Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1872-07-25
THE RUTLAND HERALD.
FRIDAY, JULY 10, 1872.
a Voice from oid virginia.

We publish herewith a letter from a
Vermonter, now residing in Virginia, on
the political situation. In note ac-
companying the letter, he says:
4 Il sec that my old acquaintance and
schoOl-mate, of the IHdependent, can
not long remain independent in politics
when there is a chance to do battle for
Democracy. 1t would be well for him
to change the title of his paper for do
not see wherein it is now independent, l"
We commend the letter to the atten-
tion of our readers. ED.
KEYsv1LLE, Charlotte Co., Va
July 5th, 1872.
Editor Rutland HeraJd Gould you
or vour readers have been in Rich
mond Yesterday and heard the speeches
made mt the parade of the "Southern
Cross Brotherhood y you would not he
willing to vote for a Presidential candi-
date who would relax, in the least pos
sible degree, the vigorous execution of
the laws over the South.
One of the speakers. n noted public
man in Richmond, in explaining the OBJ
ipcts of the OrdCr they were celebrating,
said that ''thcy were all Confederate
soldiers. against whose reputation no
stain could bn brought, and that they
avere sworn 20 recover and bring back
the bones of those comrades who had
Fallen upon northern soil and which
were only buried few inches deep. and
were being plowed up and made into
finger rings by the detCStable yankees.
Al of whom. he hoped, might be douhly
damned in the lowest hell" He used
many other similar expressions, too pro-
fame to be written, aud calculated to in
flnence and prejudice the fahble against
the North and the United States govern
mcnt. Nor were these remarks made 10y
low or irresponsible speakers. The
Mayo Of the city was one Of them, and
his speech was as full Of treason as it
could well be.
One of the speakers said the North
were willing to admit that eve had
fonght valantly in what we deemed a
Righteous cause" which was an insult to
the South. The words. ''what we
decmcd' should he blottcd out, for i
was indeed a riohtcOus cause.
The Democratic press of Richmond
seem to regard it as certainty that Mr..
Greeley is to be elected. and it gives
courage to every diSloyal element \
sad day it will he for law and order if h"
should be elected. Mr. Greeley. bv his
Speeches and writings, last year did
great deal to carry the State Of Virginia
over to Democracy, and cInholdencd the
press here to classify every white man
WHO voted the Republican ticket as
either a ''carpet-hagger' or a ''scal-
lawag.' They hope, by lying and mis-
representation, to carry the State for
Greeley, who they look upon as a good
Democrat, and who they expect is to
turn out all Republicans from office and
place in their stead those who strOvc to
force Virginia out Of the Union in 1860.
The only hope of preventing this lies in.
the negroes, who are in the majority,
and here also the danger is. Only few
Of thcm are educated enough to read for
themselves, and enough may be b01lgt or
dec iced so as to vote against their own
interest and safety. and turn the balance
the wrong way. The number of voters
among the white population, in this
State, who vote upon their own iudg-
ment, is smaller in proportion to the
whole vote than in any State | have
been in, and the old time reverence for
the opinions of the aristocracy and the
political leaders is very great, and very
few will vote contrary to their opinions.
Yet prominent Republicans hope the
State will 90 for Grant, in November,
and that the firm hand that now holds
the reins of government, and which the
disloyal so fear, will continue to hold
them for four years more.
Yours trnly, 7.