The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-01-31
Governor Cameron's Opportunity.
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Governor Cameron's Opportunity.
what Governor CAMERON said In his last
annual message to the General Assembly
relative 70 the Danville riot pleased us so
well that we felt constrained to eompli-
ment him upon his independence OF MA
HONE AZ shown In that matter. We first
said that the message was document adj
dressed 70 the General Assembly by the
Governor Of the State, and not at all the
partisan paper which some persons had ex-
pected from him. And as to the Governors
reference to the Danvile riot. we said
"wbat says the Governor about the Dam
vile riot? Well, there Is here phrase
that we dislike. It's true, as the Governor
saws. that several men were killed In Dan
vile recently. and nobody has been triea:
The reply Is that nobody has been trleu
for the bomicides because IL was a riot
Where are the wituessesS There has, how
ever, been judicial inquisition into the riot
and under the direction OF Coalition
iudge nj that. We are so well pleased,
however. to find the Governor discrediting
Mahone,s lurid rhetoric, and speaking OF
his Acknowledgements as law-abiding people
by reputation, that we overlook what ne
saws, but ought not to have SAID, about the
Danvilie riot"
The Governor did In his message "dis-
credit MARoYE's lurid rhetoric" viii be
now stand by his State, or will he allow his
name 10 be used TO convince the people Of
the whole country that virginians are law
despising people9 The line must be drawn
somewhere by everybody, and Governor
CAMERON ought TO draw 10 to-day Just
where he drew il last December, ana re-
fuse to allow his name to be used 70 Dol
ster M General MAHoNE's reputation
amongst the northern people. Ashamed OF
his Lucifer-like fall, General MALONE seeks
to persuade his Republican allies that 1t
was not due to the Nervousness OF his
cause. nor 10 his lack OF ability and Skill as
a party-leader, but to conspiracy when
nobody could have foreseen or provided
AGAINST. That is the secret OF his out
rageous attack upon the State OF his birth.
win Governor CAMERON be party to
such an outragey We shall not believe it
until he himself shall have compelled us to
believe Il. He is the sole witness called by
General MALONE In his speech of Tuesday
To proye that Federal intervention in Nir-
pinia affairs is demanded by the condition OF
things existing here. He is the sole wit
ness whose testimony is quoted by General
MALONE to prove that there was "reign
OF terror" here in November last, and
upon this testimony General MALONE puts
n construction which Governor CAMERON
owes il to himself and his fellow-citizens to
repudiate. will he perform this duty Pa
duty owing to himself not less than to this
honored old Commonwealth Let him be
summoned before the Senate investigating
committee and he will show what kind OF
Virginian he Is, we verify believe. Gen.
eral MALONE introduces Governor CANE
RON as q witness in the following language:
"That a reign Of terror and lawlessness
suppressed and superseded the functions
OF the civil law-restraintng the Liberties
of the citizen and exposing human life to
the disordered will and frenzied passions
of q political mob, licensed by the teach
incs of its own political faction to enact
such outrages rs transpired ut Danvilie,
the Chief Magistrate of the Commonwealth
in bis general message to the Legislature
sufficiently bears witness"
Governor CAMERON cannot but see that
that "lurid rhetoric" does him gross in
Justice. Here is what he said in his mes
sage:
.sFar be il from the Governor OF this
Commonwealth, whose duties are purely
executive, TO characterize or criticise, in
any partisan sense, the trouble by which
death and blood came on the Sd OF Noyem-
Der to many citizens IN one OF the cities OF
our State. There is no purpose here to
ask your honorable body to investigate the
matter. There is no right vested In the
Governor to do so. But the charge made
against the State and that community
il cannot be denied-is this: that
men were killed, men were wound
cd, OF no matter what party. OF
no matter what color; ond that contra
nv to all the law-serving habit OF this people
no man has been accused, arrested, or tried
for his part In the killing or wOunding.
This Is the view OF the affair In which all
good people should join. judicial investi-
CATION should be had, witnesses should be
allowed to testify, should be made to tes-
tify; and The truth should be made appa-
rent, so that the Commonwealth Of Virginia
should be placed before the world rs one OF
the States which try crime, no matter who
may lie the criminal"
Governor CAMERON said that "iudicial
investigation I" ought to be had. For what
purpose? That " the truth should be made
apparent" And what did he foresee that
"truth" would bei Read his own words:
.' The truth should be made apparent, so
that the Commonwealth Of Virginia should
be placed before the aoorid as one of the
States ,nhich try crime, no matter ,oho may
be the criminal"
Will Governor CAMERON stand TO and
abide by that forecast Of the result Of in
vestigation! We repeat that we believe he
will.