Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1883-07-13
4 BLACK PLANK IN 4 STATE
PLATFORM.


4 BLACK PLANK IN 4 STATE
PLATFORM.
We should very much regret to see the
Lynchburg Convention put color line
plank in its platform. 1t would 60 long
way towards convincing us that the late
frequent defeats of the State Democracy
had not been as wholesome discipline as
We had hoped. There is not village nor q
hamlet In the State where the object of
the coming convention is not understood
to be to put the Democracy of Virginia
once more in the victorious line Of the
National Democracy. All other objects
are dwarfed beside that. There Is no color
line in the National Democratic platform
nor will there be in the one for 'S4. We
shall only worry ourselves and our friends
by harping on it. We want to declare no
political or other war against the colored
man. Why should any convention at
tempt to place US in an attitude that must
be construed or misconstrued to mean
that?
The recent school trustee appointment
in Richmond is alleged as cause for such
a plank. Well, look at it. The appoint
ment of the two colored trustees of the
Richmond schools by a Coalition Cover
nor, was simply an insult to the people of
that city perpetrated to fatter the colored
vote and more certainly secure it. 1t was
resented promptly and generally by the
white people of the State. 1t was not re-
garded then nor is it regarded now as the
fault of the colored people of Virginia
that schehing and reckless political
manager should solely for party purposes,
have selected from their number two men
utterly unqualified by education or expe-
rience to supervise the education of white
children. 1t was not the fault of the col
ored people Of Virginia that thirty thous-
and white people Iejoiced in and exulted
over this opportunity to insult one hundred
thousand white people by the appointment
of two of their color to places they were
wholly unqualified to fill. But they were
literally cursed for it in the storm which
followed, result not at all Objectionable
drove them closer to them. But the white
Governor nor his white advisers had i'm
agined the storm they would raise and
ever since have been attempting to hedge.
The very next school board appointed was
for Staunton, city as strongly Democrat
ic as Richmond itself, but you saw no
more colored trustees; on the contrary the
very best of the white members of the Co.
alition party were selected. They had
found the Richmond appointments to be
the entrance to a political bog whose
depth and dangers had not been foreseen.
And now after this great blunder of the
Coalition leaders there are some we'll
meaning, but innocent Democrats, crowd
ing around the bog with rail to prize
them out and set them on good ground
again. This rail Is plank to be put in the
Lynchburg platform drawing the color line.
That is to say, that all over this Union this
fall the appearance is to be given to our
local campaign that the Democrats are
fighting under the old color line while the
Coalitionists are rallying under progress
and liberalism" and the rest of their false
pretences; that the Democrats of Virginia
of 1883 have not advanced step beyond
the situation of 1859. We do most earn
estly oppose putting the Democracy of
Virginia in this light. We protest against
any utterance on behalf Of that Democracy
which shall give anybody an excuse for be-
lieving that it is at war with the black
man. We hold that our party is willing to
do just as much for the black man as the
Coalition party. 1t never will appoint him
to position over a white man nor to Su-
pervise the education of white children,
you may be sure of that, but there isn't an
intelligent colored MAJ in Virginia who
wants or expects this. Even ons of the col
ored Richmond trustees appointed by the
State School Board had more sense tina n
the white men who appointed him and an
nounced on behalf of himself and col
league, that they should not avail them.
selves of the privilege of supervising white
schools.
We believe that the colored man of Vir-
ginia will vote with whatever party he
sees it his interest to vote with. He does
not understand the doctrines Of the day,
but he does very we'll understand who is
making war on him. If he declines to vote
with the Democracy, very good, but we
must insist that he shall not be driven
into refusing, by race issue in the Lynch.
burg platform. He is not declining in
Tidewater Virginia. The black man de-
feated VIM. Malone in Southampton
county, the county of his birth, in May.
We want no plank in the Lynchburg
platform that will drive off a single vote
white or black. We are, above any other
thing in political matters. anxious to see
Virginia once more in line with the great
Democratic party of the Union anxious
to avert legislature which shall sJifle the
Democratic voice of Virginia in the halls
of Congress. and anxious to $50 the party
of prescription and hate now uppernost in
the state. turned under. We want to i'm
peril the sympathy Of no one and we wish
NO platform on which is exhibited door
with bar across it.
1t will be remembered that but for an
objection raised to the orthodoxy of Rev.
DR.. Randolph McKlm Of New York, In
the Episcopal Council Of the Diocese of Vir.
ginia, it is very probable that DR.. NICK.