New-York tribune., 1879-12-06
A SENSATION IN VIRGINIA.


M,Hoxr THE AUTocRAT or THE LEGISLATURE
,CTING IN WAY WHICH ELECrEIFfEs EVERY
POLITICIAN IN THE STATE.
lRy TrLrorAPH THE TRTBUyE.l
WAsUrNGToN. Dec. "a VrGinian. who holds
high official position in one of the Departments here,
has just returned from Richmond, where he spent
several davs before and during the organization OF
tn" legislature. lie represents the condition OF
political affairs as being very remarkable lie Is
himself IN ardent Republican, ald an earnest
opponent OF reputation readjustment in any
form. lie describes the motives which have led to
q coalition between the colOrcd Republicans and the
Readusters in snch way rs to show that the former
are not deserving of all the reproach which is being
hcapeh upon them.
This gentleman saws that athough n resident aad
n voter for a long time in the State. he had never
before imagined the extent to which the colored
voters of the State iltreated by the white Dsm-
ocras in order to intimidatc them and keep them
in suborlination in locllities where they are in
majority. law framed for the purpose of intimi-
daiion has within the last two or three years been
enforced in most b1rbarous manner, and instances
Of illtreament under II are common 10 all locali-
ties Under the provisions OF :his law leading col
orc1 men are arrested Oh trumpc1-up charges Of
thcft and sentenced bv county tribunals to receive
five lasbe' upon the bare back. This punishment
bv law actually disenfrancscs the man who re-
cevcsit and disqnalilics him for holding any Office
whatever during the remainder of his life. The
cariafion tax law. providing that no person shall
be entitled to vote who has no. paid his poll tax
and received formal receipt for il. has been most
orrrcssivclv executed for the sole PURPOSE of de-
fraulng coored voters of hrir right of franchise.
The gentleman above rcferraI to says that these
laws ard numlNr of others almost equally opNreS-
sive bear So ha'd upon th' colorca people of Nir-
cinia that they have become desperate. When Ma
hone and lis RcaduStcrS cnt"r"a rpon their canvass
fhcv made the most solemn pledges hat il success
fu fhcv would swccn everv ono of these laws from
tho statute hook. They gave ruaraptccs. moreover,
that eycry Democratic County judge who had been
instrumental in enforcing these laws should he leg
isatcd ont of cicial life. These JUICES are elected
hv the Legislature aud are th"rofore now IN posi-
tion 10 srfFer Cor their u'irst official practiccs.
The RrnuhlicaHs in the I"g'satnre number
f,vert,--nir,c aui hni3 the bllan"n of power. NJ
Lone is the rnlitcl an acrt of thc g tfeard j.
rv'ng ,naticrs ~ way which >urngscS the old Con-
rvatives Ife cvirccs . disposition 10 carry ont
lis paicss male /, the colored men during the can
The lirst acis Of the new Taaisaturc are said 10
have created such q s@nSHtior The old state has
not known SINCE the surrender OF Lee. Two .aVrr-
iic Sia'c Officials cN-ofi"crs in thc rebel armv
of whom hal lost u l.r IN tlr scrvicc. nrOn-
tnentlv rrt ont of Offices 90 tlc first dav of
the session and two col 'rei mon were
elected in ;hcir n'acc>. The spc"ci-n:k'ng and
,rmonst alto II a'ct occasion were J shv dra-
matte An.hshcd C"n,rrvative orator appealed in
q stream OF Ne most fond "oqurmce for the men
&" who had shed their blood ~ orr defence and who
corl not bc 6ori.n mp e." al pension io'Sn
"1hnt'S n'avcl ont " J. - vote 0ur men iu.'
was !crrl from the side cf the Rcadinstcrs. Re-
adlusiing orator, ~ "loauen; man. rose 10 r"'.y.
bu' cDniincd himself ~ an cXprrs sion "f the "piriO1
When ,aan hal r'strd is mri"v on trra of
thc krarls. h" o1gtt - nay up 81 dr. up.'
The cul"rrd rcDf,licaus Gcciare fHat they did
not takr hc debit qn III - into ""r.ideriiion They
were wnlning and voting for ci'iHcr Tor lie. h-
er.v and tho pnr,nit Of haprirrss They assert
that thoy are in no WAY committed tn the projects
If the Rnaiiu,tris and hHt the terms os Their coa
li.ion did not comprehend anything beyond the
election on their part.