The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-09-16

DIFFICULTIES AND OURS, REVIEWED.
We wish we could be understood without
the necessity of making SO many explana-
tions, but as we have perhaps mistaken our
calling and ability, so far as to aspire to
write for public journal, we cannot ex-
pect to hold anybody else responsible for
our failure to be always clear in our ex-
pressions. "a e.5
Now to the point. In our article of
yesterday, referring to the ejectment OF MIR.
John Oliver from the city railway, we have,
by some, been understood as assuming OPP
position TO the rights of the colored people,
and expressing partial feelings to the COM
pany and its conduct.
A life of now nearly six years, actively
and earnestly devoted to the rights OF the
colored people, utterly repudiates such an
idea, and we now say there is no one in the
State ready to 60 farther in sustaining them
than we are. The present mtagonism to
their rights in Virginia, must be charged to
others than ourselves, for we foresaw what
exists to-day; and opposed it, while NUM-
bers of Republicans were piteously beg
ging for the admission of the State, upon
pledges made by few Democratic mem-.
bers of the legislature, headed by our
worthy Governor. 1t is even possible that
some colored men, who are now suffering
because of the denial of their rights, were
then earnest advocates of Vnginia's adnis-
sion, Internationally.
We claim now what we claimed on yes
| terday, that Mr.. Oliver was clearly entitled
| by law to ride upon any Of the street cars;
that the company through its agent hav-
ing denied his right, he has his recourse at
law, and that he would be justiiiable in
bringing an action against the company for
damages.
We have no eympathies for railroad or
other corporations that refuse TO obey the
laws of the United States, and would rather
see them all sink into nothingness than that
principle of justice and right should be
violated; but, if our friends expect us to
cut with sword, and shoot with ball, Kill.
slay and drag out, all those who may
differ with us politically or in religion,
then they have taken us for what we are not
and will never consent to be.
1t has been the expressed wish OF the
chief editor of this paper, and concurred in
by ourselves, that it is preferable to per-
sitade men to the adoption of our ideas,
to the less effective one of dr'rn,g them.
We have been understood by some, as
meaning, in our article of yesterday, that
we preferred the life of the city railway to
the establishment of the rights of colored
persons.
70 such construction of our language,
we enter our solemn and serious protest.
| Had we entertained such sentiments, our
position for the last six months would not
have been so unpopular in the State, nor
would we have been that many years ahead
| of our Democratic friends.
If in the course of journalistic experience
we fail to be as ''raw-headed and bloody
| bones" as some desire us to be, we trust
they will remember that we are human
protesting to entertain liberal and generous
ideas, and that we are anxious to set an ex-
ample to our political adyersaries, the fall
ure to follow which causes so much COLI
plant from our side Of the house.
We have no idea that any OF our friends
will doubt our Republicanism, because we
lack sting; but we do greatly fear they
will doubt our ability to please everybody,
and as evidence of this, we are going to
give the advice now that we gave MIR. Hoyt
on yesterday. Take the balls off your
cars, give the colored people the privilege
of riding in them, and il white people wont
ride with them, no one will deny their right
to walk. If you find this impossible, just
close up your books, compound with your
creditors, draw off your stock, run oil the
track, but stand by the laws of your com-
try, no matter who it affects. 10 the col
ored people we say, in all earnestness,
there is in Virginia determination to with
hold from you certain rights and privileges
of vast deal more Importance to you and
your children than riding on city cars, or
ones of greater pretcnsion-such as the
right of trial by a jury of your own color,
the right to register and to vote, at least
once the right to have your childrep edu-
Gated at public expense, the right to home
stead. These, colored people, are of more
Importance to you by far than where you
may or may not ride. Let every Republi-
can in the State do his duty in favor Of Sc
curing these to you, as fcarlessly as we
have advocated them, and by the Eternal,
as we will continue to advocate them, un-
til opposition ceases, and you will have
such cause to rejoice as will not give you
time to criticize 50 closely language used by
your friends. &
No further attempts to create any false
impressions concerning our adhesion to Re-
publican faith need be made they must
and will fall harmless at the foot of our
past record. We stand square upon our
: party's principles, and if it had no other,
following the example Of our late conyen-
ton, we should adopt and fight for "Death
| 10 nnn,norao,t