The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-09-04
TUESDAY NOVEMBER A, 1873
CONSERVATIVE CONSISTENCY

sistency in others, but remarkably in
different to anything like consistency in
themselves. 1t was General Kemper, if
we mistake not, who offered the resolu-
ton in the Virginia State Conservative con-
vention of 1872, which appointed delegates
to the Baltimore convention, instructing
them to vote for the Cincinnati nominees
and platform. That we may see how
this gentleman stood at that time, or
rather how he desired to stand, both in
Virginia and before the country, we have
only to advert to the Cincinnati platform,
which then had his entire sanction and
approval. This platform lays down
several cardinal principles which Cen
eral Kemper then considered "as as
sential to just government 1--WE quote
the very language of the PLATFORM, and
upon which he desired to go before the
country in a contest for power with the
Republican party. The very first plank
in the platform which he then SO warmly
approved as essential TO Just government,
and powerfully urged his Virginia friends
to approve, contained this wholesome po-
ltical pledge on his part and that of the
Conservative party of Virginia
Werecognize the equality of all men before the
law, and hold that it is the duty of government,
in its dealing with the people, to mete out equal
and exact justice to ALL of whatever nativity,
race, color, or persuasion, religious or political.
We do not suppose that General
Kemper, in warmly endorsing, as he did,
this wholesome political principle, meant
to limit its operation to the Federal govern
ment alone. He meant to say, and practi-
cally did say, to the people of Virginia
that it was their duty to mete out
equal and exact justice to all, without re-
spect to race color, or previous condition Of
servitude. But how does he reconcile this
attitude, so becomingly taken at that time,
with the one of hostility now assumed
towards more than half million of the col
ored race in Virginia? Is it equal and
exact justice to demand, as the Conserva-
tives now do, that this race
shall have no voice whatever in
the government of the state ? That
Virginia shall be governed exclusively by
native white Virginians, and that all the
equal and exact justice" to be accorded
the negro, is to consist in his right to vote
for white native Virginians? To
answer these inquiries affirmatively is to
stultify General Kemper as the author o
the resolution of approval in question, and
make the Baltimore Convention of 1872
the sheerest political farce ever played.
But another wholesome political plank
was warmly approved by General Kemper,
in the second resolution adopted at Cincn-
natl and approved without qualification at
Baltimore. 1t was this
We pledge ourselves to maintain the Union of
these states, emancipation, and enfranchisement,
and to oppose any reopening OF the questions
settled by the Thirteenth, Fourteenth and Eff
tenth amendments of the constitution.
The question settled by the fifteenth
amendment was the complete enfranchise-
ment of the colored race, which placed
their rights as citizens of Virginia on the
same broad basis of equality as that claimed
for the native white Virginian, Of the
most aristocratic pretensions and birth.
1t was the complete investiture Of the ne
gro with the rights and privileges of free
citizenship, and his admission into the
body polite on the same terms of equality
claimed by General Kemper and his politi-
cal associates for the native white Virgin
ian. This was the impregnable attitude
taken by General Kemper hardly more
than year ago at the Richmond
Theatre. How does he reconcile it with
his present imperative demand that the
negro shall stand back, regardless ofequal
and exact justice, and allow only white
natives to come to the front in Virginia
Was he simply playing the political knave
and thimble.rigger a year ago, or was he
honest then, and only practicing the little
joker dodge now?
But there was another little plank con-
spicuously placed in the Cincinnati platform,
which General Kemper was not only anx-
ious to stand on then, but used all his
influence to get the entire Conservative
party of Virginia to stand on it, to man.
This plank is especially noticeable at
this time, since all the speeches of
General Kemper and his associates on
the Conservative state ticket are directed
against its spirit and letter. 1t reads thus
We remember with gratitude the heroism and
sacrifices OF the soldiers and sailors of the Re-
public and no act Of ours shall eper detract from
their justiy'edrned fame or the JaH rei0ard8 Of
their pdtriotism.
Singular enough, with this resolution
warmly endorsed by General Kemper
year ago, he is now pressing his claims for
an election by the people upon another
and different sort Of gratitude entirely--the
gratitude they should feel for him in his
four years. effort to defeat "the
soldiers and sailors of the Re-
public" and "detract from their Just
ly-earned fame" in heroically maintaining
the union and integrity of these states.