The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-04-27

- q. \
t.sot ,ytlh these pretendfng friends; and
.aIis nd tisat aIf that is necessary to restore
tha oncIant ortIerof things 10 to crystalize
eceratinns in the perfect structure Of great
natiarol constitutional party OF conservative
;deas--the ideas of Jefferson, OF Mason, OF
Madison, of Monroe"
Does not Governor Kemper know that
"tbe ideas" of most Of these gentlemen are
against him that Jefferson, dubious at the
commencement, gave up the experiment in
1920 that Monroe spoke and voted against
ratification that Madison was, as usual, on
both sides, and that, second only to Patrick
Henry, that man of the people and true
votes or his generation, Mason, opposed the
adoption of the Constitution with all bis
power, and warned the people that 1t would
terminate as it has done? Does he forget
that eighty out of one hundred and sixty
eight delegates In the Convention Of 1887
were what he might call extremists, adopt.
ing the views of William Grayson, whose
"greatest objection to the Constitution was
that it would in its operation be found I'M
equal, gricyous, and oppressive; that if it is
to have any efficacy at all it must be by a
faction-a faction OF one part of the Union
against another" which, " if called into action
by combination of States, will be terrible
indeed" because Republics. in fact, OPP
press more than Monarchies y? What pity
it did not occur to some OF the great men
who urged the adoption of the Federal Con-
stitutioD, whilst acknowledging the patri-
otto motives as we'll as the distinguished SER
vices, both in war and peace, OF some OF
these extremists, to show that it was "cap-
tious" in them to be judging in advance
"that the carrying States will assuredly
unite. and then our situation will be wretch
ed indeed" The fundamental idea Of these
extremists was that the Constitution would
prove a disastrous failure, that the south
would become, as Governor Harrison ex-
presses it, the mere appendage of the north.
Governor Kemper thinks 1t has not. Let
Virgina's sons look at their mother, and say
which is right.
One OF Governor ,Kemper's visions Is that
the final success Of the Conservative party
in Virginia would be the signal for the dis
persion and extinction of all race-ine COM
binstions, and that colored men,. freed from
race cnthralment, would come under the
same reasons and influences which govern
other men in forming party affiliations
mark the word-"and that the politics OF
our whole people would return to healthy
and normal conditions, and when men OF
both races, combining for the good of all,
would restore peace and common pros
perity"; and he asserts that the Conserya-
five party is based on those ideas. l can
only say if it was / never knew it. The
Conservative party here WAS formed to keep
Radicals OF every color and stripe out Of Of
fee. That party had been found to be
ready for all manner Of oppression on white
people, and all manner of corruption every
wherein the convention, in the Legisla-
ture. at the polls. 1t was known universally
that as party they had been bought and
were thoroughly venal. And the white peo-
Die determined as far as they could do 1t they
would legally and peaceably vote these people
out of the way of temptation or opportunity
for such mischief as as they had been doing.
They knew the colored people better than
Governor Kemper appears to know them; and
instead of wasting breath in appeals to ele-
waited motives, they met them on their race
issue and gave them such defeat as tends to
discourage that issue in the future by show
inc its powerlessneSs. Such rights as Fede-
raj force and sectional hate have given them
will be respected in good faith and 10 the very
letter; and if they choose to come and vote
with the Conservative party Of course
nobody can object. But that party will not
:.atfiliate" with them in the fair and proper
meaning of that word. What Governor
kemper may have said on the stump, and
from the bottom of his heart, is one thing.
No one expected him to irritate any class by
direct attack upon it. But l should be
surprised to learn that he had ever been
authorized to pledge the Conservative party
to such Civilization with the colored men
as would justify them in aspiring to any Of
fee in any Conservative organization in FIr-
gipia; and unless they are admitted upon a
pledge of fair competition for office without
regard to color they cannot be admitted to TEL
loWship, it would be unfair. do not THINK
the Conservative party would ever have adj
mitted them. Since their late victory they
will never think Of it. This they resolve
not from hatred TO the negro, nor from pre-
judice against him, but because they know
his character. They know that mere educa-
ton, AS it is fashionable to call the Smatter-
inc of common schools, added to such reli-
gion as he gets in their separate church Or
can never fit him for the duties
OF q citizen. Aud this fundamental princi-
pie is the main article in the Conservative
creed, not published as plank in their plat
form, but part of the iInmutable unWritten
law 10 all our hearts.
It is well it is so. It is the best nucleus |
for the formation and maintenance OF party |
here, and without it the Conservative party, |
of incaIculable negative value Is it Is, would |
have been, as party OF positive actlop,
latter failure than it is now.
One other point, and have done. L cam
not agree with Governor kemper that be or
any other Governor of Virginia bears any
very "arduous responsibilities" L wish IL
were otherwise, and that, as representing the
m.iesty of a sovereign State, he could make
himself felt. But responsibility follows
power, aud, compared with the President OF
the United States, it may be said that the
power of the Governor is to that of the
President as the power to veto the petty
charter of town is the power to pass or
prevent the ciYil.rights bill. The one is pro-
yincial and paltry, the other imperial and
enormous, and no matter in what direction |
.he parallel may be run it will be found the
same. In the war of the revolution Gov
ernor of Virginia did indeed bear arduous |
but now he is little more |
.ban tigure-head-the presiding officer of
The Office may be stepping |
stone, but it is not the curule chair.
Is liberty then gone! Yes, for season. |
Will it return That depends on circum- |
stances quite different from the glttering |
generalties in which Governor Kemper |
deals. If by combination between the |
West and South system can be established |
on the basis Of the interests of all, with |
power in each TO enforce it's rights, there |
may be hope-at least there might be but
for the condition Of the southern States,
ruined and distracted by Government
which is said not to have destroyed our
rights. But who can counteract the misery
and the mischief which envy, hatred, malice,