The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1884-02-06
The Virginia Republicans.

After a defeat which was compassed
by duplicity and force and in the midst
OF more desperate obstacles than have
ever before confronted political party
in this country, the Republicans of Vir-
ginia have proved themselves true to
their principles and loyal TO the cause
of human liberty, for if any issue is IN
peril in that State it is that OF liberty.
The Republican State Committee, de-
serted by its Chairman, who either has
gone over to the enemy or has fallen by
the wayside, has issued ringing mani
festo to the party. and made an appeal
TO voters to rally once more for the
struggle of 1884, with an earnestness
and enthusiasm Of courage which goes
TO show that while Bourbon bulldozing
and the shotgun policy may have won
victory, the ranks of the opposition
are still unbroken and ready for another
trial at the polls.
The address Of the State Committee
contains succinct history Of the strug-
gle between Bourbonism on the ons
hand and Mahoneism on the other; or,
to state it in its true color, between re-
dictionary conservatism relying upon
force and the progressive, liberty-loving
people. 1t shows how one method
after the other failed. Bribery, cor
ruption, appeal to race prejudices, pur-
chasing OF votes, ostracism and bull
doing were tried one after the other
without effect, and then the Mississippi
shotgun policy was adopted, with
what result is clearly shown in
the address. A change of nine
thousand voters would have given us
the State" says the address. "Who
doubts that these unparalleled Gn Vir-
ginia) tactics swept more than twice
that number Off their feet above the
Blue Ridge aloneP" The greatest gains
made by the Bourbons were in the vicin-
ity Of Danville. The massacre of ne
groes had done its work The shotgun
accomplished its purpose Of terrifying
the negroes. In Pittsylvania County
and Danville 2,l00 registered colored
voters did not vote at all. The massa.
ere was also utilized with good effect in
remote parts OF the State. "Dodg.
ers" Iwere printed containing in6aIn
matory accounts Of a negro uprising Al
Danville and were mailed to various
4 places in the more inaccessible south
western counties, where they were de
livered the morning Of election-day
The ignorance and credulity Of the
whites in these remote counties ar,
well-known. The accounts were re
ceived too late to be contradicted, ant
were implicitly believed and had theil
effect. They were made to believe tina
there was negro uprising in a STATE
which has 206, 600 whites and only l2S,
600 colorel men. They know now tha
instead of negro uprising it was negr
massacre that no white men wer
? killed or in danger, that seven colore,
: men were slaughtered and others wer
injured for political reasons. I'll
Bourbons had no other way OF maintain
ing their ascendency except by the shot
: gun. They utilized II and carried tn
, election. aud. as they now suppose, the
, have made Virginia solid for 1884 an,
{ added her TO the Solid South by tn
Southern method.
, The tactics Of Grant Parish, Hambur
and Hazelhurst have answered once i
{ Virginia, but II is doubtful whether the
l will answer again in State who's
t white population is twice as numcrou
0 rs the colored. The shotgun defeate
Q Malone, but il did not exterminate hi
= party. nor did il wipe out the RepdbliC
r ans. 1t has only reused them 10 fires
r efforts and confirmed them in the dt
/ termination TO Join hands with the RI
5 adiusters on their platform OF "Natior
/ alism, human rights, liberty, peac,
4 manhood and Republican Cover
a ment. which are the cardinal point
G OF the Republican party, and to max
: common cause with the MahoneitC
Q against 'proscription, and bigotry I
0 caste, class, and ra prejudice"
0 the extreme Southern States where III
1 colored men are the large ma ority
1 the party it is possible to dsfranchi,
G them by force or destroy their major
i, ties at the polls by fraud and tricker,
5 but il will not work second time in
0 State where there are large numbers {
: whites arrayed against Bourbonisn
b The Danyile massacre scheme has bee
: sufficiently ventilated 10 be understoo,
Y and the Bourbons will not dare to a
Q tempt it second time. The Republi
Y an Committee has done well TO issue
4 appeal thus early in the campaign, al
( 10 send 1t forth not In an apologetic (
s complaining manner, but with the rir
Of the trumpet in it, summoning u
s party once more TO the combat and d
= claring that ''the Bourbons must
r taught that tits full time the shot-gu
1 and pistol should be eliminated fro
. American politics, and peaceful met
0 ods should alone be resorted 10 in ca
4 ryin0 elections. .n--Chicdg0 Tribune.