Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-03-06
THE DANVILLE CIRCULAR.
Readiusters Telling How It Affected
Their Weak-Kneed Constituents.

Their Weak-Kneed Constituents.
WASHINGTON, March 5.-In the Dan
Vile investigation to-day, J. c. Fowler
(white) }, late of Bristol, Va, Chairman of
his county Readjuster committee, now
Clerk of the United States Court at Abing-
don, Va, was called.
He recalled the circular which was current
IN his neghbOrhood. 1t was an extra of the
Nytheyille, Va. Enterpriss, of Monday. No
xemher 5. 1885, the day before the election.
Inc head-lines were as follows: "The bloody
meeting IN Richmond held sunday evening""
| "Mahone responsible for the blOOdshed." 5" ''lhe
white men Of Virginia ought to be true 10
their own race in the race conflict which Ma
hone has brought about" The body Of the
circular was dispatched from Richmond em-
bOdying series of resolutions adopted bV an
enormous mass meeting of white citizens set
ing forth that the conflict had been brought on
at DanYille for the purpose of creating the
race issue. 4 telegram from Danville was
appended to the circular as follows: al YOU
only knew our suffering here on account of
negro rule, you would vote different. We are
standing in our doors with guns, protecting
our families. Post this up at the courthouse
door. (Signed) =. y. Robertson"
WHITE OR BLACK.
The witness said that this was an effort on
the part of the Democratic party to reduce
the issue to the question, Are you a niger.
or are YOU a white mane" The witness had
never seen such an intensity of feeling since
the firing on Fort Sumter as was created by
the circulars and reports put out by the Dem
ocrats.
Mr.. Vance protested against the admission
of evidence of this charaeter-the circulation
OF fly circulars and political reports
Where" he asked, AIS it tc end? We are
certainly entitled to a reply, and can go all
over Virginia TO pick up such matters.
Mr.. sherman said that his theory was first
to prove the riot, and then to bring out such
matters as had any bearing upon the subject
In
The witness, continuing, said in answer to |
questions by Mr.. Lapham, that the effect of |
the circulars and reports was to consolidate |
the negroes in support of the Readiusters. |
The witness was stationed at the polls during |
the day OF the election. and considered his |
lie IN danger 1t was his duty to challenge |
votes which he considered illegal. The Dem |
ocrats had taken possession Of the windows |
through which the challenging must be done. |
The witness was forced to stand behind the |
Democrats and challenge over their shoul- |
ders. Every challenge gave rise TO much /
abuse on the part of the Democrats
PROCESSION OF sHRIEKERs.
a line Of wagons loaded with white Demo- |
Gratis, shrieking and yelling, drove up. bear |
the Democratic nominees, 'sThe White Mems |
Candidates" Speeches were made by Demo- |
Gratis, in which assertions were made that |
Mahone had appealed to the negroes to stand /
together and to avenge the shooting of their /
fellows, and that Malone had stolen the poll |
ing books of one precinct because it was a |
h.
lcly inSulted and two or three times as /
saulted on election day. On one occasion he /
was rescued by Democratic officials who did /
their duty, but had great dncutyin doing it. |
On cross examination by Mr.. Vance the Wit |
ness said that the Readjuster circulars, which /
were current in his neighbOrhOOd before the /
election, were explanatory Of Coalition rule |
IN DanYllle, and was even denunciatOry. The |
negroes were more nearly a unit than the |
whites. There was no harm in the effort to |
consolidate the whites if only legitimate |
means were used. If the negroes were banded /
together against the whites, because per Sc /
they were whites, there would be no objec- |
dion lion, TO %. union union Of the whites. |
As matter OF fact the negroes were banded /
together because of the unwillingness OF the |
whites to allow negroes to vote. The poll |
taH law anu whipping post were measures |
calculated to deprive the negroes Of their /
votes. In the redirect examination Senator /
Lapham submitted for Identification a copy |
of the StauntOn VA ViRdicdt0r-extra issued |
the day before the electOn-containing a |
statement Of the riot, together with the Rich
mond resolutions.
ANEGRO PARTY.
w. :. Gravely (white). a Readiuster of |
Danyllle, was called. He saw the Danville |
circular, the Coalition Rule" ten DAYS be-
fore the election. The effect of the cIrcular
was shown by the remarks of white mon who /
had before that time been Readjusters. They |
said the debt question was settled and the |
party was now becoming negro party, and |
longer vote the Readiuster ticket. He heard /
of the riot on the day Of its occurrence. II /
was the only subject Of conversation on cleo
tion day.
BEATEN By THE CIRCULAR.
W. o. Austin twhite), Republican, of Pu-
laski county, Va, 40 miles from Danville /
first saw the Danvile circular ON the Wednes-
day evening before the election in Carroll |
eounty,N Va. He learned when he reached home
that large packages of the circular had been re-
celNed IN Hulaskl county and were beng dis
Tlbuted There the effect was to drive
considerable number of white votes from the
Coalition to the Democratic party. 1t also
caused q number of Coalition voters TO sfav
at home. In the witness own precinct II |
voters had been influenced to change from one
TO the other party by this circular. The wit
@ ness neaIN OF the DanYllle riot on Sunday
morning, November 4. The reports of the riot
had the effect to drive weak-kneed Coalition
lists to the Democratic party.
THE MOST EXCITING OF ALL THE ELEcTIoNs
f. W. Barksdale (white), a Deputy Marshal
Of Martinsvillc, Henry county, Va, forty miles
from Danvllle, was called. He had lived in
Danyille of and on for ten years The last
canvass was the most exciting aud violent /
that he had ever seen. The witness was in
DanVile about October ], and was told by a /
Democrat acquaintance, Mr.. Church, that it
was time to change his politics. There was
going TO be the biggest row in the world and
u was going to start right at headquarters
the custom house.
TOO DEAF TO HEAR.
Col. William +. Sims, the next witness. does
not hear perfectly, and for this reason il was
determined not to examine him orally. In
terrogatories will be prepared to be answered
by the witness at II o'clock tomorrow, to
which hour the committee at II 80 O'Clock ad-
Joured. Mr.. Sims is the only witness to be
examined until the House acts upon the reso-
luton making appropriations for further ex-
penses Of the Investigation
Hal Phong's Attack.