The Virginia star., 1879-09-27
(From the West Point Starr
TO THE COLORED PEOPLE OF KING
WILLIAM

Tho Conservative party of King Will
liam presents for your support Judge
Pooer Gregory for the Legislature. We
challenge any man to produce greater
| claims to your support than he can
When on the bench OF his county, years
ago. he was the first Judge IN all TINS
country to place colored men on the
Jury. He did so even at the risk OF al
fronting the sentiments and preJudlces
of his own race He did so, because he
thought the law required it OF him, and
because he thought it was right. While
he was on the bench did any colored
man ever have cause to complain 0l
him ? Was he not Just, learned, fair and
impartia! Judge? If you could trust him
on the bench, can you not trust him IN
the LEGISLATURE? Ask his colored neigh
hors what sort Of man he Is? ASK
them if he does not counsel them In
their troubles. aid them with his means
and supply them with honorable and
profitable labor? Colored men around HIM
have often borrowed money from him
without security, when they could get
if from no one else. He trusted to thell
honor, and they always proved nonora-
Bile in paying their just and honorable
debts. Judge Gregory has trusted col
ored men on the juries, in office, and IN
contract and money matters-let them
now trust him? The question of The
State debt, colored men Of King VIII
! liam, does not affect many of you, excep
as a question of character, because com
paratlvely few of you pay taxes as pro
perty holders, Most of your number
only paw capitat1On or head tax, which
the debt question does not touch.
/ The Debt Bill, settling the debt of th'
State, is now the law of the lana as Law
abiding citizens, stand by it. The onl.
two members of the Republican part,
from this Congressional district, 7. }
Carter, IA colored man, and Curlett,
white man, voted for the Debt Bill, an'
now stand by it. All the promlnen
Leaders of your party in Virginia sustain
the Debt Bill as Judge Gregory does
: and Jorgerson. the only member Q
Congress you have from Virginia sus
tains it. as does Judge Rives, Gen. Wick
, ham, John r. Popham, Edgar Allen, :
| NJ. Page, and all the Republican leader
2 of any note. All these leaders of you
: party are going to vote, and are speak
ing on the Debt Bill just as Judge Greg
ory will speak and vote. Many of yo
have nothing but your good name an
character; vote to repeal the Debt Bll
S and you will vote that away, because yo
will then vote that Virginia shall breal
, her bargains and refuse to pay her hon
est debts. Can honest labOring me
afford to vote that way? Do you thin
men of money will come here, or brin
= their money here if your people vot
} they shall not get their money back al
! ter they have lent 1t to us-and afte
: Virginia has solemnly promised to pa
l it back to them2 Nobody will trust
G people or State that will not pay it
debts. Viii any of you work for me
who willSnot pay you what you earn
We have railroads, canals, turnpike'
public buildings and statues built wit
= the money borrowed by Virginia, is
Z right or honorable to keep and refuse t
q pay for them2 You can well afford, &C
t Iored men, to vote as honest men, bt
j. cause it will not cost you cent. Ih
!. burden of the debt IS borne by the pro
perty holders; if they want to pay Tn
1 debt why cannot you vote to make pee
II pie pay what they owe, and set you
d children an example of good faith an
q honesty?
! Judge Gregary is opposed to any IN
crease of taxation, goes for the schools
Z and goes for the McCulloch Debt Bill
L because it saves the schools. Do yo
d not think as sensible men, that the Del
y Bill ought to be tried awhile before 1t
,. repealed? The people have paid th
:. cost of the two Legislatures, (abol
u $236. .000,) to get this debt question Sc
q tied. Do you think all this money ougf
Il | tn ha thrnwn awav he fore the law
+. even tried? And would it be treatin
!; the creditors of Virginia right after the
| offer has been accepted to fly from
e the very next session of the Legislature
Can Virginia, as an honorable Sta
afford to 60 back on her word and bono
70 in this way? No, never! Think Of
- these things, colored men, and vote #
ie honesty, character, and good name yc
le have nothing else. Keep those-the
$ are worth more than property.