Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-12-21
THE DAN,ILLE, Va, MASSACRE.

war with great gallantry, and rose from the
ranks TO colonelcy Aside from the hard
ships he endured, including wounds and cap.
uvity, his devotion TO the Southern cause
cost him large fortune. After the war he
studied law, removed to Virginia, married,
and has become a prominent citizen of Pitt
sylvana county. He was In Danville four
hours before the murders took place, and he
calls them massacre" and slaughter of
innocent and unarmcd colored people, by q
Democratic mob. lie has written a letter
about the affair to former classmate, which
furnishes an interesting commentary on the
political condition in Virginia. If it did not
come from born Southerner and an ex-
confederate soldier, it would called waving
the bloody shirt. AS it is, its statesments
can not be set down to Northern prejud ce
Col. Sims's letter is as follows.
WAsHlyGToN, ID. c., Dec. 3, 1888.
My Dear Friend: Your letter of the 9th
carries me back % years to our parting under
the Gins at Yale. little thought then, or
since, up to the present time, that after fight
leading life Of respected citizen ever
since, should sec the time when Southern
people should band together in violent mobs
to take my life because had dared proclaim
my honest political convictions in opposition
to the Bourbon party of Virginia. | was not
in sympathy with the Read ulster party of
Virginia on the question of the settlement of
the State debt prior TO the final termination
of that question, but upon close scrutiny of
that settlement |, together with all the con-
sentative party of Virginia, was satisfied
that there was no reputation or dishonesty
in 1t. The Democratic party of Virginia by
its Endorsement of it has proclaimed its con-
victons of its honesty.
With that question eliminated from pol
itcs in Virginia, determined TO cast my
political fortune with what was known as
the coalition party. /, as well as the major.
ity of white men in Virginia, had seen the
evils of Bourbon Democratic rule, which
operated through corrupt rings and ciques
to perpetuate its own power. The Demo-
cratic patty had ruined the credit of Vir-
GINA, overtaxcd her citizens, tlchcd from
and bankrupted her treasury, closed her free
schools ignored true Democracy by putting
price on the ballot, thereby dcpriving over
100 900 frecmen of the right OF suffrage; de-
graded her laboring population by unjus,
aud unequal statutes, virtually set at def
ancc the fifteenth amendment to the Federal
Constitution, and allied itself with railroad
monopoics. Under tn s, circumstances
saw no hope for Virginia, or, in fact, for the
southern people, except by support OF the
coalition party of Virginia, which / believed
to be the nucleus around which the liberal
people OF the South could rally, overcome n
solid South break down Southern proscrip-
finn nul bor,,an;,,,o 1
tween the Northern and Southern people
As soon us took this position the Bour-
bon party hurled at me every instrument Of
warfare which they were in the habit of
using, social oslracisn, threats of personal
violence, wholesale and villainous ISLANDERS
manufactured and industriously circulated
All failed to accomplish the purpose of
breaking me down, and by thorough or.
ganizallon OF my party in my county, which
is the largest in area and population in
the State, containing $4,000 voters, ! had
succeeded in overcoming large Democratic
majority. And the Democratic party well
knew that my district, which includes the
town of Danvillc, would on the 9th of
November, 1888, place itself in accord with
my party.
This was not only true there, but after an
extended tour in canvassing the State am
satisfied the same condition of affairs existed
generally throughout the State. At this
1unclure the Bourbons became desperate,
and determined, us they announced to the
public, that they intended to win bv fair
means or by foul. 1t is true that in my
speech in Danvilc on the 81 of November |
denounced as false and cowardly the famous
Bourbon Danvillc circular, and proved its
lastly and cowardice. But instead of APP
pealing to race prejudice, | warned the
colored people that our enemies would omit
no opportunity Of arousing the white men
against them and advised them to 90 TO the
polls unarncd, not allow themselves to BIZ
drawn into discussions or controversies, and
to deposit their ballots quietly as peaceful
and law-abidins citizens. / told them
That colorCd men who desired o.
vote the Democratic ticket should not be
correct in any way, and that !
would assist In prosecuting all parties " ho
oy threat or otherwise attempted to proven,
fair and free expression of the popular
sentiment. appealed TO my white auditors
TO attempt to allql popular o., itement, and
appealed to the colored de to know
whether or not they desired Il war of races.
10 this the unanimous response from them
was that they diL not and in order to prove
That they were opposed to the race issue they
intended to vote Tor me and my three asso.
ciascs on the c)alia,ion ticket, all of whom
were White men. natives Of tbs South, aud
thoroughly identified with tho interests of
Virginia.
remained in Danyille, appearing on the
pubic st' It's until 10 O'Clock the next day,
and saw no signs OF hostility to me. The
massacre occurred four hours after left the
city, when the Democratic mob slaughtered
innocent and unarmed colored people. They
mad been worked to this pitch of frenzy by
Tue Democratic speakers and newspapers,
anu throwing the odium upon me-, and max
ing me scapcgoat for their ficrdish crimes
was an afterlhought
In 1851 Virginia was a Union State, and
II was necessary in order to fire the hearts of
her people to make the attack IN Fort Sum.
Ter and the first gun carried Virginia out of
the Union. History repeats itself. 1t was
necessary for Democracy to mas, together
the white people of Virginia and the mas.a.
ere at Danvlllc was their tocsin. The issue
raised there lost us the State.
regret That this state of affairs exists in Vir-
gina or anywhere in the South, but it ia
none the less true, and the publication Of the
facts instead OF dciaming Virginia as our
auvcIsarles say we are doing, ought t. have
the effect OF changing public sentiment there.
as l trust it will. long to see the day when
truth and justice, freedom OF thought
and speech, and equality of all men under the
law VIII triumph over race prejudice, par
tisan hate, and prescription. l hope you
VIII excuse this hurried reply to your letter.
You are at liberty to use this in any way
you mny see proper. | am very truly your
friend and quondam classmatc,
w. T. SINS.
MATTHEW ARNOLD.