The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-05-05

Whlte native lOafer. Social Ostracism is
a rule, nowhere an exception; and
yet Virginia asks, nay, begs, that the
capitalists of the North will come among its
people and make,permanent investments. And
this is the conservative native virginians. AS l
understand it, they are conservative. More pro-
perly, they differ from the Democrats, becatse
they look upon this path us the shortest ones to
power and the loaves and fishes. 1t is merely
making virtue of necessity, and some of tits
adherents do not hesitate to declare that lthe
time is not far distant when they will make
themselves apower in the land. Though "Indepen-
dent Republican" in name it is nothing more nor
less than species of what we have always recog-
nized rs Copperhead. Politicians, wherever
it has been my fortune TO find them, are mt best
a tricky set of people But few understand the
science of government and still fewer are will
ing to sacrifice the patronage of Office" for
the good of their country. patronage" is the
| hinge upon which all things political move, and
honor, truth, and principle appear but minor
considerations when weighed in the scale of
success. That this is manifestly wrong none
will certainly deny, and but few will be found
| who have the courage tC labor to correct it. 1t
is not confined to either or any party, but is
n near kin to all
Having touched upon the two parties which,
in vulgar parlance, may be termed among
| the "Outs," we have left for consideration the
''ins," or the Wells party. Mr.. Wells, the pre-
| sent Governor of Virginia, is also the candidate
| for reelection on the radical Republican plat
| form. mentioned in another part of this arti-
| Gle that n negro was on the ticket with him, rs
| a candidate for Licutenant-Governor Placing
| this man on the ticket was an intentional acci-
| dent and one which had been thought of by but
| few Except the colored men themselves) pre-
| yious to the assembling of the nominating con-
| Aention. In view of the fact that the natives
| of the unreconstructed States are debarred
| from holding office, it becomes the
absolute duty of the new settler to
| become in either Il high or low degree a
politician. This being the case, politics has be-
come business in those States, just the same
| MS anything el-e, and hence there are Always
many applicants for one office This was the
case at the Petersburg Convention; and when
| a faction discovered that Wells was to be the
| successful man, they Immediately set about
| making his position as unpopular as possible
| The colored men, up to this time, had never
| laid claim to office being content to work and
| vote as their ideas dictated but now they were
set upon by the dissatisfied, or anti Wells men.
and made to believe that they would be
grossly wronged should their color not be repre-
sented on the ticket The colored men
pressed their claims, and, aided by their
white allies, were successful No sooner were
they successful than their white allies withdrew
from the convention, pointing with scom at the
'nigger ticket and proceeded to nominate
another ticket entirely of white men, with Mr.
Walker at the head. 1t was a clever trick, and
while it may be true that it turned few white
| men from the party, yet it is also true that it
| united the colored men in one solid mass, which
fair promises and threats have failed to disunte
Having betrayed want of confidence in polit-
| clans generally, and more particularly in those
of Virginia, it is needless for me to dilate upon
the merits or dement's of the candidates. A few
more words in regard to the colored man, and
my task will be ended.
| Up to the present time they have conducted
| themselves with such Il spirit of moderation and
| liberation Il use the word thoughtfully), that
they have absolutely compelled the respect and
confidence of their white neighbors 1t will be
| recollected that after the surrender of Lee the
negroes had it within their power to intct sum
mary vengeance upon their defenseless masters,
| but with Il spirit which does them credit, and
must excite the wonder of the world, they were
as passive, as obedient, and as respectful as
ever. They had had the shackles knocked from
off their limbs, but to their oppressors they
returned good for evil, and the same line of
conduct has marked them throughout their
journey in a sphere entirely new and strange TO
| them. And for this fOrbearance, if nothing
more the Southern people should at least be
| thankful.
Notwithstanding the fact that Southern men
are inclined to look upon the negro rs a
'chattel" "a piece of convertible property
yet they profess regard for him. If he is
honest and industrious, the intelligent people
have really a greater regard for him-cXclusive
OF politics-than his more outspoken admirers
of the North. He is not supposed to have the
faculties necessary to self-goyernment, but in
sickness and need the Nirginians, a class, will
stand by him. There is no argument which can
combat their ideas in regard to his condition as
Il man. His color Is the maelstrom which
engulfs them when all reasonable argument fails.
The colored men see and appreciate this
feeling, and while they are free to confess
that they owe their former masters nothing, yet,
selves and their position before the country; and
| may add, in this connection, that up TO the
present time their position citizens Is pre-
eminently in advance of their white neighbors.
Thus far they know little or nothing of the
'wily Vaccinations which the white politicians
practise. What they do, the cause they adyo-
cate the way they will cast the ballot, will be
prompted by the same dsinterested desire to
befriend those who have befriended them and
to stand by the Union and the flag. They know
guile in politics, or, if they do, they fear or
are incapable of using it, and yet few, if any,
of the native Nirginians will speak Il word