The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-12-02
T ,I,l conservatiYe Party,

\ To the caucus OF the Conservative members
Of the House OF Delegates 1t was proposed TO |
exclude altogether those members protesting |
to be Conservatives who had opposed tue
regular nominees Of the party IN their bsili-
wicks and been elected. The CAUCUS exhib-
tied commenaabae desire for harmony, and
very wisely determined that such mernbers
as psedsed their discrimination toTote for
the nossiuees Of the caucus should be admit
ted to take part In the GAUGES proceedings.
AS THIS course tended 'towaris haFEony, ana
as phdgfug themselves to abide By the WIN
.of tire party in the Legislature was the ofss 4
,ampudmeut they'cou|dat thistiP'e make lof
resisting the party al home, they were pro-
B:rly aea prudently admitted. = j
We desire 10 say few words pertinent 10
this matter, 80 vitality important to the people
Of Virginia. !;
The Conservative party is not like any;
other party ever formed in this State or Vhat |
ever existed in any State before the wac. Ut
rests upon the very foundation of society,
and has more vital relation to society--its
order. virtue, and sdfety-than any party
that ever existed before 1t and why?
The reconstruction" measures Of Con.
gress put the right 10. vote in the hands OF
the late slaves, who fhad not the first "lusslh'
s1tion for the exercise thereof. They came
to this privilege fresh from the excitemenls
of the war, which was blindiy looked upon
asa war for theirsreedom, and Immediately
from preachings and teachings of the north.
ern fanatics who roamed and detained
through the land when southern people
were de nied the privilege of meeting in pub
lie and driven to their homes with fear and
trembling.
Appearing at the polls with the wild im-
pressions wrought by these agents upon
their minds, they were the determined enc
mics of US all. The late stakeholder and the
southern people, all, were put under the ban,
and the solid negro vote was east against
them. That-sane vote elevated to places of
trust and compensation strangers and
thieves-men who had no interest but to rob
US, and despoA those upon whom the poor,
ignorant negroes absolutely had to depend
for occupation and support. ....
1T is freshin the minds of all how the men
whosgot into Office through negro votes en-
ployed Undergraduates and powers to rob
the country and spread distrust, apprehen-
sion, and ruin over the Inflated land over
which the vicious and vindictive system of
reconstruction bad placed them.
The reconstruction system was the Cause,
the poor negro was the instrument, of CUR
terrible punishments-punishm that in-
Volved ruinous pecuniary results, and that
threatened not only the peace, but the ve:y
virtue Of society. In every State where the
negro vote decided the complexion of the
Legislature there followed period of mis-
rule, of plumber, and disaster unexampled
in history. The people inhabiting those
States were ,rAupged in what may truly be
called misery, and were yet apprehensiye of
worse things in the future.
What did Virginia do? The people re-
solved to avoid such consequences. The
white population Of Virginia was numerical
IL able to save their State and themselves,
and they determined to do so by combining
together for sesf-protection. To do this eff.
(ectually they formed the Conservative party.
The necessity was precisely similar to that
of a community without law and without
order. The body polite is their remedy for
evils within and their protection from dan
gers without. And our protection was the
Conservative party-another name for
=" body polite" It was called in to save us
from evils the threatening nature of which
made its necessity cs great as ever could be
the institution of law and order for the guar
dianship Of men.
1t answered its purposes. 1t saved Vir-
necessary. T. is necessary, and will be as
Ilong as the condition of society that required
its establishment eXis.s. Virginia never can
protect herself against the evils growing out
of the new element injected into her body
polite without the help of that organiza-
tiop, which keeps the control of the Gov.
eminent in the hands of the white people
thesitest ,and the only capable people for
talk; ng: care. of the Interests of great, civil
ized'Stase, whose dignity, force, and thrift
cas- never tbe maintained save by the expe-
rienee, ecapaeity, and wisdom of the white
people.
We,say it with all the earnestness and EN-.
phasis possible, that the maintenance Of the
power and coaaol of the Conservative party
is absolutely necessary for the preservation
of the order, .psace, aud ppOsperity-nay,
the very girtue-ref society. Hs.aathorityi Is
necessary TOR the welfare of the negro, who.
by force Of circumstances and bis own ma
ture, has haan, employed as the tool of the
most sordid and INSCRIPTIONS people, who
care NO more dor the negro than thay0o for
the State. and phosesautrages upon Govern.
meat and whose designating measures and
,plnadering acts would ieave the negro with
.out,sccupation and fill the land with esils
Stat 0ould make for us = hell upon earth.
Say, then, Is not the Conservative partT
the. most important that MAS ever formed ia
Virginia? 4
Il .is,ia the light Of its vital necessity that \
we regerd any show ct resistance to it as Ia. i
mentatle. To resist dts authority is to at |
tempt to being it into Asrepute. To bring
1t into disrepute is to thDsw the State again |
into the feanful perils froE which that party
has rescued Virginia, and Cor which rescue
oGr gratitude ks ever due. u eyer the SUBJ
mission OF all the members OF . party was
due TO their panty it is due TO this ones and
il ever resistance to authority Of 3 party
canld no innyeusalle If Ia IN thia We roL |