Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-11-28

IN cUiciaf RE were UuftiN",y
and universally deplored by an goou neu'
II was because they leiieyed tha' ,nsfe wa
orly one party capable OF Administering ,ne
Government, and that auy amount y, n
publican corruption was De'ter tnan Deni-
ocratic r,ile. But u Is clear. my friends,
that such belief. II persisted IN, "ouu
have been the obstruction Of Tree
institution, and made our Govern.
ment an oligarchv and not re-
pubic. II the recent election had done
no more than dispei tina, beresy. II would
taye been sufficient cause Tor gratitude.
and when the Democratic administrations
shall have become alike corrupt. pray
God that He will raise up men in It's ranks
of tho manhood. the integrity, the indc.
rspderce 10 hurl il from power. even a.
the Republican psrty has met it fate from
the besf men within is ranks. who have
sacrificed 10 the cause Of pure government
past traditions and associations, together
with every personal interest. And our
Government viii never be perfectly free.
nor i.s Administration permanently pure.
until a change Of administration, 80 far
from being regarded as revolutionary, be-
comes as easy ~ the election Of new Con-
eress, or change in the British Ministry.
The cause OF this past state Of affairs has.
without doubt, been the spirit Of sectional
ism-distrust Of the South, and Of the
Democratic party because Of the South.
And hat leads me 10 speak OF another
ground OF deyout gratitude
3. That now az last we have one free,
united country. For years II has been
known 10 all who had been amonglls. or
who knew anything OF the spirit OF the
south, that the South was as loyal - the
North. The verdict Of the war hld oeen
accepted. the Confederate debt repndiated,
the doctrine Of secession formally abiured,
the freedom and political equality Of tne
negroes acqiIiesced in, aud q general dispo-
stlon manifested 10 bury past issues and TO
20 10 work and build new South under
the new order OF things that had been ostab-
ished beyond repeal. The interests oi
the whole country were her interests, the
prosperity Of the whole country WAS
Of a. vital importance 10 her rs 10 the
North. and none surpassed her IN jealousy
for the honor of the country abroad
and fo- purity and peace at home.
And now. after years Of misreprcsen-
tation. in winch the South has been re-
earded as a public enemy, IN which all
these facts have been denied. and an her
protestatlons have been discredited, the
south has gotten hearing. the best aud
ablest men Of the North have lifted their
voices and have welded their pens in her
defence. a verdict has been rendered in her
favor. sectional railingS have been pro-
nomccd ont OF order. and the South has
been declared worthy OF an equal share in
the government OF our common country.
The south may now rejoice that she has
the opportunity 10 demonstrate to the
country and TO the world. by her wisdom.
her moderation. her fOTbearance, that the
COY tidcnce rcposed in her was not mis-
placed; While the men OF the North may
surely lind occasion to rejoice now that
their victory i complete, ana The Union
they fought to preserve j. now perfect.
when the last line of division is ohlJera,ed,
and the Seyen-bued arch Of peace eX-
nands over a happy and reunited people.
But great n are the blessings that this pro-
miscs 10 our whole country, they are sur
passed 10y blessings that NAV result from il
in the administration Of our focal AFFAIR.".
The war left H. with one OF the darkest and
most difficult problems 10 contend with that
ever confronted any people-the infusion
into the body polite of q vast mass of
voters wholly unprcparcd for the duties OF
citizenship. IL would De unjust 10 con-
clude that all those who took part in fore
Ing this upon us were actuatcd by merely
selfish and partisan motives. pom those
OF whom this was true. the engine Oi their
own creation has recOlCd with terrible
force. i'm that to the increased representa-
ton thus given the South the recent change
Of Administration j. undoubtedly due.
But. >ay. il would be unfair TO attribute
these motive, 10 oil the advocates Of negro
suffrage. one Of the most prominent Jour-
nalIsts in New York. in a private letter TO
gentleman in Virginia. stated that this was
the one thing in his political course that he
regretted; that he knew the dangers il IN
volvcd. but that oil history told him that
only by thi, means could the negroes he
protected IN their other right; but that be
was now convinced that the southern people
constituted the one exception oi history.
where the interest of former servilc class
would have been safer in the hands Of
their former masters than in their own: -
that tins desperate remedy was not only
unnecessary, but that the negroes would
have been better of without il. However.
the evil was done and the question Wa to
make the best OF il. Accordingly the south
em people went to work TO do the only
thing that could be dOne-to educate the
negro for his newly-acquired privileges
and responsibilities. But little could be
accomplished IN this way while the color
line was drawn in politics, and while, with
Il few exceptions on each side. YOU could
know mans politics from the color OF his
skin; and .mean time our civilization was
in danger Of being swampeG whenever deu-
agogues could be found 10 dlyidet the whites
and use the negroes Tor their own selfish
ends. Now the principal cause that kept
the color line drawn, and that made the ne
grocs vote against their old masters.
though coming 10 them for help aud al.
vice upon every other subject. was That
they Identified the Republican p?riy VIII
the National Government, which was tine
source OF their freedom, and who they
were taught to believe projected them in
the exercise OF all their rights, and COM
PEELED the state governments 20 respect
them. Hence. in every town, and in every
country ncighborhood where there was
pOst-oftice, there was a centre Of political
influence. the power Of which no argu-
monts nor appeals could overcome. But
now all this will be changed. They
will learn that the Republican party
i, not the Government; they will
learn that all their civil and political rights
are safe in the hands OF any party-thAt
they are guaranteed by the Constitution IL
self; there will be no outside influences
brought TO bear urOn them; and the Latu-
raj consequence will be that when in pro-
cess Of time new questions arise upon
which the white men will divide. the ne
grocs will divide too. and the color line
Will be oblteratcd. This is much. but 1t
is far from being the end OF our diflicultie~.
The existence OF 30 large a c0rruptible
mass OF voters rs these ignorant men must
long remain will long be a source Of dan
ger OF which UnscrUpulOus men will be
only too prompt TO take advantage. But
the obiteIatiOn OF the color line may lead
lis nearer TO the removal Of this danger
also, since when the negro begins to look
TO his natural friends for political advice
he will become better fitted aud trained for
the duties of citizenship ,anda all our efforts to
educate and elevate him will be more pro-
ductive OF results. In our own Church
We have OF late been paying much atten-
ton to the evangeIZation Of the negroes.
and we have found that this very thing oil
the color line in politics was one Of tbe
difficulties that confronted lis at every step.
Let us thank Gcd for ANYTHING that will
better enable us TO take our ignorant bro
ther by the band and lead him up to pnrer
religion, and IN making him better Chris
tian TO make him better citizen. i could
not properly close this subject without
speaking
4. OF the reform Of tie ciru serrice. |
have said that our Gnvprnmpnt cOuid never