Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1883-11-12
NEGRO SLAVERY IN \ NEW FORM.
From the Washington Sentinel.


The last Virginia election has demonstrate
Ell TO every unbiased mind that negroes are
not free, i. G., that they have not the priv-
lege of voting for whom they choose. They
were only free TO vote for one party, and
that was the readiuster party. Even those
of them who desired to vote the straight re-
publican ticket were not al liberty TO do so.
TO vote the democratic ticket was almost an
impossibility for them. In the first place
they were hampcred by Malone inspectors
of election, who frequently refused to accept
their democratic tickets because they were
not the right ones" Then they were
threatened and maltreated by their own
race. Colored men and women would hoot
and insult them their ministers would even
drive them from their churches; they would
be expelled from their societies. in short TO
vote the democratic ticket is now equal to
their being ostracized socially and religious
Is. On election day the colored leaders
were hunting them up in their houses
and on the fields and carrying them
by force TO the polls. Political slavery
could not be more complete than existed, as
far as the negroes were concerned, in Nir
ginia last Tuesday.
AS consequence the race question be-
came the sole factor. Driving the negroes
to QUE side necessarily had the effect to con-
solidate the white vote on the other 1t
was simply race against race that struggled
fol supremacy. As in all such cases the
negro, as the weaker vessel, had to sue
cumbs and the Caucasian triumphcd over
the African.
That is Il cruel and exceedingly heartless
policy towards the negro. Had the negroes
been allowed to split their vote and cast the
latter for whom they liked, the color line
would, politically at least, have been wiped
out. Race animosites would have disap
pearcd to Il great extent, as both parties
would have tried TO get their votes, and in
order TO do so would have been compelled
TO act in liberal spirit towards them.
B!oolshcd, as we have witnessed in Dan
Vile, would have been avoided. and peace
and order would have reigned on election
day, as that would have been in the interest
of both parties.
The Virginia negroes possess little or no
property. Nine tenths of them are sustain
et! AS farm aborers and in the factories and
households Of the white democrats To
them they also appeal for support il they are
sick and cannot work. Taxes they pay but
little Yet there is the same amount OF
money allotted to the negro child as to that
Of white parentage for obtaining 4 school
education The democrats. at their Lynch
burg convention, passed Il resolution by
which they promise TO leave the manage
ment OF the colored schools entirely TO col
ored trustees, claiming the same privilege
for their white schools. That promise they
will keep. and the negroes will now he
free 10 build their own school houses,
appoint their own trustees and through
them their teachers That is truly demo.
cratic concession and cntrusts to the Nir-
ginia negroes more self government
than the republicans have ever dared to
concedc. That the schools are separate
is a good thing for the children of both races.
Even here at the capital where the re-
publicans have been in power ever since
1861, the system of separation is strictly
observed, each race having its own schools.
Yet with all those advantages offered
them by the democrats, their principal
employers. the Virginia negroes were
forced last Tuesday to vote against the lat
ter.
We met intelligent negroes ourself in Fir-
ginia who told us that they highly appreci-
ated the school policy OF the democratic
party, but did not dare to vote the ticket of
the latter, Us that woul ostracise them,
and make them outcasts with their own
people.
That slavery in Il new style has TO be
abolished. The negro must be protected
and be free to vote any ticket he chooses.
Fortunately for him the democratic party
has been successful, and through its Legisa-
ture will surely take such steps as will abol-
ish such slavery and make the African voter
as free as the Caucasian.
THE FoLLlEs or GREAT MEN.-Tycho Brahc,
the ast ronomcr changed color and his legs shook