New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-07-31
RdgDoLPH TUCKEPs REMINISCEY cES.

Congres ,man j. Randolph Tucker, of fIr-
ginia, was among the orators at the recent
Democratic ratification meeting in this CITY,
Congressman Tucker INDUCED on that occa-
sion in some melancholy "reminiscences OF the
past He remembered that the Republicans
sent Governor to Virginia in 1865 and set
him up over the native VIrginians. lie re-
membered that he had seen little fellow
lin shoulder-straps come into court OF JUS
" tee and order the judge to enter verdict.
"a And this" he exclaimed i'll solemn tones
this in Old Virginia" He remembered, TOO,
that he had seen $4,000 white men excluded
from the ballot, and 100000 negroes allowed
to vote" and this in Old Virginia" Otner
narrowing "reminiscences crowded his thoughts
and were impaired to his audience. Mr.
fuckers memory seems to be good one
but curiously enough it stops short at 1ooo
He appears to have forgotten what happened
in Old Virginia before that date. He does not
recollect why the Republicans set up Gov
ernOr to rule the State, or why little fellows
in shoulder-straps gave orders to judges on
the bench. or why those $4,000 white men
were excluded from the suffrage while the
negroes voted
People here in the North remember a good
many things that seem to have slipped from
Mr.. fuckers mind. They remember that in
1861 several thousand VirginIans, among
whom was Mr.. Tucker, fired upon the Tag OF
the United States because President was
lawfully elected whom they did not like, and
shot and killed great many men who de-
Tended that flag. They remember that these
Virginians, with other SOutherners carried on
four years. war against the Union because
they were likely to be denied the privilege OF
extending human slavery over the free Terri
tories of the West. They remember that these
Virginians and their Southern allies were
beaten and forced to surrender, and that a
loyal Governor was put over them to see that
they obeyed the laws and ceased shooting at
the flag and its defenders. They remember
that there was period OF military rule before
the rebel States were reconstructed by net OF
! Congress, and they are not in the least
shocked 70 hear that during that period officers
of the National Army forced rebel Judges to
render Just decisions in cases involving the
rights of the emancipated slaves. They re-
member, too that the $4,000 white men who
could not vote at the first election under the
| Reconstruction law had taken an oath to sup
! port and defend the Constitution OF the United
! States, and had subsequently violated that
oath and iomed the rebellion. 1t does not
horrify them at all to Learn that the loyal
| black man was preferred by that law to the
disoyal W lite man.
! Mr. Tucker should let bygoues be bygones.
| He will not aid the Democratic ticket by his
"reminiscences. Other people have recollections
as well as he. The less he says about the
past the better for bis party. If he cannot
help talking about it the Democratic mana
| gers would do well to confne him to the
! South and let him employ his oratoTy on audi
ences at Confederate crossroads and other
! places III that latitude.