Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1881-05-03

rights to all. Hence we speak for a free
and priceless ballot, by which alone the
will of the people, can gain expression.
Let me explain this matter to you.
THE POLL TAX.
"The Bourbon leaders, who are cum
ming enough when they want to carry n
point against the people, procured n
poll-taX. Unless Il voIer has paid his
poll-taX he cannot vote. You may say
he ought to pay it then, but look at how
| il works. In our State the local assess
sors are required to make, early in the
year, complete list of the taXables of
the county. This list is sent up to the
State Treasurer, who in May makes on
| this list the return Of the amount for
which he draws on the County Tseasur-
er. Now the County Assessor sends
out notices. But perhaps he does not
find all the colorcd voters chopping wood
or poughing in the field or the poor
white voters in the remote parts of the
county. These are engaged in proyid-
ing for their families and forget all
.aboUt the tax. BY and by comes elec-
ton. The poor man remembers his
poll-taX and goes up to pay it. 'NO,I
can't receive it, says the County Treas
urer; your name is not on my list
You can only pay it at the capital. =
| The poor man cannot afford to go there
and he loses his vote. He is neatly and
ingtniously dslrsnchised by this law
| 1t is that shameful abuse the liberal Re-
adiustcIs want to correct. 1Ou should
understand that the poll-taX was fixed
| Ostensibly in the interest of school
fund, but experience has shown it Il
failure. This .capitation tax has dis
franChscd about as many white as color
ed voters. Moreover, it is means Of
corruption. many eases men will not
pay it, because they count on having 1t
paid by the party they belong to. All
party organizations with us now have to
pay the poll-taXcs Of some voters, and
when voter has that much paid for
him he presently asks, why not
morc?' y"
VOTERS DIsFRANCHIsED.
elias the capitation-taX really dis
franChised many voters"
eyes. For instance, in 1876, Hayes
got $1,000 votes in Virginia. In 1870,
under the poll-tax, the Republican vote
was only 10000. What we liberal Re-
adiusters demand Is free and priceless
ballot. We oppose alike intimidation,
intolerance and the Captation-taX. !
believe that the people, rightly and full
" instructed, will vote right, and | be-
lievc universal suffrage the only safety
for the people. II q man Is disfran-
chiscd he is not n man--he is Il scrf. For
my part say, as have said In Virgin
Ia, that | want every man to vote, white
or black, and want him to vote as he
plcases, and TO be neither threatened be-
forchand nor ostracizcd atterWard for
expressing his free opinion. am tired
Of intolerance. want white and black,
no matter Of what party, to act freely in
politics and live tremendously together
as you do IN the North. Then we can
get capital and men to come on and de-
Vclop our resources and can make Nir-
ginia great MS she ought to be. | have
encouraged my colured ncigllbors TO
vote rs free men and not as they were
directed to vote by the Federal Office
holders or by their employers, and and
those who act with me mean to see to II
at all hazards TINT every citizen, be he
black or white, shall enjoy this rglt Of
free man to vote and to have his vote
Conntcd."
TIE FALL ELECTION.
"You consider The fall election impor-
tantg"
every. Because it involves the free
dom Of the ballot and the removal Of the
Caption-taX; because the State Govern
mcnt TO he chosen Is TO be friendly or
unfricndly to priceless suffrage and to
free schools. and because the No,ember
election involves the choice, besides
State officers, of Court Of Appeals and
United States Senator. On fair and
open struggle between the Bourbon
Democrats aud The Liberals we should
sweep the State. But there are among us
Bourbon Republicans, mostly Office
holders, who, under II false pretCnsc that
they can hope 10 carry the state, insist
on straight Republican ticket also
NY belief Is that these Republican
Bourbons cannot deceive the cOored
voters into the false step of supporting
them. They have learned too much.--
Even II these Republican liourbons could
carry ont their designs, however, they
are powcrless in siXty-nluc Of the nine
ty-nino counties of the State, and could
hone nt the utmost 10 elect but thirty
Delegates ont of one hundred, with even
n smaller success In the Senate, where
twenty Senators hold over, thirteen Of
whom are Readustcrs, and Of the TWEEN
ty 10 be elected many are In districts
which Rcadjuslcrs control"
1uE ALLEGED BARGAIN.
"Do you want TO sny anything of the
charge Of bargaining with Republic
cnnsY
"No, there Is nothing In that. was
kindly asked my wishes by members Of
both parties, no one making amy Inn
proper approaches TO me and nothing be-
Ing done or proposed TO be- done In the
way Of mn arrangement nm nbso-
lutcly uncommlttcd 10 net with either
party In the Senate and mean TO rcmnn
20. As to the committees 10 which
have been assigned, | may as well add
this, thnt by The Democratic caucus
wns assigned to mcmbcfshlp In four
committees Of cQunl dignity with those
to which nm nsslgned In The arrange
mcnt of Committees by Republicans,
with this dillcwnrc-thnt by the latter
| am assigned 10 the Craftsmanship Of
committee Of minor Importance. pre-
sumo ! wns allotted the chnlrmanship of
this committee In the spirit of common
fairness, since II appears that there were
but twenty two Senators Of tint party 20
nior 10 myself, while there are thirty
two standing committees, besides sever
NJ special committees, 80 that after every
older Senator had been supplied with n
chnlrmnnship there remained, IN fact,
y sufficient number 10 give chairman
ship TO all the remainder, when you
include the special commitlecs.'
ABorf mDpttBrnuLn
"what about Mr.. Riddlcbcrger5'