The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1873-08-07

~ Po''"1' S'i pfeyeoi IN poHticai caui paiSu
such as that which our opponents have inau-
gurated 2.
1T rs uNPRoyoKED.
Ibis clamor against the negro is unjust
and unprovoked- His conduct has, been such
as to deserve the confidence, friendship. and
political support of the white man. In his
long servitude of the two hundred years, no
such thing as negro instruction at all
threatening to the stability of society, was ever
known. Such loyalty as his was to. the
white man has had no parallel in the history
OF human affairs. During the late civilwar,
the fortunes OF the confederacy could have
been terminated at any time, in a single day,
by an outbreak of the slaves. But the African
servantsremained loyal to the condition In
which the laws Of his country held him and
waited patiently for the only deliyerance
which he would accept, the deliverance of law.
His freedom is not his own achievement, for
which we may visit upon him our resentment
and vengeance. It is the gift of Powers SUI
perior to criticism and clamor. He was guilty
of no dlsloJalty in acquiring it. Even now
he exercises his legal and political rights with
meekness and reserve. In every instance in
which he has been deprived by fraud, violence
or threats of his privilege Of voting (and they
are shamefully numerous) not only is the Of
fence punishable by Indictment but the law
gives him an action by. civil suit for heavy
damages AS United States Attorney have
often told colored men when they have con-
suited me about redress, of the heavy money
penalty which the Enforcement Act allows
them $500 a7i1
| se4
But [ say to their honor that althou2hthere
are hundreds of cases in this Judicial district
where suits would lie for heavy damages on
account Of election wrongs, there has been no
4 one in which an action has been brought -
They rejected with noble disdain all idea
oe pecuniary compensation They have de-
mauded only the protection oftheirsrights I'M
der the laws Of their country. There has 10
fast been nothing in their conduct to justify
the brutal crusade Of which they are madethe
victims. They are the wards Of the Common
wealth. They deserve the good offices ofall
her citizens, and tie hostility Of no man nor
class nor party. The only pretext on which
this cru SADIE has ever been justified, has been
the unproveable allegation that in 1869 some
80, 600 of them voted for retaining in the
State Constitution, those clauses which Con
servatives and other Republicans united in 70
ting out Of it.. But does it 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
10 1869 he knew that the leading classes in
Virginia were still opposed to his enjoyment
/ oP al o;,il Ia hot no tv
which professed to hold the Objectionable clau-
ses of the constitution in such horror as APP
piled to white snen, were intensely hostile to
negro suffrage and regro Office holding with
or without the test oath IT. therefore, the
majority oe tn coored voters did vote for re-
taiuing the obnoxious clauses from natural
fear lest the "achite mans party" might Auc-
coed in gaining power to deprive themoi all
| franchises, even OF the right OF voting, are
the Conservatives the men to csnaemn4 the
act The voice Of heavenly charity pleads for
the pardon fan offence committed under such
duress; and the registering angel IN Heaven
in setting down this Sin to their charge, will
drop scar upon the record -
1T IS DESTRUCTIVE TO THE STATE.
5. This wartupon an unofiendiog class Of
citizens is destructive to the State. Already
has it driven away thousands Of stal5art la
borers from our own fields aud forests pro-
ducing a loss which cannot be supplied.
( We have the best laborng class 10 the world
1t is more efficient, more tractablo, and more
10 sympathy with the employing class than
any other on the globe There is but one OBJ
jecsion to it, which is, that We have it not in
sutii Gent numbers to restore our waste lands
aud reduce to cultivation the wilderness which.
Sketches out everywhere before the eye Our
plain interest is TO foster this population to
give it fixed and happy homes; to educate its
children, aud BY being ourselves its friends,
to make it our own friends aud ass istants in
developing the public prosperity. Ouriater-
est conspires with our christian duty 10 this
important behalf !; and both unite with indig-
cant voice, 10 reprobatlon Of the fell spirit
OF race-hatred and race-warfare, which would
convert our State Into a proving ground of
| ku-Klux savages. ~ p
| " IT IS MEAN, .CoWARDLY. AND REBELLIOuS
6 Generally, this crusade against the po-
litical rights Of the colored man is mean, cow
ardly. and rebellous. Consider the case as
it stands. The negro man has been with and
of US, for two hundred years He has been
cur servant, our friend, our foster brother
He is here by the prudence Of Him whoshapes,
the dostinics of nleE aud nations He is i'm
erad'cably planted here bys Power that does
nothing in vain, and that does ali for the
good of His people. The government of the
State recognizes his presence here, and pro-
vldes for is,hy laws equal 10 their purport as
to his race, and ours. The government Of the
nation recognizes his presence here as a right,
ard invests him Oh this soil with the sacred
privileges of American citizenship. Thus. is
he planted here on the granite foundations of
right. justice and equality, by two centuries
prescription, and by all the traditions and
sanctions Of history, humanity and law.
/ How brutal is this effort, therefore, TO ar.
ray thestronger class against him in the Bit
terness, intolerance, and all observation-disclosures
of partizan antagonism. It is a mean and
cowardlg endeavor as between man and man.
It is degradation of the Virginian charac
ter. It is blot upon the fame of the State.
1t is iuhuman. dlshonorable, and rebellious
None of the politicians who make this issue,
presume to believe that the laws of the cDun-
try, giving full civil>rights to the colored
race, can be changed. None Of them dare
believe that the providepces which brought
the negro here and have elevated him to citi-
zeuship can be reversed, They do not, and