The bee., 1882-06-10
HON, JOHN PAUL, OF VIRGINIA.


The following is an excerpt from the
speech of the above-named gentleman,
delivered in the House on the Both ult.,
during the discussion on the Mackey-.
Dibble contest. This noble champion
of sree ballot and fair count, free
schools and free men, in his speech on
the occasion named, covered himself all
over with glory, and for the grand ex-
pressions which fell from his lips on
that day won a place in the hearts OF
the Negroes OF this country that no
doubt will be as lasting as the word
gratitude shall be spoken by men:
ST have no sympathy with this un-
ceasing and senseless abuse of the col
ored people of my State AM. Che South.
l say it with profound respect for my
brother Representatives from the South,
that if they will but follow our example
in Virginia, do full and complete jas
tice to the colored voter and citizen.
step boldly to the front and declare,
not on paper but in practice, that no
shall freely deposit his ballot and have
the same honestly counted, they will
remove all ground for the accusations
daily hurled against our noble section
of the Union-accusations to which our
people are Justly sensitive, and have
no foundation In the temper and will
of the masses of the Southern people.
Then the myth of Negro domination
will disappear and Will be lost in the
sense of justice common to all man
kind. Our experience IN Virginia
shows that our colored people are keen
ly alive to injustice and wrong, and
quickly responsive to efforts in their
behalf for the full, just and complete
Vindication of their rights and citizen
ship. As to the amiable disposition of
these people, the world bears witness rs
exhibited in the civil war. Men on this
foor-Southern men-know that when
under their shelter-t ents on the banks
of the Potomac or Rappahannoek, when
they thought tenderIy of the wife and
of the children at home in the trundle-
bed SO far away, they felt that their
loved ones were as secure under the
protection of their slaves as If slumber-
ing in their own arms ; and in the State
of Virginia, during four years of terrible
war, not one instance occurred that
ever heard of where colored person
touched white woman or child save
in kindness, tenderness, gentleness, aud
affection. Then give them a fair chance
in life's struggles
''Some space to think and feel like moral and
immortal creatures.
Virginia stands here to-day with at
least two of her Representatives elected
upon platform declaring that there
shall be in all parts of this country a
free ballot and fair and honest count.
Applause. She stands to-day under
the guidance and government of the
Readjuster party, with the doors of her
free schools, which have been closed
heretofore, thrown wide open. She
points you to-day to more than 5000
free schools, where under Bourbon
Funder self-styled 'debt-payiug" rule
she had but little more than 1000
schools open. Applause. She points
you to 10000 colored children in her
schools where there were but $4,000,
and to 10000 white children in her
schools where there were but 65, 1000
when We took charge of the affair of the
State. She stands here to-day and
points you to the fact that more miles
cf railroad have been built and more
millions of money invested within her
limits in the short time that our party |
has been in powerful have feen built |
and invested in all the previous years
since the war. She stands here to-day
and tells you that she is coming to the |
front as the queen mother of common
wealths. that her people are weary of |
the rule of the men who have hitherto
shackled her. She stands here to day
and proclaims herself in favor of free
schools, of free press, of free thought,
Of free ballot. and of all that is com
pretended in the glorious idea of free
State. Loud applause.
"Here the hammer fell."l