The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-09-02
WHO RESPONSYBLE FOR THE
GSSIIGr

WHO RESPONSIBLE FOR THE
ISSUEt
There is not a Conservative journal in
the state which has not charged over and
over again that the Republican party is
responsible for the present antagonism,
whatever may be its extent, of race against
race in Virginia; and this grand hue and
cry of Conservative journalism con-
sttutes the entire stock in trade OF the
Conservative party, as organized for the
election of Kemper, Withers u Co
The party has no other watchword
no other campaign shibboleth--no
other criterion Of individual fealty. 1t
hammers away at this one idea as if it was
laboring at deaths door, without an obulus
to pay its ferriage across the inevitable
Styx. 1t is a ptiable sight to see the rem
nants of two such mighty parties as once
alternately dominated over Virginia, re.
duced to such straight as the Conserva-
tives are now confessedly in. No ammu-
milton but Grace against race"-"white
men against negroes" And the
leaders Of the party are so ashamed
of this issue, as they go with it
before the people, that they are compelled
to swear, like so many troopers, that it
originated with the Republican party, and
is one that they personally deprccate more
than any other that could be raised. This
is piece of downright mendacity which
doesn't SO much as mince at the truth
when duplicity and double.dealing demand
it.
Let US see how plain q tale shall pat
this unblushing and most impudent ACCUSE
ton down. 1t was clearly in testimony
before the joint select committee to inquire
into the condition of affairs in the South,
that Immediately after the close of the wal
the negroes, or newly-made voters, were
everywhere kindly disposed towards
their former masters. 1t is absurd
. to say that the few Northern mel
then settled in the South could have
influenced four millions and half of thu
African race to such inveterate hostility
against their former masters, that thu
alleged antagonism of to-day could have
existed without any other melting cause.
When the ballot was given the negroes
their former masters refused to participate
in political reconstruction with them
and most of the leading journals
of the South, from Maryland TO Mexico
exhibited the same general spirit of spit
AGAINST The freedmen which is now. sedn
lousy cultivated by the. Conseyatiy
leaders of the state. There was a genera
determination to keep the negr
down, or limit him to as ieg
rights and privileges as possible
under the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, ant
Fifteenth amendments. EVea before th
Fifteenth amendment was ratified, the whit
people Of the South were unwilling to az
cept the reconstruction acts of the Foul
teenth amendment, owing TO the create
guarantees of liberty given the Negro
although they might have controlled
the question of colored suffrage in the
respective states had they voluntarily &C
cepted the conditions imposed. If tn
white people of the South had prompt
accepted the situation as did Colon
Hughes, Governor Orr, General Longstree
and others, the occupation of the carpet
Dagger would never have disturbed ii
oyer-sensiive nerves of our neighbors
and oceans of indignant ink, and rean
of complaining foolscap, would have bee
spared them in the way of editorial eco
omy.
So general had the hostility of the whit
to the blacks become throughout Il
South land Virginia was by no means {
exception to any prevailing rule, that u
colored people found themselves force
into an attitude of political Antagonist
much against their earlier sentiments al
wishes. Speaking of the acts of individu
outrage perpetrated by the whites again
the blacks in North Carolina, one Of Il
retained defenders of the perpetrators
those acts honored his own nature al
humanity in general, by declaring th
''they we're shocking to humanity; tn
admitted neither of justification nor e
cuse; they violate every obligation viii
law and nature impose upon man"
It was these acts of hostility agair
the negroes of the South, and the genel
unwillingness of the whites to recogni
their Just rightg under the amended CO