Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1869-06-24
The Legislature.

We see no reason why we cannot Sc
cure the Legislature. Let is look at it
The blacks have by the apportionment
majority of twenty one on joint ballot.
A gain of twelve will give US the ma
jority.
We do not happen to have before us
the official returns Of the registration in
1867, but we know in and about what
those returns were in the cities and coun-
ties to which we wish to refer. BY the
calculation which ascertained negro ma
iority of twenty-one in the Legislature,
Alexandria, Norfolk city. Campbell, Pc
tersburg, and the district of Richmond
city and the county of Henrico, were as
signed to the negroes. These districts
elect seventeen members of the House of
Delegates. The following Senatorial dis
tricts we're assigned to the negroes: Nor
folk city and Princess Anne, Richmond
city and Henrico, Campbell. and Peters
burg, electing six senators. The SIX SEN
ators added to the seventeen delegates
make twenty-three members of the Leg
islature- Now we hope to carry the dis
trict of Richmond and Henrico. In AL
exandria the negroes had in 1867 reg
istered majority Of some 500; in Peters
burg of some l 100; in Norfolk of some
200: in Campbell of some 400; in Nor
folk city and Princess Anne of some
$50. We expect to increase the white
registration in all of these cities and coun-
ties. and to diminish the black registration.
The negroes had on the registration of
1867 about l, 900 majority in Nichmond
city obut on the special registration last
year the rohite had the nayority. In Pc
tersburg recent private registration
shows only 200 negro majority and yet
in 1867 they had 100 majority. The
fact is, lust after the war the negroes. as
is we'll known, swarmed to the cities like
bees. Many of these have since left, and
ecattered. They found they could not
live here after the soup gave out. We
have, therefore, fair chance to carry ev-
ery one of the districts named, and if we
should carry only half of them, we take
twelve members from the blacks, and give
them to the whites, thus securing white
majority on joint ballot in the Legisla-
ture.
But there are plenty of other debata-
BILE points Why, there is Albemarle
which we hear the whites hope to carry
which elects three members Of the House
Of Delegates. Now the negroes had 45C
majority in this county in '67. A very
intelligent gentleman from the county
formerly in the Legislature told us they
expecte to increase the white re- ;istratioI
four hundred Fluvanna, Nansemond,
Nelson, Princess Anne, Hanover, Caroline
Westmoreland, Appomattox, New Kent,
Surry, King and Queen, have negro ma.
iorities by this registration Of 1867
ranging from % to 200 All of these
counties ought to be carried. They elect
l3 members of the House of Delegates
There are also Senatorial districts which
have very trifing negro majority, east
ly overcome.
Add the Is to to the % mentioned .
the outset, and we have SO members -
Can we not win half Of these? IF so,
We nave majority Oh joint ballot Of 10
surrendering at the sane time all chance
in such county as Albemarle, which W.
know will be fought for with fair hope;
of success. And if there is change ii
Albemarle, there is chance in many an
another county to which we have made NJ
reference En- guirer