Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1883-05-25
Gard from one of the Richmond School
Board.
J. Bell Bigger. Secretary.

RICHMOND, VA, May 10Th, 1888.
Editor Vindicator:
must confess that am surprised and
exceedingly sorry to find the following in
your paper of yesterday: 'One of these
Negroes is Capt. r. A. Paul. He is prom
inent in coalition politics and is the mes
senger at the Governors Mansion. Our
Staunton readers recollect this Negro
we'll, for when the Republican State Con-
vention met here in 1886, he gave them
sample of parliamentary decorum that
quite surprised them. A Sedate and
gentlemanly white delegate from Rich
mond, DIR. Mills, made a statement in the
convention. Whereupon Capt. 2. rushed
to the front and said, THAT is a lie. !"
This gentleman, with other Negro gentle
men. will preside at the commencemeDts
of the Richmonds schools in June" Now.
Mr. Editor. have always had the warm
est friendship for you personally, and your
politics never should have caused me to
say anything against you as a gentleman.
And then to think of the very friendly
greeting received at your hands and with
what joy 1 received it, thinking that it
came from one of my warmest white
friends. Now the facts about DR.. Chas s.
Mills. are these: [ Was elected from Madi-
son Ward, in the regular Republican meet
ing and the DIR. was elected elsewhere. IL
need not say wheTe) That brought about
contest. The committee on credentials re-
ported in favor of Dr. Mills. The DR.. made
his speech to which replied. In my reply,
used the word lie in general way. Mr..
Ross Hamilton, raised the point of order
that l had violated the decorum of the
convention. in that l had called Dr. Mills
liar. My reply was that [ did not apply
tie term to DR.. Mills personally, but, that
l said lie on general principles, which
brought down the house in storm of ap-
plause ard laughter, and it made me many
friends in the convention. When the vnte
was taken, DIR. Mills, received about II
votes in the convention. l cannot believe
Mr.. Editor you would do me personal
injustice. therefore have taken the liber-
ty to write to you on this subject. With the
hope that politics will never carry US be-
yOnd bounds, | am
Your obedient servant.
2. 81 wish to say Mr.. Editor, that l
never have been. nor do l ever expect to
be one of those Negroes, (if there are suchl
who hate white people. | do want and l
shall continue to ask at the hands of the
white people of Virginia equal political
rights for my people, and the people who
are willing to assist me in that direction
shall have my earnest support.
am yours truly,
r. A. Z.
1.-THE writer is correct in supposing the
editor of this paper to be one of his warm
est white friends. He is; and would will
ingly testify to his integrity as boy and
man since he has known him, but that has
nothing to do with bis being Trustee Of
the white schools of Richmond. 10 be
school trustee is not one of the political
rights of the Negroes of Virginia, aud if
they attempt to exercise IL they will de-
prive white school children of their rights
Of public education. 1t is a great pollti-
cal ,orong to outrage the prevailing public
sentiment in Virginia by putting Negroes
on the School Boards, and we predict that
If these Negroes insist on their rights"
there will be few white children in the
Richmond public schools at the June COM
mencement to preside over.-Ed. Tiradi-
cator.l