National Republican., 1884-02-26

did not know much about the social affairs oil
the negroes, rs political aiiiliation dld not
mean social afliiaton, although the bourbons
tried to make IL seem so.
do you think it unfair asked Gov.
Vance. "for the party in the minority to
make itself the majority by appealing to race
prejudice"
MIR. Wise replied that the campaign was
one of vilfcation on the part of the bour-
hons, and he himself had not felt so much
personal risk during the war or nt any other
time as during the last three weeks of that
campaign. He considered that campaign
unfair uncivilized and unworthy Of the
ninCtcecth century
At intervals during tho cross.examination
sharp passages at arms occurred between
Senator Vance and the witness, the result Of
which usually seemed TO be to arouse the
senator's temper. They began with this
little dialogue:
"When first knew you" said Mr.. Wise /,
adding the remark TO his answer to one of
the senator's questions, you belonged to the
X. n. Oknownothing) party. Now you be-
long to the N. X. (nigger killing party"
when first knew you,' retortod tho sem
ator, you were u secession democrat. Now,
you---"
"That could hardly be-" said Mr.. Wise,
"for was only Z years old then"
Gov. Vance inquired If the witness believed
in negro rule. The witness answered that he
did not.
"Are you in favor Of giving them share
in the offices in proportion to their number" ="
proportion of numbers has nothing to do
with it. The fittest man should be chosen to
the Office whether he be white or black, and
without reference to the proportion of whites
and blacks in the population"
HAS the readjuster party followed out that
principle in Virginia.
The witness said that he thought tho tom
dency of the readjuster party had been in
that direction, although he did not consider
the readiuster party to be without faults.
The negroes undoubtedly had that tendency
to put in the best men, and had proved it in
Danvillc, where, with tho power to elect n
negro to any Office, they had always given
majority of the Offices to white men.
Gov. Vance spent long time in inquiring
and Mr.. Wise in explaining about the poll
tax laws OF Virginia and their effect.
Being asked about Sims's speech, Mr.. Wise
declined TO apologize for Sims or to judge
him until no had made his statement. He
did not think that ii was in good taste or an
evidence of pluck for q man to go on the
platform and denounco men as scoundrels
and liars. The witness had been engaged in
a duel during the previous campaign, but,
having reached the age of 81 years, with
seven children and broader view of life, ho
had firmly made up his mind not again to
engage in the silly practice of dueling.
otherwise ne would have had forty duels on
his hands during the last campaign.
The coalition party was the poor mans
party in Virginia. Had it not been for their
money the bourbon vote would not be heard
of there.
Another personal verbal encounter hero
occurred between Gov Vance and Mr.. Wise,
the latter saying, laughingly, that the former
had come into Virginia to make speeches in
favor of the funders. The governor replied
that in his speeches he had distinctly stated
hat he had nothing to say about the state
debt, which was purely state question. He
added with emphasis that any man who said
otherwise did not speak the truth.
II hope" said Mr.. Wise, that you don't
mean to be rude or insulting?"
NO sir, but you have taken several oppor-
tunities to take a personal fling at me, which
l don't think, sir, you were justified in
doing"
"They have not been ill-humored," said
Mr.. Wise
WELL" said tho governor, T was once
member of the knownothing party in North
Carolina and l don't deny il, but | now
stand where you used to stand, n democrat"
mo, governor, l never stood where you
stand never belonged to party which
killed negroes"
IL never killed any negroes, and 1 hope
you never did" retorted the senator.
The witness said that he knew of no
money being sent from Washington to Vir-
ginia for campaign purposes or ofauy assess
ments being made upon Office holders during
the last campaign.
Gov. Vance read from a coalition circular
in which the people were appealed to, not to
believe the bourbon lies, and asked if that
was not rough language.
"Yes," said Mr.. Wise, sit is rough, but VIII en-
the coalitonists were calling us the riff ratf
of creation, made up Of white trash and mig
gers, we couldn't help calling them liars
occasionally"
There was no disturbance in Virginia on
election day, the witness said. He had in
tended TO speak at Manchester the night be-
fore, but when he found that arrangements
had been made for riot there that night, and
when he learned that the editor of the Nor
folk VirgiRioR, a bourbon paper had tele-
graphed that full particulars should be sent
to him as soon as the riot occurred, he con-
cluied not to go. 81 shouldn't mind dying
in some places" said he, but should rather
not be killed in Manchester"
In reply to questions of Senator Sherman
the witness said that the bourbons had made
arrangements to control the vote of the state
by getting up, through an act passed by the
present legislature, sort of electoral COM
mission in each county. The turning out OF
fifteen readjuster members of the legislature
was another proof of the determination to
perpetuate bourbon rule. The witness had
never seen any attempt on the part of the
Virginia negroes to obtain social equality.
They were the most humble, gentle, tract.
able race in the world. lie maintained that
it was useless for congress to pass laws tc
punish the perpetrators in these wrongs In
Virginia, useless to send federal troops &c
Virginia, for nobody wanted them. The
only remedy which he saw for the evil wa!
to hold up the perpetrators of these outragei
to public scorn and contempt
The facts of the Danville riot might have
been exaggerated, he said, but its results ha(
not 1t had been represented to white mel
i'll distant parts of the state as negro up
rising, and these distant white men had beer
appealed to for the assistance Of their votes
Telegrams had been sent to them from Dan
Vile representing that the white men of tina
city were compelled to stand at tho doors 0
their houses with guns in their hands to pro
tect their families from the negroes. They
said that the negroes did not permit them Il
vote.
Senator Vance inquired if the witness hat
those kilograms, and Mr.. Wise said he coult
and would produce them, but did not hay
them in the room at that time.
Mr.. Wise stated that the negroes did no
claim or desire social aihliatiOn with whit
men because they belonged TO the sam
party. Colored members of the legislator
came to his house to consult him, but the
always went to the kitchen. He did no
suppose that Mr.. Tilden invited TO his parlo
all the New York wharf rats and shock
heads who voted the democratic ticket
MIR. j. j. RaulstOn, collector of internA
revenue in DanYille, was the next witness
He was business-like, intelligent lOokin
man Of middle ago and medium size. He
a native of New York, but has lived in Viz
ginia since 1865. He has lived in Danvill
for seven years. At the request of Senate
L.. ,,sr Na1 nnt . tha .yH Fa1