Norfolk day book. [volume] (Norfolk and Portsmouth Va.) 1868-1880, 1869-06-05
MEETING AT WASHINGTON
POINT,

| MEETING AT WASHINGTON
POINT.
The citizens of the county of Nor
folk and the city of Portsmouth
are reminded that meeting will be
held at Gisbon's Hotel, on Washington
Point, this afternoon at 2 o'clock, for
the purpose of ominating suitable
persons to represent them in the Senate
and House of Delegates,
1t is estimated that under the new
| registration of the white voters of the
State there will be near 135, 900, and
the blacks about 104 900. This is &C.
cording to the lists of 1867; but we
have no idea that the hhck registration
will ever reach those figures again, that
population having decreased rather
than increased in the State. There
ought to be no question, then, about
defeating at least the two obnoxious
clauses of the proposed Constitution,
and electing the most conservative can.
didates who are eligible and are before
the people on the State ticket and for
Congress. Owing to the apportionment
and arrangement of the counties, there
may be more trouble, in some of them,
about the Legislature. But on that
very account greater exertions must be
used in all.
At the election for the Convention in
1867, the blacks carried the county of
Norfolk and the city of Portsmouth
but that was only by the default Of our
register, or registering refused to vote.
But under the experience of the past
two years we have good ground for the
belief that public sentiment has changed
in reference to this subject. According
to the census of 1850, the whites had
such preponderance of numbers over
the blacks, as would entitle them to the
Senator aud three members of the
House and if they will properly Or
ganize themselves now, see to it that
every True Republican and Conserva-
tive is brought up to the registry and
to the polls, we believe they can elect
the four members now. Our conclusion
is that that county and city need not be
nigger-ridden except by the default of
their own people.
The strong point in our political cam
paign is the Legislature. The reasons
are very grave and weighty why the
people should have more care in the
selection of proper men as candidates
NOW, than at any time before. They
should be men who are in sympathy
with the prevailing sentiments of the
people-men who are properly able to
hold the office by their virtue, talents,
experience and the confidence of the
people, as we'll as the necessary politi-
Cal qualifications. No man, who labors
under disabilities of any kind, should
be nominated or supported for the Leg
islature. And as the members of the
General Assembly are to put in opera
ton the new Constitution, so that its
burdens and rigors may DO lightened,
we do not think this duty should be
committed to the hands of man who
will vote against it in its entirety; be-
cause his service for that purpose will
be given unwillingly. and his whole
action will be distasteful to himself.
even if he be not apathetic and I'M
mindful of the best interests OF the
people whom he represents. No; let
us rather commit it to the hands of
those who may be regarded as its
friends--who have made up their
minds to accept it expargated of its
btterest stings, and who will endeayor
to administer it in the most favorable
manner possible for the interests of the
people who will have given them their
seats in the Legislature. We think if
these views shall govern the nominating
convention in their sehoice of wise,
sound and conservative men, their al
to reconstruction will be of that effective
and valuable kind which will be of the
very greatest service to the State and
her people.
1t is very we'll known that Congress
has required of this State condition
precedent to her admission to represen.
tation in Congress; and that is that her
Legislature shall ratify the 18th amend
ment to the Constitution, which confers
the priceless boon of negro suffrage
upon the people of the North--that
amendment not applying to Virginia at
all, because we already have it, and
had 1t at the time the amendment was