The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-10-15
Some Ammunition for Colonel Duke.

Some Ammunition for Colonel Duke
On the 7th or March, 1868, the D'spatc
remarked that Boris and RwEs an
'their allies have excited the negroes T.
"greater zeal In the cause Of proscr'r
ton This was said in a'lusion 10 IN
fact that both the gentlemen named hao
few days before addressed the negroes
scalawags, and carpet-bagSers OF inc ~. ~,
pERwoop Convention, and that THESE n"s
determined to insert In the Consul .''o"
rlauses DISTINGUISHING large NUMBER ., o",
neople. Messrs. Boris md RIvEs IA" oe's
counted upon az opponents % .,o,
eao,e md ycr naturally supposed tns' ''.!!
had changed front and gone over ~ NV, ns ~
of the friends of that measure "'io """'
,,o s.,d "excitcd tho negroes 70 s'c"'e'
900, IN Tho ca,,se of prescription" -
Irdca r1yEs. on the very day this remark
s,nesrcd In the Dispatch, called upon uS
IN r,erson. and assured Us that we haa uohe
him great Injustice. Upon his representa-
,4ons we based an article which contained
she following paragraph
irrom the Richmond Dispatch March etb, lseS ]
We are clad to be able 80 say that we
have mistaken Judge Ri4es's position. We
have been assured by himself that he Is
opposed TO the sweeping Acknowledgement
proposed by the Radicals OF the ConNen.
aion, and has never given anybody sood
reason 10 doubt his position. he has FUR
pished us with correct copy OF ms recent
speech, from which we learn that II Is really
much more conservative than we hau sup
posed IL to be. We learn from himSelt--and
ho FIRING hiG Sfotnnpnt though.
III course, 1t needed no contirination-that
nc IL not pledged to vote for the ratitlca-
zion Of the Constitution, but expressly re-
served the right to vote for or against. as
ne should think best after seeing the whole
instrument. He is not an tdroT Of negro
RUE. II the Contention SHAH attempt TO
.lsfranci.Se enough ,chiteS TO throso the
state into the hands Of the negroes, he w,l.
80 zee understood hin, to sag, cote against
the ratification of the Constitution.
Judge R1rn acouiesced in this as fair
statement of his position. The speech which
he handed 10 us contained declaration on
the part OF Judge RIvEs in favor Of allow
ing no negroes nor whites to vote except
those who should have paid both their
county and State taxes. This measure
would have excluded nearly all the negroes
rrom the ballot-boX, and would have re-
moved all grounds for fear Of that "negro
rule" which, upon the authority of his own
declarations, we asserted that Judge RIvEs
was not In favor of. We quote again the
same paragraph. Judge RIvEs said to the
Radical members OF the Convention
IL am we'll persuaded that Your refec-
lions upon these inquiries must ulti-
mately lead you. in fidelity to your Bill Of
Rights, to require PRESENT qualit1ca-
sosa Of the prepayment oftdres State and
county; and a future qualification, at such
time as your wisdom may suggest, Of the
ability to read and write. so the voter may
Ike enabled to form independent judgments
upon public affairs. Suffrage, thus guarded
and lmpartially extended to I'LL, would not
fail, in my estimation, to win the approval
Of your constituents, and secure the in-
terests and harmony of all classes
Judge RIvEs was not much of Radical
in those days. In the same speech he de-
clared that he was opposed TO allowing the
people to elect their own judges, sheritfs,
magistrates, and constables.