National Republican., 1883-11-08
The Bloody Revolution In virginia.

The Bloody Revolution In Virginia.
The bourbon seizure of Virginia by force of
arms is tho worst blow that has befallen tho
south since Andrew johnson persuaded the
people of that section to reject the fourteenth
amendment. 1t is q triumph over Virginans
who were bringing that ancient common
wealth into her proper relations with the
north, the nation, and the age. 1t is stag
gering blow to the work of restoration which
was going on between the two sections and is
an invitation to the reopening of the bitter
sectional contest Of fifty years.
The coalition entered into between the
liberal democrats and the republicans two
years ago placed Cameron in the executive
chair by $4,000 majority. This was reduced
to about 5000 last year by the depressing IN
huences of the fierce strife between northern
republicans. 1t was evident to all the bourbon
leaders this year that only desperate measures
could prevent third defeat of their cause by
the coalition. Tho Ohio election gave them
hope; but they soon saw that our friends in
Virginia wero not to be stampeded by that.
Then came the movements that led to the
introduction of the shotgun policy. We have
letter from prominent citizen of Rich
inond, dgted on election day, in which he
said "'The Mississ ppi Plan has been put
in full operation in Virginia, and ! cannot
for cas- tho result" ~
Tho utmost effort has, been made by the
bourhons at all times since the formation of
the coalition to draw the color line for the
Wits. THIS usual appeal to race prejudice
was constantly made. But the white liberals
laughed Mt it, and went on in their
warfare on bourbonism. 1t was finally
decided to bring to bear the policy
which had proved so etficacious
in Mississippi in 1875 and other states after
ward. Ignoring the fact that the coalition
had elevated to power ex- confederates and
lifelong democrats of high character, the
mCaus wero decided on which had been de-
Tended in Mississippi and South Carolina only
on tho plea that in no other way
could those states be saved from carpet bag
rule A circular was prepared entitled
Coalition Rule in Danville," in which the
coalition was designated as "the negro
party" The character and purpose of this
document may be judged by the following
extracts:
Negro women have been known to force ladies
from the pavement, and remind them that they
will learn TO step aside the next time In several
instances white children have been struck by
grown negroes. We know several cases where
the lie has been given to white lady to her face
by negro. 1t Is very common practice for the
negroes who are employed about our houses to
allude to white ladies and gentlemen as men and
women and to negroes as ladies and gentlemen.
That this circular was not gotten up for the
benefit o f the people of Danyille is evident
from the following extract:
Now, fellow citizens of The Valley and the South
Scesi, we cry out to you in our alction to deliver
us from this awful state of humiliation and wick
edness. We appeal to you by that
sympathy which constitutes tho bond of
union between honorable men struggling
in the cause of freedom to help us
to throttle this viper of negrosm that is sting
ing us to madness and to death by voting against
the coalition radical candidates. who are yelling
and screaming with delight ut the prospect of
fastening its fnngs into us forever. Help
u.s. fellow citizens, by voting for tho conservative
democratic candidates for the legislature for un-
less they are elected we are doomed.
This incendiary document will not be be-
lieved by any but tho most credulous. 1t is
asking too much Of rational men to believe
that such things as are therein recited could
20 on without proper redress through the
usual channels in a city of 5000 people, of
whom between 5000 and 1000 are white. 1t
is incredible that people in remote section
of the state would be called upon to help
tho white men of DInville to protect their
wives and children from ruifianism and
insult at the hands of negroes,
People who wero really being stung "to
madness and death" would not have re-
mained silent under it until two weeks ago,
tion of a democratic Legislature, which would
not be likely to assume the government of
the city of Danville. The circular of itself
would have accomplished no result but when
massacre of negroes occurred at Dan
Vile on the Saturday before elec-
tion it was very natural that the
circular should be taken in explanation Of it.
When the news of the massacre reached the
distant places in the Southwest and the
Shenandoah Valley it had assumed the name
OF "a war Of races" and the excited whites
were called upon to decide on which side they
proposed to stand in war Of that kind. No
wonder that before an issue thus falsely made
up panic ensued.
There need be no other explanation of the
remarkable changes in the sections referred
to- 1t simply shows that the shotgun is the
bourbons' trump card, and that when pressed