Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1883-06-26
The Color Line.

original meaning of this phrase, or, rather,
we should say, have forgotten its derivation.
1t belongs to class of phrases that will
always stir the blood of Virginians until
all this generation dies out. Will the peo-
pie forget Underwood? Or the harangues
of Chas. H. Porter? Have they forgotten
the speeches OF Lewis Lindsey or Frank
Moss? Do they recolleet the phrase that
e'the bottom rail is on the top? Have
they forgotten the lsolid color line de-
mand for mixed schools in the days Of the
Molungeon Convention? Have our people
forgotten the position of Kelso and Averett?
Can we forget the demand everywhere,
from 1865 to 1869, for negro domination and
color ascendancy, not satisfied with equall-
tyl Who were disfranchised? Not black
men. They were enfranchised, and che
best white men in the land were disfran-
chised? Did not clause in this miserable
villainy under which we now live, called
Constitution of the people, disfranchise
thousands of the chest people," Eyes, best
people,, to the shame of Radicals and Ma
honeites, black and white, any State ever
reared? The demand was not for position
or rights or privileges on account of worth
or intelligence, on account Of ability, char
acter, property or qualifications, but the
right and power to vote, hold toffice, take
positions and pominence because the person
aeas "cozored." "The bottom rail was on
top and meant to draqc the color line and
maintain the prominence of color and its
right to preferment. This is where and
when the phrase ''color line" started. 1t
meant then what Mahoneism tells the negro
it is to mean now-preferment because of
color. Every sensible man sees that ne
groes are put on juries not because they are
the best jurors, not because they are equally
well qualified, but because they are negroes.
So, doubtless, they were made trustees in
Richmond not on account of qualification
but Of color. So, when some office is to be
filled, the search by this Radical party,
like its predecessors of 1869, with Harris for
Lieutenant Governor, has been not to select
the best qualified men even of its poorly
qualified party, but to find colored man
least Objectionable to the party. This is
done to draw the line so that no negro shall
vote for any man or party who will not
promise to make appointments of colored
men to place and Office, not ais representa-
tivas of political party, not on account OF
qualifications, but as representatives of the
colored element. We all remember the ev-
idence on the trial of Judge Griffin, of Roam
oke, and the other County Judges, in this
city, because they had not put colored men
on their juries. They had good juries, and
were acquitted in the United States Courts.
Now, Malone has given the people in many
counties mixed, badly mixed jnries, and
the people are becoming disguised, in most
cases, at the mockery Of law and justice to
which Mahoneism has brought its courts.
Our people, white and colored, were get
ting along very well, in the courts and out
of them, until Mahoneism began to stir up
the same folly and nonsense in the minds
of the most ignorant and worthless class of
colored people that was cultivated and
nursed by the carpet Dagger and scalawag
for their own advantage. The coloreG man
has never been benefited by any Of these
demagogues. This last crop, aided by fools
at the North, may damage him. When
the colored man draws the colorline in pol
tics, the white man may draw the color
line in trade, labor, and employment, and
then where will be these political benefac-
tors. We tell sensible colored men they
will desert you, as did the former scalawag
in the face Of Il Democratic victory in the
State, and if Democrat is elected Presi-
dent you will never be able to get one OF
the equality apostles to speak to you again.
The truth is, it is infinitely best for all, but
certainly best for the colored people, to let
this color line-this colored office holding
alone, and the Northern press had best at
tend ID their own siness.--Lynchbury
Adcaaee.