National Republican., 1873-06-02
rnrNonrnLK EI.Frr1oN.

We havorsccivod several communications
nom friends In Virginia referring 10 the re-
cent municipal elections In that State, which
We regret we cannot and room for In our I'm
led space. We cannot forbear some allusion,
howevsr, TO farts, which have been youched
for BY competent and Trustworthy gentle
men, connected with the Norfolk election.
One writer besceches us to ''call attention to
and denouncc the Democratic party for lts
intimidation Of Republican voters aud lts out
RACES at the polls" While we arc willing to
respond to this request we fear that simple
denunclatlon will be Of no avail, as the Dem
ocratic or sham Conservative sensibilitles arc
not to bc reached by more denunciation.
Other writer's give us accounts Of brutal as
saults at the polls, lied on by policemen, the
paid hrcmon OF the city, and other bulnes IN
the employ Of the Conservatives" and say
that the ballot-boxcs at several Of the poll,
were stuffed, on the discovery Of which
enough Republican or Peoples tickets were
taken out to make the number Of votes tally
with the poll-llst;" "colored voters were ar
rested and lodged In jatl on mere pretcucei
TO prevent them from voting" "somc were
arrested on the ground that they wer,
not citizens, when II was well know
that they were, and when the may o
acknowledged that they were next morning,
and that "Mr. Gardner, a Republican, wa
sot upon and beaten by crowd Of rouzhs
including one Of tho harbor masters Of til,
| city, in tho presence Of police commissioner
merely because he (Garduer) had truthful,
exposed the sourcs Of q dastardly attack witt
stone upon Mr. John =. Deicndorf, lead
Ing Republican, and appraiser Of customs 70
the port" These brief extracts show tn
tenor Of several communications, aud ut tn
same time also show the utter disregard b,
the Conservative whites Of the rights whlcl
belong TO the poorest voter, and which 1
should be the proude5t effort Of the inteill
gent elasses to protect. In other words, "
have here q convincing exposure Of III
shameful methods by which the c onsoryi
tiyes seek to obtain control Of the State, aud
most damnlng answer to tholr boosted friend
ship for tho poorer classes. II they expect /
win the support or confidence Of the black
under such circumstances thoy arc sadly mi.
taken. But that Is not their object. They ma
protest that II Is with all tho emphasis that
"hlgh-tonod Southern gentleman, incapable
Of lio" can command. We know bettor, an
tho blacks know better. Their roal motive
TO combine the blacks by such prorocation
Is these In exclusive organizations agains
tho old white leaders. When this Is don
they raise the cry Of "a war OF races" an
BY appealing to the prejudices Of their NOR
ignorant white brethren they succeed In r,
tainlns the party division Of color, the dis
ruptiou Of which Is threatened at each sue
cecding election where Intelligent discussio
s allowed. In short the Conservative 81
premacy in Virginia can only be maintalnc
by fraud and violence, or by arouslnQ thoI
prcjudlccs Of the human heart which rcyo
against tho nrst principles Of freedom, an
which only find qualification In acts of tyrar
i ulcnl opprossIon,