The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1881-02-24
.eThe Colored Vote. :

s"The Colored Vote. y
The Richmond Whig of the 18th, con-
tains a communication dated Charlottes-
vile. the 18th, from prominent Repub-
lcan," as the Wing states, signed 'JUsTITIA
OMNIBUS PoPULs," criticising an edito-
rial paragraph which appeared in the VIR-
GINIAN of the 10th. The obvious purport
of that paragraph was to show that the en-
franchisement of the colored race did not
really strengthen the Republican party
that it gave to the Southern States twenty
or more additional members of Congress
and consequently twenty or more addition
al votes in the electoral college from the
South, all of the latter in the interest of the
Democratic party by reason OF the election
methods controlling in the Southern States,
and that it adds but little to the Republic
can strength either in Congress or the cleo
toral college in States from which Republi-
College are secured. That was the whole
object of the paragraph, and it must be an
extremely hypercrtlcal temper that
could discover anything else in it, and es-
correspondent gives it. Were the colored
vote allowed its full weight at the polls.
where it would benefit the Republican par
ty, as it is allowed in the Electoral College,
where it only benefits the Democra ic par
ty, and the purpose of the Constitu-
ton fully recognized in comforting the
right to vote upon the emancpated race,
the case would be different. Reference
was made to the practical effect of the
enfranchiselnent under the practices of the
Democratic party in the South-that really
BY denying the colored vote at the polls,
and accepting the representative power it
gave in the Electoral College, the Demo-
Gratis were strengthened and not the Re-
publicans, and that the power thus given
was used by the Democratic party in the
Southern States to abridge the rights of the
very element that was the source of it.
This will hardly be denied by the Whig's
correspondent, and where cause of I'M
friendly criticism could be found in the
statement made, is.past understanding with
us, especially from an ''inteligent Repub-
lican."
The Whig's correspondent alludes to the
senior editor of the VIRGINIAN as having
sought nomination. at the Charlottesville
Convention last year for Congress. This
is altogether incorrect. He not only did
not seek nor want nomination, but on all
occasions emphatically disavowed any de-
sire for such recognition, and only consent
ed to the use of his name, on the condition
that it should be the unanimous desire Of
the Convention that he should accept it.
Had he ''sought" it, he would have gotten
it; or had he not been averse to it, and thai
aversion communicated to parties favorable
to it, it would have been given. but not by
the unanimous vote Of the Convention-tht
only condition upon which he would have
accepted. The person in question has new
er asked or expected any position of profit
from the party of Virginia. He has neve
been an otfice-seeker. The mention of hi
name in connection with public position ha
been without his consent, and in 10 wa,
encouraged by him. He is not, howeve
; insensible to the good opinion OF his part.
associates and it is gratifying to know tina
his services to the Republicans of Virgins
have evoked this kindly sentiment. Wer
others to think or care as little about otfic
as he does there would be less of contention
and strife in Republican circles, and tn
- | xfx, t1,>S 70, ha =,
ton to successfully contend for a fair re
cognition in State legislation.
The statement we have made as to tn
point designed to be conveyed in the para
graph criticised, covers all the detailed rel
erences of this correspondent. The fac
: that twenty odd members of Congress an
(, twenty odd votes in the Electoral Colleg
: have been added to the strength of the South
l ern States, and not one to the Northern O
Western States, by the enfranchisement o
> the colored man, disposes of the illustra
tions given by this Intelligent Republi
can, and sufficiently demonstrates that if tn
e twenty odd additional d emocratic electors
: votes from the South had not been secure
: by this means, the other States not bein
e affected by it in their representation til
: Democratic party would be in helpless m
: nority in every national contest.
y The animus of this correspondent is NJ
e to be envied. We are not entirely ignorar
] of the object had in view, but are supreme
i ~ Indifferent 20 all such strained constru'
t tions and unjust and false differences as al
e conveyed in the communication in que
= ton. We have been prompted to write tn
j notice of it, in order to more clearly pr
: sent the point that was sought to be mad
r in the paragraph of the 10th, which wa
t Republican party owed its success in til
S last canvass to the enfranchisemen
of the colored man. The course
e the VIRGINIAN in reference to the co
, ored vote, for the past nine years, has bee
: sufficiently pronounced to relieve it of mis-
: construction in the public mind, and but fc
f the fact that the Wing, which reaches
, constituency the VIRGINIAN does not, CAV
, place in its columns to the Charlottesville
article, we would not have deemed it ne
cessary to even prepare this statement.
AS matter of justice to the VIRGINIA.
we respectfully ask the Wing to give th
notice the benefit of the same reading tina
E it gave to the production of its correspor
+ dent.
Call for Convention.
The State Central Committee of the Conser1
: alive party met in Richmond on the 10th inst
S Maj. A. Koiner, of this county, Chairman, pre-