schools. sInineacE township in the county
there are to be one supervisor, one township
clerk, one assessor, one collector, one commls-
sioner Of roads, one everseer OF the poor,
three Justices of the peace, three constables.
The townships are further sub-dlVlded into
school districts and road districts; and IN each
school district and each road district there IS
to be one school trustee and one oVersesr OF
roads, l,a All, of these officials excepting the
o be elected blythe people The smaller Ccouu-
2ties will have about sixty of these petty Off
cers,; the larger, about two hundred.
10 IL large majority of the counties east Of
the Blue Ridge --had the Convention stopped
at this point, which they by mo means did-all
of these officers would be negroes, or depraved
whites under the control of the negroes In
aNottoway. county Gin, l860) there we're 2 270
white persons, and 6, 566 negroes Imagine
the condition Of the whites in the county un-
der such system. A negro sheriff, negro
attorney for;the Commonwealth, negro county
treasurer, a negro superintendent of the poor,
negro supervisors, negro assessors, negro col
lectors, negro school trustees, negro coDstables,
negro township clerks, negro oVerseers of the
roads, negro magistrates.
In Halifax county, by the census of 1860,
the population stood 1000 whites to $4,000
blacks, in Prince George there were 2.9lS
whites to 5, ,492 blacks 10 Prince Edward there
were 4, ,03S Whitesto 1916 blacks in Powhatan
there were 2, $50 whites to 5,Sl2 blacks In
Orange there we're i 407 whites TO 6. 2a9 blacks
in Nansemond, 3, 742 whites to 1851 blacks !;
in :Mecklenburg there we're 6, 6,777 whites to l3,
3l9 blacks in lLunenburg, 4,447 whites 10 I,
blacks, in King William, 1859 whites to 5,
940iblacks; in Greensville, 1878 whites to 4,
4O1 blacks in 1Goochland, 3,Sl4 whites to 6,
642 blacks; in Essex, 1926 whites to 7,l74
.bsscks in Dinwidde, 4,649 whites to 7,27l
blacks in Cumberland, 2,946 whites to 7,0l5
blacks; ,in Charlotte, 4,9Sl whites to 9,4SS
blacks; in Caroline, $3.50 whites to II ,5l5
blacks; 10 Buckingham, Goal whites to 9, III
blacks; in Brunswick, 4993 whites to 9,SlS
blacks; in Amelia, 1894 whites to 1859 blacks,
&C., &C.
aaniagg + ia in . MILITIA.
This Constitution further provides for q
militia to be, composed of all male citizens OF
Virginia over twenty.one years OF age. This,
OF course, means citizenss as defined ~ this
observation-disclosures distinction OF race or
color. We need not comment upon the results
OF such an admixture in such capacity upon
terms Of perfect equality in the ranks, and the
right to official position.
IT further provides that all who are made
voters shall have the right to sit on jurles, and
none others Many of the best and most intel.
hgent white citizen of the State are thus rem.
derered incompetent to sit on juries, while all
male negroes who are twenty-one years of age
mot idiots or luaatics, or convicted OF crime, }
have . perfect right to do SO without regard to
qualifications 355 80. ~ 80.
-, - S.s'...2 PUBLIC coNVEYANcEs. t...:5 .c
One Of the provisions of the Constitution
guarantees to sll men ''equal, civil and pohtl-
cal rights and public privileges. y The imme-
date design OF this was to secure to the blacks
tree access to all hotels, railroad cars, and other
claimed under it that negro child cannot be
excluded from any Of the public schools, and
that the Legislature must, require each and
every one Of these schools to be open to all
Without distinction of color. ,,|. sti v:ss l..r.
-a.agg CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS. w.i!e
The State is divided into eight congressional
districts and it is claimed that twill be entitled
to- ospinth representative or the eight dis
III 15lets the negroes have FIVE, the whites three.
dhea ninth omember is ITO be elected by the
State at large. ,l,gt,.4 fol ,eaui1t 51;N b:1h 7
tt4JSEsI;E = /; r. I4