The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1882-06-22
[conlinued from First page.l

u ner REQUISITES vi course they Will not JOIN /
ne in that worthy cause, because, like their
Bourbon associates, they are interested in COW |
sring the cause of reimbursement with all pos
'ible obloquy. Like Bourbons everywhere, |
hey hate the liberalism, the Americanism, that |
readjustment symbolizes in Virginia. For
fifty years politicians in the South haye lived
upon the sectiOnalism which was the bane of
The politics of that unhappy section; and to-
day, notwithstanding the fruits visible every
where of the curse of sectional politics, there
are politicians still willing to live by inflamng
the passions born OF dead and buried past.
They will curse us because we are the cham
pions OF natiOnalism and an Americanism
among all our people that will leave them
without an occupation. ] do not exaggerate
the bitterness and the cruelty with which Re-
adjusters are assaled by the organs and the
orators of dying faction; faction growing
every day more desperate as it discovers the
hopelessness of its fight with the humane and
benefcent influence OF the times we live in.
Here is the spirit in which the liberals of
Virginia were fought in the campaign of last
year, and in which they will be fought again
during the canvass just ahead of us. l read
from an editorial in an ably edited Bourbon
paper published at the capital OF Virginia:
These
Referring to the Readjusters-
must be dealt with as public enemies, and their
crime be made odious before tspreads It's contagion
and infects the very atmosphere. They must be
driven out from among US, or made to hide their
heads in shame from their fellow-men-be COM
night and not in the light Of the Sun-deprived Of
all honorable associates, and forced to seek COM
political equals. may be hard to do this IN many
Instances. 1t is the sole road to safety and must
be cruel only to be kind for leniency to them ia
death to the State.
NJ hon
as that in this age of the worlds history strike
the minds of gentlemen proud to sit here as
the representatives of free constituencies?
Could anything more barbaaous be conceived
of? Why, sir, it reviyes the traditions of the
Spanish inquisition. and recalls the cruelties
of the thumb-screw and the "scayenger's
daughter" For, to preach ostracism toward
those who have committed no crime but to
differ with US in opinion is as wicked as the
spirit that devised those medieval tortures.-
Yet. today, l am assailed throughout the
length and breadth of Virginia because have
done my duty as see it here in these contest
ed-election cases because acting in Judicial
capacity, have refused to violate my con-
science and my oath before high Heaven. But
sir, as the people of Virginia last November
spurned such argument and appeals, SO will
they overwhelm next November the faction
that employs calumny as its staple argument
and urges persecution as its most effective per.
suasion.
But, tauntingly says the enemies OF read
justment, "the negroes belong to your liberal
party" and they profess to be greatly horri-
fled at the idea of the colored voters support
ing policy inaugurated by their white fellow
citizens, though / have never seen an election
day come and go but that have also seen
these same gentlemen eager for the colored
voters to help them to maintain at the ballot
box their bad cause-their war on the rights
and interests of the masses of the people. Pray
tell me why the colored people of Virginia
should not support the Liberal party? There
is every reason why they should. That party
hes rescued from destruction under Bourbon
Funder rule the public free-school System in
which these people are SO deeply end vitality
interested. That party has secured in Virgin
ia TO all men equal rights, equal protection I'M
der the law, and an honest election and fair
count, and it will in the next election secure
free and unrestricted ballot to every man in
the Commonwealth. 1t is but natural and
right that they should support the party that
prevents unjust. Ubiquitous and oppressive
public burdens being imposed upon them
They know that in Virginia. as elsewhere in
an agricultural community, the burden of tax
alton, shape your tax bill as you WILL rests ON
labor and land that being labOring class the
heavy taxation incident to unjust and Oppres-
sive burdens Of public debts is to be borne by
them. That people OF mercantile and profess
sional pursuits can protect themselves by the
power they have to deduct from the wages of
their employees or tenants what may be nee
essary to meet the increased tax rate.
There is another thing desire to say, Mr..
Speaker, in this connection. There are, so far
as my reading extends, but two forms of obli
CATION binding men to pay money. One is the
obligation which nature places on US in Ger
tain relations TO society, and if we fail to COM
ply with those obligations and other persons
do SO for US, an implied contract is raised that
We shall pay those who have advanced money
for us, asin the case OF husband or father who
fails to furnish his wife or children with food,
clothing or medical attendance, and another
does SO for him, an implied contract is created
to pay that other. The other instance is this !:
where men OF themselves or by their agents or
representatives bind themselves by voluntary
contract to pay money. Ifthe colored people
of Virginia were to apply these principles to
Virglnia's obligations, there would be small
claim on them to sustain them, for when they
were contracted these people had no more
voice in their creation than the mule or OK
they drove in Their masters furrow. But to
their lasting credit be it said, they have never
raised such an issue, but have always been
willing to bear the burdens necessary to pay
every dollar that their State justly owes, and
to meet the full responsibilities of their citi-
zenship.
have no sympathy with this unceasing and
senseless abuse of the colored people of my
State and the South. / say it with profound
respect for my brother Representatives from
the South, that if they will but follow our ex-
ample in Virginia. do full and complete JUS
tice to the colorod voter and citizen, step bold
ly to the front and declare, not on paper but
in practice, that he 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 haye no foundation in
the temper and will of the masses of the South
ern people Then the myth of negro DONNA
ton will disappear and will be lost in the sense
fjustice common to all mankind. Our ex-
perience in Virginia shows that our colored
people are keenly alive to injustice and wrong
and quickly responsive to efforts in their be-
halt for the full, just, and complete vindication
Oftheir rights and citizenship. As to the am
liable disposition of these people, the world
bears witness as exhibited in the civil war
Men on this f1oor-Southern men-know that
when under their shelter tents ON the banks of
the Potomac or Rappahannock, when they
thought tenderly of the wife and of the little
children at home in the trundle-bed 80 far
oWby tuCJ lClt tudt tuCiI iOfcQ Out6 WeT6 us
secure under the protection of their slaves as
if sumbering 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 a
white woman or child save in kindness, ten
derness, gentIeness, and affection. Then give
them fair chance in life's struggles
Some space to think and feel like moral and i'm
mortal creatures
Virginia stands here to-day with at least
two OF her representatives elected upon plat
form declaring that there shall be in all parts
of this country 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 tree schools, where under
Bourbon-Funder self-styled debt paying" rule
she had but little more than 1900 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 $4,000
when we took charge of the affairs Of the State
She stands here to-day and points you to the
fact that more miles OF railroad have been built
and more millions of money invested within