New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-11-04
THE CAMPATGN IN VIRGINIA.


HIS POLITICAL FUTURE BOUND UP IN THE SUCCESS
| OF THE RrApJUsrER PARTY-BOTH PARTIES
| SEEKING HIS AID BUT IN DIFFERENT wAYs-riE
| DEBT QUESTION ONLY PERPETUATED TO CON
| CEAL TIE RELATION OF PARTIES To iHE NEGRO
IBT TELEGRAPH To THE TRIBUNE.i
| PETERSBURG Va Nov. "a varied assortment
of issues and sub-isSues which form the stock In
trade of The politicians who managing this cam
| paign and the true motives which lead men INTO
such strange bed-lellOwShips rs are here seem are
not easy to find on the surface of affairs. The titu-
lar ssue-the debt question-sends off boats to every
point of the compass. It is everywhere spoken OF
first and when stated from the standpoint of either
party makes that of the other quite IN
defenslble 1t involves the free school
! and general educational problem entire,
and curousy mixes itself up with nearly every
| other subject of legislative administrative re-
| FORM local or National Men of both parties hnd
easy justification for an espousal of either or any
phase while Joint discussion of its multitudinons
branches usually leaves only confusion IN the mind
of the impartial auditor, rather sense OF IRE
sponSbiity for any result which cannot make the-
selves more clearly apparent in advance
But, however much of mystifcation there may be
in the minds of white Vrginians the issues and
policies upon which they divide, there is little OF
none in the mind of the intelligent colored man
about the one thing in which his political future
Is chiefly bound up. No denies that the defeat
of the Readjustcr movement means the reversal OF
the wheels of progress and the return to the former
state OF affairs. Conservative Democracy Is tull OF
torrors. What there in the Democracy of the past
which the colored man wishes 10 conservei HIS
actual enranchisement dates from the birth of Re-
adusterism out OF the divisions among his old
enemies he has succeeded to hisown, and now he finds
that in their necessities both sides seek 10 secure
his aid But there is n difference. The Bonrbons
approach is candestine and he is unwilling, even
while seeking to make of the vote Of the colored
man. to acknowledge the alliance. The Readjnster
openly calls himself Collitonist. In the present
campaign. rs in the past, the Fnnder has in many
neighborhoods made the point against his opponent
tnat the latter was in alliance with the negro
Too often the latter. when he might hxye gor-
led in the fact, has conicnted himself
by rctorting that his assailant had c'ycrily
sought such an alliance. and failed But more sub
stautal evidence of political fraternity and the OBJ
Iteration of the color line il not lacking. Hitherto
colored men have been elected TO office by col red
votes a'one now colorcd candidates are Endorsed
and enthusiastically supported by local conventions
of white men. The instances few, and the Offices
are not important but were there hut one. aud that
the humblest of elective Offices, the departure
here in Virginia would be evidence OF remarkable
progress
In Petersburg W. y. stephens, acolored candidate
for the State Senate. was put IN nomination by
the Republicans. The white Readu,tcrs subse-
quently indorscd him aud are supporting him. W.
H. Peasants o colorod Republican candidate for the
House from Pittsyyania. has bccn ronominatod by
"A convention of white Rcadustcrs. These are only
samples. No one p .ctcud, that fair division OF
Offices upon numerical allotment between the races
is made or is now desirable. What is promised 10y
the success of the departure is that the
coored man may vote and reap the legitimate
fruits Of his action, while the success
of a candidate for Office of whichever race
shall depend only upon his standing in
the community This is recognized by both parties
and openly ack nnwlcdVcd by neither. The Bourbon
Is scaudaiized by the possibility, yet he cannot
openly antagOnize 1t, for obvious reasons nor can
hc acknowledge that these rights were ever denied.
The Rcadiustcrs early record was all on the wrong
side of the subject; his conversion was not from
choice but from political necessity, and ne cannot
row bc Enthusiastic without beng inconsistent
Hcnc" the per EQUATION oi the debt question when
has become simply an Issue between promises, with
the greater prospect of fuiIllmcut from those who
prnui,. least. Hence Fun and k,ddjustcr /
oftcncr than Conservative and Liberal. , ~
The outcome has enormous Significance. coalition |
success means directly an antl-Bourb'n Governor |
Licutcuant-GOyruOr and Attorney -Hcneral Tor !
four years progressive Legislature for two years
an independent United states senator Tor SIX |
yraTs anti Bourbon Judges OF the supreme Court !
of Appeals for fifteen years, several Circuit Judges
for six years and entire board oi officers 10 con
troll The machinery oi the state Government, who !
are opposed 10 Bourbon exc usvcncs, ana pIo,cnp-
tioa. Indirectly. 10 means the opening up oi the /
hitherto solid south 10 modern political ana social
Not n few oil the wcllthicst Republicans are snp-
porting Daniel and the whole Idndcr ticket ana J
were there Lothlng but The dr"t question AT Ir'u'
there would be- littlc question OF the proprcN oi
their course. Those Who adhere 10 the Liberal !
cause do 50 from the higher and more important !
motives # making human rights secure.