Norfolk day book. [volume] (Norfolk and Portsmouth Va.) 1868-1880, 1869-07-02
THE CANVASS CLOSING.

The last four or five weeks have wit
messed, perhaps, the most arduous and
exciting campaign which has ever been
known in Virginia. From all we hear
and see we judge that Virginia has
never been SO fully aroused, and never
have they been SO thoroughly awake to
the Importance of carrying an election.
Our candidate for Governor returned to
Norfolk on Thursday night on his way
to his appointment in Mathews, and
gave glowing accounts of the warm and
enthusiastic manner in which he had
boon received by the people in Western
Virginia and in the Valley. When he
entered upon the campaign there was
much apathy among his audiences the
people had not much considered the
great questions involved; but as he
progressed this apathy wore off, i'm
mense crowds met him and his gallant
champions at every point his appear
ance was greeted with cheers, and his
speeches frequently interrupted by long
and loud applause. The scene at Char
lottesv,lle on Monday is described as
very exciting. 1t was the largest and
most enthusiastic meeting ever assem-
bled at that place, famous as the loca-
tion of the University of Virginia.
When Mr.. Walker presented himself
before this vast audience, cheer after
cheer rent the air. hats were wildly
waved and tossed above the throng,
and SO great was the enthusiasm that
even the colored men upon the ground
could not help joining in the tumultu-
GUS demonstrations of applause. So
far, indeed, did the excitement carry
these sable sons of the soil that when
they heard the liberal sentiments of
MIR. Walker expounded by himself and
saw the enthusiasm of the citizens they
entered as heartily into the acclamations
as anybody present, and most of them
pledged to him their warm and earnest
support on the day of election.
Nor arc we at all inclined to infer
| that these pledges are valueless. We
we'll know the excitable character of
the colored race; the hurrah and en-
thusiasm of political campaign will
carry them away, just as camp-meet-
ing excitement does, at which they
always get religion-which lasts them
about three weeks. Our own opinion
is, and always has been, since the COL
ored men were invested with the right
of franchise, that too little attention has
been paid to them-too few exertions
made properly to interest them and in
| huence their votes. Politicians after a
| while will come to regard them as a DO
tent element of success; when properly
cultivated, they will be found to deserve
consideration in every calculation of
our future elections. 3"
We would say, so far as we arr able
to judge the public mind, from all the
demonstrations of this canvass, that we
have no doubt of the triumphant cleo
| ten of the Walker ticket with the ex-
| purgated Constitution. With constancy
and resolution, there can be as little
doubt about the Legislature. TO en-
sure this, however, in this particular
part of the political field, there must be
no wavcring on the part of our citizens.
We shall need every vote we can poll
Let no man consider that his work is
done until every registered voter we
have has been brought to the polls, and
sunset shall have closed them on the
glorious triumph of the Walker party.
The loss to depositors by the Now
York Ocean Bank robbery is believed to
exceed half million of dollars; that of
the bank is a trifle less than $4,000 in
current funds, in addition to $22 900 in
re 5otiabla bonds on which the bank
had made loans.
1t is stated that young ladies make
the best telegraph operators during
thunder storm, inasmuch as none have
yet been found who are afraid of the
electric sparks" er any other men,"
When the French cable is laid, however,
they may be little more wary.