The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-08-25
The HOnOrableS.

General kEMrER in bis speech on Friday
night alluded to the attelnpt of the pious
and exemplary Republican candidate for
Governor of Virginia to eXalt the negro
TO the platform of responsibility, and even
of excellence. when compared with the
white man. Mr.. HUGHES is but pursuing
the policy begun in 1867 when the Hon.
Judge UNDERwooD's Convention met in the
classic capitol of Virginia to maze Consli-
tuition for us. That Convention determined
TO place its negro members upon footing OF
equality with members of Congress. The
term Honorable" was at once appropri-
uted, and each member of the Convention
wore it--wlth what grace we all know. There
was the " Hon. LEWIS LINDSAY" the " Hon.
JoE Cox" the Hon. BURRlLL ToLER," the
Hon. Mr.. HoDGES,' the Hon. BAR
NEy McCRAcKES," the "Hon. Mr.. PLATT,"
the lion. JAMES MoRRIsEy,' etc. Hun
HICUTT rolled in honOrs, and he flung
titles around among his negro colleagues as
freely rs they would have flung stones at
him at Il subsequent period had he given
thcm the opportunity. But he saved his
skin by cmigrating from amongst. the
"Honoribles &" and seeking refuge in the
Piedmont region, where the negro element
was in the vocltive."
Mr.. HUGHES places the negro in many re-
spects above the white man, in doing which
he must have felt that he was sustained by
the highest authority of the school to which
be now belongs. If LEWIS LINDSAY, and JOE
Cox, and "Uncle SPECS are, by decision Of
Judge UNDERWOOD, placed, in respect Of
legislative honor, higher than RANDOLPH,
and LEIGH. and DoDDRIDGE, and CHAPMAN
JOHNSON, or, to go back little, higher than
PATRICK HENRY, or JEFFERSON, or MADISON.
why may not Mr.. HUGHES be permitted TO
set down the African laborer as superior to
the Caucasian type Of laborer for the quail
ties which not only are valuable in the la
borer, but are indispensable in the charac-
ter Of a gentleman. Let Us not judge him
too harshly. He is sustained by the high
authority of a United States judge and the
example of Radical partisans and journals
ever since the war. '
Mr. HUGHES is mid-mannered gentle.
man himself, and would not naturally be in
clined to violent breach of social prOprie-
ties, and we should hope by no means to the
preparation of any injustice upon that I'M
fortunate white race to which one might,
with some pretcnsion to logical deduction,
suppose he deems himself unfortunate to
belong. But still he makes the best Use of
his opportunity to offer the amenae "honor-
Qbte' to lace which he now admits has
been wronged for two hundred years by no.
bly, and frankly confessing its supereminent
attributes. 1t comes with especial grace
from him, and unqucstionubly the grand
leaders of the elnancipted" will be pro-
foundly impressed with his just and gencr-
Gus conduct.
We suppose the free Use Of the grand IT,
ties Of the times amongst the illuminated
citizens of African descent and Mr.. HuGHEs's
elilogy of them have had their effect upon
the white race, which has been rather
modest in its appropriation of titles. A
country journal. thinking that, according to
usage, something in the way OF title be.
longed TO the Conservative nominees, pub
lIshed the ticket thus: General .kgMPER,
Colonel WITHGRs, and Colonel DANIEL. No
nun in the State has less claim TO military
title than Mr.. DANIEL, but our contempo-
rary thought he must have one, SO he styled
him Colonel, not yenturiDg to employ the