The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-11-04

EDOh W. ~ lJ1uAyA1Ab - AOso'
"THIs daytime winds the exhausted
chain.v At sunset the contest will be
over, and whichever party is whipped,
must make the most of it. 1t is folly to
whine over political spilt-milk, and if we
happen to be in the unhappy category Of
the mllk-maid in the fable, we hope to
set an example of philosophical compla-
eency worthy of imitation by our neigh
bors. We shall, however, confess to
some disappointment. The Conservative
party ought to be soundly thrashed on
the narrow and illiberal issue its leaders
have made, and persistently pressed on
the public mind since their ticket was
put in the field. To array race
against race in Virginia is not
simply narrow issue, but a most
malgn one. What intelligent man, with
or without means. cares to come into a
state for the purpose of settlement or pur-
chase, where half million or more of
whites are politically or otherwise arrayed
in hostility against nearly an equal number
of blacks? Does it not suggest state of
things calculated to keep population and
wealth out Of the state? Is it not appeal
ing to the worst passions of our own peo-
pie and the most serious apprehensions of
others? Is it manly attitude for Vir-
ginians to take? Nay, is itnot suggestive
of species of moral cowardice entirely
foreign to the breasts Of brave men? Is
At not, IN fine, a boys issue, and a ve,y small
game?
These questions need not be pressed
now. When the election is over and men
gather up their senses sufficiently to make
a proper inventory of the results of the
campaign, we expect to see even our own
local journals confessing to the folly of the
issues on which they have waged this fight.
We can tell them what we know to be
true, that, if the present hostile attitude of
races is to be fostered and maintained,
!. there is an end to outside population and
capital coming into Virginia. The negroes
are among US. They are our chieflaborers.
They occupy subordinate positions in our
comm unity. They aspire only to such
wealth and preierment as their industry
and personal merit entitle them.
They behaved nobly towards the people o.
the state during the war. They have been
quiet, orderly, and, in the main, indus
trious since its close. They deserve well
of the white people. In many things they
have set them examples worthy oil
imitation. They have disturbed, during
the canvass, no public meetings. They
have hung on the outskirts of no white
political gatherings to boot the names of
opposing candidates. If they have been
present at all, they have observed the
decencies of the occasion. and even
listened patiently to denunciation, iidi-
Guile, and abuse. They have made no
clergymen of this city ON Sunday last.
They have made no demonstrations of
popular violence. They hare epe,ytehere
minded their oacn business and behaved
ercellenty nell.
All this will be conceded when the preju-
dices and animosities Of the campaign have
fully subsidized !; nay, all dispassionate
minds will concede it even now. Let the
proud array Of Caucasian virtues and supe-
rior mental and moral endowments be
drawn in a peg OF two, in view of some of
the points we have named. Let the boosted
white blood of our people undergo little
filtering for the sake of mantling honest
cheeks into a manler glow than now suf-
fuses them, by reason of the race-issues
on which this malignant campaign has
been conducted. Let us show the magma
nimity of superior race, by according to
an inferior the true measure of merit it de.
serves. In other words, let as be heartily
ashamed Of the aoaat Of manhood zoe hare
sholon in fighting 1t out on this .'color line"
We speak not for ourselves Individually,
but for the collective race to which we be-
long. An appeal to the lowest order of
mental and moral manifestations THE
classification to which predjudice Of all
sorts belongs is always base enough but
when it comes to the prejudiees OF race
and especially of superior race to- one
alleged to be its inferior-it is more than
base; it is the height of baseness and
pusillanimity combined. We are con-
strained to say this much while the
Issue is yet undetermined. When its
result is known and settled, we propose to
drop as much of politics out ofour paper as
the popular demands of journalism shall
admit of, and devote our attention largely
to such matters and such only as shall
interest all our people, irrespective Of color,
class, OF politics, as the latter now run in