Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-06-28
Crying Evii-The Remedy.


eminent that has so direct a personal
bearing upon the individualcitizen as |
the local or municipal government.
There is none that affects so power
fully the personal interest! the feelings,
and the sensibilities Of the citizen.
Federal and State politics may excite
and interest us as partisans and patriots
more or less; but it Is the local gov
eminent that comes home to us; that
touches the pockef-nerve, and that
often involves our very liberties, the
safety and integrity Of our property,
and the peace and happiness of our
firesides. Wherever the local govern
ment is administered by ignorant, cor
rupt, and incompetent officials crime
goes UNPUBLISHED, property is insecure,
taxation is oppressive, and the govern
ment is corrupted and debauched.
Such has been and still is the condition,
more or less, of most of the counties In
Virginia in which there is unfortunately
adecided preponderance of negro voters.
The negroes themselves could not do
SO much mischief, and might be in some
degree controlled. It is the unprincipled
white demagogues tits the office-seekers
and the office-holders mainly that do
the mischief. They manipulate and
control the negro element to get Office
by their votes. In order to crafty
their greed for place and power they
are ready to join any party or do any
thing. They will defy public senti-
ment, sacrifice their self-respect, and
ignore all personal and social ties.
Greedy, selfish, and without patriotism,
they will turn their backs upon their
own skin and their own race and seek
to subject intelligent white people to
negro rule. knowing that they
have forfeited the respect and
confidence of the whites, their
hearts are filled with hate aud
resentment towards them, and they
seek to degrade and humiliate them by
the elevation Of negroes over them.
Malone has set the example. and he is
responsible for these outrages. Before
his advent as a political manipulation
the negroes were gradually subsiding-
they were taking less interest in poll
tics, and were allowing honest, compe-
| tent men to be elected to office. But
now they are worse than ever. Party
and race issues are made in every cleo
ton, and it is rare thing to see COM
petent man filling county or district
office in any Of the Southside counties
where they have the majority.
1t is very strange that the negroes,
who are generally tractable and kindly
disposed towards the whites, should
allow themselves to be made dupes and
tools Of by these white demagogues. If
they get in trouble or want favors done
they know very well to whom to go.
They know very well whom to trust,
and who are their best friends. But
let there be an election, and they are at
once changed. They become sulky and
defiant, and no effort to win them over
can avail. They throw themselves into
the arms oftheir white leaders, and are led
like sheep to the slaughter. blindly anC
ignorantly, to do their bidding. In many
of the Southside counties this state oI
things has prevailed to greater or less
extent ever since the close of the late
war. At this time, in some Of thes'
counties. one half Of the county anC
district Offices are held by ignoran
negroes, some of whom can nelthel
read nor write. And yet there arr
. white men here who will 60 to the POLL
and vote for them in preference to al
intelligent and capable white man
Take, for instance, the Office of " jas
tice of the peace" This office is yer!
important and responsible one, re
curing a man Of integrity, soun'
Judgment, considerable knowledg
of law, and good business ca
pacity. What mockery upo
government is there in the election I
such an Office e al ignorant, unedu
Gated negro or white man without ca
!, pacity or the necessary qualification
TO subject en- intelligent white commu
= nifty to a local government administers
), by such officials is a shame and disgraC
u TO the country. Not only SO, the pull
: lie service is degraded and corrupted
u crime goes unpunished, and no adj
!, quate protection is given to persons an
u property. Petit larceny, the great bese
|, ting sin Of the negroes, is great both'
y tothese dispensers Of the law and justic
/ The unlucky brother who happens to
convicted Of petit larceny is disfra
Is chised and vote is lost thereb
y Hence it become the party policy
III wink at these little transgressions a
J, make as few convictions as possibl
70 A case Of this kind has just occurr
e in the writer's own district. Two 4
,. groes were arrested upon charge
70 petit larceny and taken before one
" these Malone magistrates. The e.
~ dence against them was positive, a
nc there was not the least doubt abe
nc their guilt, but in order to avoid CT
~ viction Of petit larceny it was propos
to compromise the matter with the co
oil plainant, and this would have been do
BE had it not been opposed by a bystand
ne IT was finally decided that the defer
"a. ants should pay for the stolen prope
%. and be fined in addition, and they W
,al then discharged. The penalty in tn
~ cases was confinement in Jail, and
decision was consequently violat
ge- of law. About ten days after the Il
use and discharge Of the criminals the sa
de- magistrate issued another war;
Of against the same parties. one Of VIII
var was arrested and tried the second Il
10y and sent TO Jail for fifteen days, 4
de- committing second violation Of
for law. which declares that g person 81
the not be tried twice for the same offer
zen In another case before the same ma
has trate, in which negro was char
ca with rape, it was decided TO send
to defendant on 10 be tried before
ate court. Bail was refused and the
hen PENDANT committed to jail. A day
ate two before the late election this ne
was bailed and taken out Of jail, do'
be less that he might attend the elect
ate and immediately after the election
der was remandcd to jail again. In 8,