The Portland daily press., 1871-10-11

The New York Times Rrchmond o., -
pondence contains the following interesting
sketch OF how the colored vote is worshIped
in that State
One day IN each month, in every county In
Virginia, is set apart as "court day." Tbs
County Court meets then, and all the busi-
ness of the county requiring adjudication is
attend, to, or rather CONNER ced, for the
court sometimes lasts several days. 1t Is gos-
sip day, when news is exchanged rom
distant parts OF the county, when the state cf
the crops is compared, when advice Is given
and received regarding patent farm machIn-
cry, seed grain, etc., and when great deal
OF liquor is drank. Such days are harvest
days for the politicians and office-seekers.
rhey are occasions when everybody is apt to
meet everybody else; wien constables serve
their vrits, sheriffs do their work, and debts
are contracted and collected. The Court
House" becomes in this way the centre OF at
traction Tor the county, and people who live
there are apt to know everybody for miles
around. The offiee-seekers are certain TO be
on hand on "court days." aud it is a noticea-
BILE fact that all of them truckle to the black
vote. Some talk of the slavery of the white
man" but all talk OF the freedom of the
blacks, and In these public speeches never
make use OF the word 'nigger." In fact, it Is
the evident effort oil all of them to propitiate
the new power in politics. 10 do this they
will promise almost anything and 10 almost
anything, except to accept the Radical noni.
natr n. At Culpepper Court douse the col
ored meetings aud Republican conventions
are held In the building known as the "Anti
och Church." where the coiored people con-
gre9ate on Saturday nights aud Sunday
mornings tor religious worship. Their poll
lies and their religion are closely allied: SO
much so that the Radical nominee is called
the "Antioch candidate" and frequently. in
speaking of the Republican party, 1t Is called
Antioch. So it happens that some OF these
speakers in this county are willing to pledge
| themselves to Antioch. but not to take the
| Antioch NJ mination.
"Now," said one, IF Antioch makes nom.
ination, will run independent, and by re-
ceivlng Antlochs support with what con-
servatlve votes i can get, will carry the
county; but caL't acc 1pt Antioch's platform
entire" In other words, be was willing TO
accepI favors but would grant none And
| this is the way it goes.
As 1t is In this county and In this section so
it is in the rest OF the State, except that the
| party here is in fine state of discipline This
discipline is owing to the fact that the leaders
are intelligent and enjoy the respect OF the
community at large. They are fearless in
LDeir eHOftS 10 overcome the influence OF can
ilalists or proper y-holders over the IaborInp
| classes You have doubtless heard of. and
| witnessed the effects of that influence. hut
you can have no idea OF its evil results until
| you see its working 10 communities like This.
where the mass OF wealth is politically on one
side. Here poor white men wno reui land or
houses from aristOcratic Democrats, as we'll
as the negroes who work tUr then. are ex-
pected to follow their landlord to the polls
and vote as he does A refusal to accept his
dlctum in that respect is followed by notice
to quit. at che time these notices to our
were feared by the blacks. but they are feared
no longer. In truth, the blacks have a, last
found out that they control their own labor.
and are united in their demands for POLITICAL
freedom. III works for who i pleases' proyid-
ad be navs me-. and votas ,or who I niaasas ,
"a the,;r w,tto now Tbev eccen, diseh ~
from amnIovment hased ~ noIi.,osI or,,nI,d.
III S,raat oona,;ro;,n Lno,fi,,s, ,,sa, HIaben
enS ,ba, aIi SocL ,snn5ara .n"b ho;, ~
~.hl;o.ns .ba.' oil, al s,",,d 90 coo~i otd a'o
ann one e,se ~ get WI :. $50 Thaa ,osI Il
cheaner than the whites cs5 afford ~ svec ~o'i