Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1883-10-31
DanviIIe's Condition.
An Open Letter to Gen. New
berry.
From the WythevilIe Enterpriss !

From the Wytheville Enterprise
DANvILLE, VA, Oct. 5, 1888.
Hon. S. II. Newberrv:
Dear Sir,-My anxiety and that of
many OF my friends here have induced
me 20 write to some of our friends in
Southwest Virginia 10 ask what The
"signs Of promise are" in political
way in your section. and especially in
Bland county.
am the son Of your old friend, Col.
F G. Ruflll, sof Richmond, aud this
must be M excuse for uoub,ing you
with this letter.
We WHO live in tic black belt feel
that could the willie men in your part
Of The State know to what indignites
end ourages we are constantly subjec-
ted by our local government, they
would cease 10 be ReldjGsters now
that there is nothing 10 readjust and
rally TO our support. And we think be
who would enligh.tn them, and let
them see how hldtous our condition 10
would deserve The gratitude o. our peo-
pie for generations to come.
shall rass over IN this letter The
enormity Of iniquity and hate that is
contained in the unfinished business of
the last LegislatHre-these are known
TO all of us, and are. assure you, the
least of all the evils which beset the
Southside Virglniar-and will confne
myself to our local government, which
is no worse here than in other portions
Of this section.
Here in DaLYille We have four me-
groes in our Council, which is presided
over by a carpet-bagger, Colonel Raul
ston, the internal revenue collector,
who is an underspur-lea of Malone,
and a malignant hater Of all good peo-
pie. We have one black negro justice
and two white negro justices. We have
negro policemen and various other ne
gro officials, whose highest claim fnr Office
is iealty TO the Republican party and
and hatred for everything that is decent
or respectable. have seen a negro 10
the streets of Danville surrounded by
other negroes, and within a few feet of a
policeman, denounce all white men and
pistol in hand, say that he wanted TO
start q row with some "s-of B."
OF a white man and kill him, without So
netting even so much as a rebuke from
this policemen, who, though be has
White skin, wears Mahone's livery and
IS blacker than bell. I have known
ladies 10 be jostled and Knocked from
the sidewalk into the gutter by negro
venches with remark that "next time
you see ladies coming l reckon you will
get out Of the way" l have known
negro wenches to give the lie TO lady
direct, and l could weary you with the
rehearsal OF just such ouirages, but l
sicken Of the task.
Fealty to Malone is the one prere.
quiste for office, and no other qualG-
cation is asked for or cared for here.
But we trust in God that the very eX-
IRENE 10 which these people have gone
here will be our salvatioD; for Il has
driven all responsibility from their
party and has ualted the white people
almost to a man, aud now all who
were formerly Dem Ocrais are Demo-
Gratis still, and are not only united with
us, bu t are working with US.
The color line has been clearly and
tightly drawn, and We have no 0oubt OF
carrying our ticket (Which is the same
for Pittsylvania coanty and Danville)
in November; but we need the State
because the other side are already pre-
pairing new charter for Danvllle, 10
offer IN the next Assembly if the State
goes Rcadjuster; and if it does, and
their new charter is adopted, then God
help us; and it is anxiety which makes
"a appeal TO our friends all over the
State for aid, believing that the worse
curse which an angry God could inflict
upon US and Virginia now would be a
Readjuster Leglslature-an evil which
would not only retard but RUN tie
material prosperity of the State for
years TO come, bat lead 70 war of
races, and see re. enacted more distress
and suffering than we had in the war
between the States.
The men Of Southside Virginia have
borne long and patiently, but they are
done and will not longer sit with fold
ed hands, listening to the jibos and
ieers Of insolent and ignorant negroes,
bounded on by low, degraded, and bad
white men; and as | said in the start,
could your people know but half OF our
woes they would zee, "a we do, that
Readjusterism as 1t now is means
nothing but black supremacy and COM
munism, and would come 10 rur aid as
one man,
know that neither you nor your
pc ople have any idea Of our co ndiuon.
or you would have fewer Republicans,
for | know that the good people OF
Southwest Virginia would not stand b.
and willingly see US oppressed aud i'm
posed en- as is being done BY Malone
and his m!rions all the time.
You must really excuse the length