The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-07-29
WEST VIRGINIA
The Negro Voter and His
Reticence.
Black for Grant and White
for Greeley.
CONFLICTS OF THE DEMOCRACY.
Governor Jacob and
His Party.
THE NEW CONSTITUTION.
Its Disabling Features and Republican
Opposition to It.
JACOBS PROBABLE STRENGTH.
The Elk Confederate Element in
Politics.
THE NEW CONSTITUTION.
Its Disabling Features and Republican
Opposition to It.
JACOBS PROBABLE STRENGTH
The Elk Confederate Element in
Politics.
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS,
GREENBRIER Co., WEST VIRGINIA,
luIv 81 1870

Although there are not fewer than thousand
visitors here, scarcely a man Of political promi-
nence can be found among them. Such people as
w. w. Corcoran, OF Washington, and Major Van
Buren,, OF New York, though eminently respectable
in the social way, don't connt in political sense.
The Old-iashioned aristocracy of the South-the
class who under the Old order of things spent all
the money filled all the Offices, and talked all the
political claprap while the niggers did all the work
has disappeared. Money is less lavishy spent,
and politics II discussed here at all are talked
i'm an undertOne. But the White Sulphur is en-
phatically a Greeley colony. There is such sim
cere confidence, such sublime faith in the
tamty OF his election that ] was considered q
marvel OF investigation because / found one
mana Virginia gentleman and democrat
who thinks that after all Grant will be
reelected. Grant man it is impossible to find
among the guests, and it is equally hard to dis
cover Greeley man among the negroes. Parties
in the South have resolved themselves, to a very
large extent, into parties of race, the white men
being nearly all democrats and the negroes nearly
all republicans. There is no help for this state Of
things. and the only wise thing which the Southern
whites can do is TO let the negro alone So far as
have been able to observe
THE COLORED VOTER
he is very docile and at the same time very
stubborn kind OF animal, who cannot be bought
who Is hard to lead and who won't be driven. On
the question OF the political integrity of the negro
the testimony Is universal-namely, that his vote
Is not in the market But it is next to impossible
to get q negro to say In so many words that
he Is for Grant or against Greeley. When it Is
urged upon them that the Chappaqua philosopher
was the original friend Of the black man the gene
raj answer is IL don't know, sah.n II you ask them
If they have ever heard Of Horace Greeley most OF
them will give you plump "NO" and many pre-
tend not to know anything even OF President Grant.
They will prevaricate for half an hour over their
political creed and finally admit their republcanism
only by that significant negro laugh which tells the
whole story The moral OF this is simply .hstrust OF
the political good will of the white man. In all
things else they will confer with their former mas
tiers and be guided by them, but almost without ex-
ception they shun the very mention OF politics. A
Georgia planter, now here told me that out OF
his 1900 slaves 1900 are still on his planta-
ton, but while they are constantly asking
his advice In all their little troubles their reticence
is extreme on political topics that he has never
spoken OF politics to one OF them since their en-
Reimbursement And yet he Is one OF the few
planters who has made them comfortable in every
respect, built them church and school houses and
provided them with teachers OF Oberlin education
and been in all respects their generous and consid
born rights that they are suspicious OF everybody,
and neither generosity or nobleness on the one
hand, nor natural feeling OF gratitude on the
other, can make them trustful. Their gratitude
even for their freedom, is given to none. doubt
whether Mr.. Sumner would have much Of q per-
sonal political following If he tried to exert in
iuence over them One OF them told me on the
lawn yesterday that it was not any one person
who made the black man free, but the republican
party, and he indicated his purpose to cling to the
bridge which carried him over.
GROUNDS FOR NEGRO SUSPICION
And it must be confessed that there are grounds
for this extreme suspicion OF the whites and this
almost unnatural fear. Ku Kluxism and other
matters, of which the newspapers have been full
we're In themselves sufIicient to drive the negro
back upon himself; but during my short stay here
have seen other causes for IT, which have not
been 10 fully reported by the press. One Of the
most potent OF these causes is to be found in the
electloneering tactics OF Old party hacks. The
waiter who stands behind me at dinner told me
for Greeley or Grant by the man who seats the
guests. Ibid he ask each waiter how he would
SSfep asked mses sah nsm and s, What ,s ala
% Sus they'll VIE ali I've vote for Grant why did he do
He said he was ordered to find out SO that he
could make q list OF the way everybody would
vote" And gathered RON my sable attendant
that every waiter in the house thought there was
some sinister motive in this espionage into other
mems Intentions. The effects OF such policy
throughout the South cannot fail to be bad In THIS
instance l cannot believe the thing was done with
the consent of Colonel Peyt0n, the manager OF the
White sulphur, for he Is too genial generous and
was done nevertheless In West virginia more
than in any other southern State perhaps, has the
negro reason to fear such action for here more
than in any other state are his rights as freeman
jeOpardized. - -
The Senate Is only in the ni1tn year OF ,s exist
frame new constitution: This body matured Its
work at Charleston in April, adopting copftitu-
approaching election. In itself this seems like
harmless document enough, and, In view OF past
legislation Of adisfranchisng ana disaniing charac-
ter it Is absolutely needed. Unfortunately, how
ever, IT Is ACCOMPANIED by schedule providing for
the manner OF It's ratification, but containing also
inr negroes 1rom ever holding once in the State.
This proposition was submitted IN difference
to the old rebel sentiment OF which q
its submission was gross and fragrant outrage for
which there is no excuse How many democrats
@ vSss to known FOR IL viii show whether or not
there are still many Bourbons In politics. One
thing is certain. It has intensifed and exasperated
this bitterness comes back nom other States only
to add to the flame. The whole constitution Ii con.
sequently condemned, and the whole strength Of
the party Ia thrown into vigorous attempt to de-
featit Every effort win be used to bring out every
vote, and even the state ticket was given away IN
70 tas sao BE-
claimed a. victory for Grant: High hopes Of re-,
volutfonizing the State In November win be built
upon success now and the Presidential c0ntes!
ard0r.
THE POLITICAL MISUNDERSTANDING FEARS
As IL 10, the canvass Is growing very warm, az
wei n NAV aimee the election takes place on the
22d Of August, and the democrats have Just tne