The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-07-31


contriyed as to require an average so oa,,a
nonlllatiori OF the Kepuollcan.
toriaI districts while voting opniaLlut., v ~
orlIy 035 is requifedip the CoDssi :, e,r
Senatorial Districts These dissfaeeei.uni o 90
friparccs and pafpab!e facts explode s1s an"
tence that Yirgfnia ii in danger OF fal,Ing
nm der negro rule, and expose the bypos.,, ,.,
Of those who make it. Il is notorious en =.
of least 10000 colored voters are kepts n a,,d
the polls chiefly by fraud ara osress si aa
the Republican party could not -. hnnt
a canvass with any hope OF SUCCESS, " ~ the
an assuronce of at least one-tnifa y ~
white vote.
,....s.5-.., IT Is ~USCHHIST1AH.
2. This appeal to the prejudices OF raes n 10 !.
nncbristian. The spirit of Cnrlstiull.y
teacbes that all mankind are OF one oroG ne,
hood Under the influence OF tnis s n =
truth slavery persisted IN the oiu !" oiiu,
wherever Christianity preva!'ed, anu uhusi
this same influence it has manly Pelisneu
here There is a Nemesis In the nroViuencetss
of end. and as an atoDement for 2oo years Oh
rervil,,de be who rules all events 10. Cue
ends of Justice has allowed the African
rore. reared on the soil, to be incorporated
into the body of American cltizensnlp.
Thus the proclamation from on hiSh Is t1at
fine colored man is our fellow NOT Only III
fine bonds of Christian brotherhood. put
also in the bonds of patriotism ana cit zen
shin. To incite, therefore, conflict OF one
race against brother race, Is to rebel against
the ordinations Of God, to reject the precepts
of Christianity, and to curse the land Win
the bitterest of all strifes and hercest OF all
antagonisms. There must be peace between
races for the sake of the material and moral
welfare of the Commonwealth, and there
can be no peace except by the triumph OF
Republican principles.
IT is A PEEITENTIARY OFFENCE.
3. This agitation against the colored popu-
lafion is in fragrant violation Of The act OF
our General Assembly which condemns 10
the penitcntiary those "who inclte the
white population Of the State to make iu-
surrection BY acts of violence or war against
the cJlored population, and the reverse.
What violence can be more fragrant SNORT %
open war than the fierce Indictment OF WHITES
against blacks on political questions, anu
bringing to bear for this purpose all Tue lha,
chinery of insult and evaporation emPl9!ea
in political campaign such as tnat WHICH,
our opponents have inaugurated!
1T IS UNPRovoKEp.
4 The clamor against the negro is unjust
and unproyoked. His conduct has been
sucb as to deserve the confidence, friend
ship, and political support OF the white man:
Tn his long seryitude of the two hundred
wears no such thing as negro insurrectlon
st all threatening to the stability OF society
was ever known. Such loyalty rs bis was
TO the white man has had no parallel in the
history of human affairs. During the late
civil war the fortunes Of the CoDfederacy
could have been terminated at any time, in
single day, by an outbreak of the slaves.
But the African servant remained loyal TO.
the condition in which the laws of his coun-
try held him, and waited patiently for the
only deliverance which he would accept
the deliverance Of the law. His freedom is
not his own achievement for which we may
visit upon him our resentAent and ven
geance. 1t is the gift of Powers superior
to criticism and clamor. He was guilty
of no disloyalty in acquiring it. Even now
he exercises his legal aud political rights
with meekness and reserve. ln every in
stance in which he has been deprived by
fraud, violence, or threats, OF bis privilege
of voting land they are shamefully hume
rous), not only is the offence punishable by
Indictment, but the law gives him an action
by civil suit for heavy damages. AS United
States Attorney, have often told colorcd
men. when they have consulted me about
redress of the heavy money penalty which
the enforcement act allows them. But say,
to their honor. that although there are hun
dreds of cases in this judicial district where
suits would lie for heavy damages on ac-
count of election wrongs, there has been no
one in which an action has been brought
They have rejected with noble disclaim all
idea Of pecuniary compensation. They have
demanded only the protection of their rights
under the laws Of their country. There has
in fact been nothing in their conduct to JUS
tifv the brutal crusade OF which they are
made the victims. They are the wards Of
the Commonwealth. They deserve the good
offices of all her citizens, and the hostility OF
no man nor class nor party. The only pre-
text on which this crusade has ever been
justified has been the improbable allegation
that in 1869 some $4,000 of them voted for
returning in the State Constitution those
clauses which Conservatives and other Re
publicaus united in voting out of it. But
does 1t lie in the mouth of the white man to
complain of prescription from the negro!
For two hundred years of their joint life
on this continent the negro was deprived
of liberty, suffrage, the right of education,
and every civil right whatever. In 1869
he knew that the leading classes in Virginia
were still opposed to his enjoyment of all
civil rights. He knew that the party which
protested TO hold the Objectionable clauses Of
the Constitution in such horror rs applied to
white men were intensely hostile TO negro
suffrage and negro otficcholding with or
without the test.oath. If, therefore, the ma
iority of colored voters did vote for retaining
the obnoxious clauses from natural fear lest
" the ,chite mans party" might succeed IN
gaining power to deprive them Of all fran
chises, even ot the right Of voting, are the
Conservatives the men to condemn the act
The voice Of heavenly charity pleads for the
pardon of an offence committed under such
duress and the registering angel in Heaven,
in setting down this sin to their charge, will
drop Il tear upon the record.
IT Is DESTRUCTIVE TO THE STATE.
5. This war upon IN unoilendng class of
citizens is destructive to the State. Already
has it driven away thousands OF Stalwart
laborcrs from our fields and forests, pro-
ducing loss which cannot be supplied.
We have the best laboring class in the
world. 1t is more efficient, more tractablc,
and more in sympathy with the employing
class than any other on the globe. There is
but one objection TO it; which is, that we
have il not in sufficient numbers to restore
our waste lands aud reduce to cultivation
the wilderness which stretches out every
where before the eye. Our plain interest is
to foster this population; to give it fixed
and happy homes; to educate its children;
and, by being ourselves its friends, to make
it our own friends aud assistants in develop
ing the public prosperity. Our interest con-
spires with our Christian duty in this im-