The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-02-18
The Proposed Building for the National
Library and the Syndicate of Specula-
tors Who See Money In the Job.
Probability that the Free-Delivery
Postal System Will Be Extended.
Some Highly Suggestive figures Concerning
Illiteracy-Mr. Bayard and Mr.. Nc
Donald Form an Alliance.
TIE RIOT At pANv1L1E.
Failure of the Attempt of the Whites t
Laugh Away the Matter.

Failure of the Attempt of the Whites to
Laugh Away the Matter.
Special to the indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 16-Enough has already
been disclosed in the investigation of Senator
Shermans committee into the election riot at
Danville Va, last November, to impress those
who have heard the witnesses testify that it is
matter that cannot be laughed away. 1t in
wolves a question too serious for that An effort
was made by the members of the House of Rep
resentatives from the Old Dominion, when the
investigation first opened, to make it ridiculous
They made sport of the witnesses and ridiculed
their lines of testimony True, the witnesses
offered by the Republicans are plain, ignorant
uneducated negroes, largely-that class of the
African race who have been very slightly ele-
waited by the progress of others since the war
but they tell their stories in as earnest straight
forward and honest manner as could be posi-
BILE for people of their intelligence.
1t has been remarked by auditors at the inves-
tigation that it ill-becomes the white men from
Virginia, who represent the defense, to make
light of the form of the testimony given against
them The witnesses who testify for the Com
monwealth and law were raised in and about
Danville. A few of them were the slaves of
men who sit before them at the investigation,
and, by putting knotty words into the ears of
Senator Vance, suggesting perplexing ques-
tions, seek, by their cunning and edu-
cation to entangle the blacks. If
they succeed in their efforts to thwart
the truth being made known and in breaking
down the blacks it must rebound to the disgrace
of the men who have had the negroes in custody
and employment since they were released from
slavery. If the blacks are overly ignorant it is
to the disgrace and shame of the whites at Dan
vile that they are When a black witness
shows exceeding ignorance on the stand the
former proprietors of them laugh first, last and
the heartiest, seeming TO glory in the fact that
they have kept these darkies ignorant
The scenes of murder on the streets of Dan
an impressive manner by the colored men who
witnessed them. Of course no white man dared
to testify against the whites who participated in
the riot He would be ostracized there if he
would testify.
''Yer doan git no white man to tell de truf
about dat fight what seed it" said one of the wit
nesses to your correspondent to-day.
'Why}" asked
EFF he was young man de white gals of Dan
vile wouldn't speak to him. Eff he were mar
ried man his wife wouldn't be recognized by So
ciety, or eff he be neither he doan git no business
dar if de whites rule"
That is it, exactly. To testify against the
white people there in this matter means pro
scripton in society and business. 1t would make
a refugee of any white man.