Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1884-04-11
The Malone Free Ballot and Fair
Count in Virginia.

The Malone Free Ballot and Fair
Count in Virginia.
WICKHAM AND HON. JNO. F. DEEM
DoRF BEFORE THE DANvILLE RIOT
COMMITTEE.
Gen. W. e. Wickham, member of the
Virginia Senate, was examined. He said
his position in the canvass was peculiar
one. Since 1865 he had been a Republic
can, and was so still. He was requested
by the Democratic convention to an
nounce himself as candidate, regarding
the issue as one of local and not at all of
national politics. The issue upon which
he entered the canvass was upon good
State and local government. which he
didn't think they had under the then Or
ganiZation. His district was considered
the pivotal one of the State, and the con-
test was an exciting one from the begin
ming. His position as Republican caused
him to suppose that he had right to ex-
pect the support of the great mass of the
colored vote. He found it was doubtful
whether he would get even respectable
portion of the colored vote. The fight
| litlonists. The negroes were organized in
| clubs, and at their weekly and nightly
| meetings most incendiary speeches were
made them. They were told that if the
| Democrats were successful they would be
put back into slavery. Notwithstanding
| these efforts, witness received colored
vote which exceeded his majority. Colored
men were threatened with election from
their churches, and their wives threatened
to throw their clothes out of doors and
prevent them from coming into their
houses if they voted for witness. Since
the negroes acquired the right of suffrage
there had been no unjust discrimination
against them by the laws of Virginia.
| Witness thought there had been no I'M
lawful combination against the colored
people, nor had they been threatened with
discharge. SO far as he knew, for not vo-
| ting as their employers wished.
H.. During the cross-examination by Sena-
| tor Sherman witness said that at the time
he joined the Republican party the mass
of The white people of Virginia were un-
| questionably Democrats, and the Republi-
can party was then, in a political sense,
considered the friend of the negro. 1t was
natural that the colored people should
| join the Republican party. When the Re
| adjuster party was organized the Repub-
| licans were divided. Witness opposed the
''repudlat ton of the debit Witness was
| invited to become candidate against the
Coalition party on the ground that from
his known position as q Republican he
would carry a portion of the colored vote.
lis there not strong instructive feeling
among the colored people that their rights
are not safe in the hands of the Demo
cratic party? ?"
II think that that is the fact, and |
think it is proper, Mr.. Sherman, that l
should say that it is a fact brought about
by the false teachings of designing men.
1t is more feeling that the Republicans
are more liberal to them than the Demo-
| Gratis would be-"
Snow, don't you think that if the
Democratic party would convince the col
ored people that their rights would be Sc
cure under the control and management
of the Democrats, that they would divide
the colored vote ?''
ENTHUSIASTICALLY think that, if that
could be contrived. But it would be the
most difficult thing in the world to prove
it to them when you have party of men
| who want them to vote sOlldly in one
way, telling them all the time that the
Democrats would Cypress them."
Ex.Congressman John 3. Dezendorf, of
Norfolk, was sworn and examined by the
Sherman subcommittee testifying as
follows: He was the regular Republican
candidate of his district for the present
Congress. He was asked by Senator
| Vance to tell what he knew Of the draw
ing of the color line in the last canvass
and who drew it. Fl said while he believ-
ed that of the colored vote of Virginia 999
| out of every 1000 would vote the regular
| Republican ticket il left to exercise their
own volition, yet since the advent of
| General Malone as the controlling power
| the colored vote had been monopolized
and controlled to a greater extent than
| ever known, going as far as sending out
| circulars purportIng to be signed by the
| President of the United Stal es, saying
that he wished them to support the Re-
| adjuster ticket. Witness could not speak
during the canvass, where the Coalition
| lists did not attempt to break up the meet
! ing. He described the meeting at York
town, where the military were brought
| out, at the instigation, as witness believed,
of Capt. Dick Wise, relative of John S.
| Wise; the soldiers came on the platform
and tried to drag the witness off they
beat witnesses friends again at Williams
burg, where witness had secured the
town hall by permission of the Mayor !;
! the CoalitionistS came, and in a body, and
demanded division of time; witness de-
clined, whereupon the intruders began to
raise hubbub, instigated, as witness be-
lieved. by Capt. Wise; at last the Mayor
| (Coalitionist) withdrew his permission for
| the use of the hall no such scenes ever
took place between the Republicans
! the Coalition vote IN Virginia was
almost entirely colored vote; a Cir
(; cular was issued just before the election
stating that the National Republican
| Committee wished the Republicans to
| support the Hancock and English Coali-
ton ticket; the office holders Of the State
understood that Offices were all under
| the control of Senator Malone, this was
a fact; the President himself would not
| deny 1t; these men felt that their tenure
of office depended upon UNFOLDING GER
| tain men and measures unfortunately
| the largest portion of the colored men
could not read, and might be controlled.
| The Witness was asked if he knew of any
instances Of the i'll treatment of colored
men by their fellows for voting the Re-
| publican ticket. The witness told of
| colored preacher who supported him in
| the election; for this the Coalitionists tried
to have him turned out of his church.
| The witness knew Of another colored
| preacher who had actually been turned
| out of his church for voting the Republi-
can ticket. The witness believed there
had been more persecution of Republicans
by Malone than there had been just after
| reconstruction by the Bourbon Demo
| cratic party The with ess pointed to
white man sitting near i'm, who was, he
said, turned out of office for refusing to
vote for Hancock and English, and was
still out of office, and was without means
of support. Another instance was that CT
the Republican County Chairman, who
was turned out of office for refusing to
support the Coalition ticket. Witness Sc
cured an appointment for this man in the
Government Printing Office in Washing
ton. Senator Lapham objected. Witness
said he was merely going to say that Sen
ator Malone then went and had him
turned out as Public Printer; Rounds had
told witness that Senator Malone did