Savannah morning news., 1885-09-04
TO BE ExTrNGUIsHEn
Republicans, Both White and Colored,
to Vote for Lee.
From DE Washington Post

From the Washington Post.
A short, stout man, with big summer
umbrella sauntered slowly down the yes
tibule of the Metropolitan Hotel, His
ruddy face wore quizzical smile and a
short, shaggy beard of grizzly hue, and,
his blue eyes twinkled roguishly behind
pair of dark spectacles. He was particu-
lar about having cool room and mos
quito netting over his bed, and, being as
sured by the clerk that he could have
these to his hearts content, his little fat
fist scratched on the register the name Of
IS. p. Bayly, Virginia"
'Who's going TO be Governor OF Nir-
ginia. Major ?" lounger outside the coun-
ter asked.
'Fitzbugh Lee" the Major promptly
replied, turning eagerly 10 his questioner
and looking as if he would ike 10 talk
volume on the subject.
From what you say / presume you
are going to vote for the Democratic can
didate."
Eyes, Pm Republican, but Pm going
to vote for Lee. / have been Republi-
can since the war. Before that | was
Wing. The Whig principles are the
principles OF the Republican party. | live
on my farm down in FRuquier county,
and have been Republican straight all
the time, when there was only one other
white man IN my district who had the
courage to belong TO the party. You know,
a good many white men in Virginia are
Democrats because they have an idea
that il they were Republicans they would
be bound TO be niggers. Although Re.
publican since, ] was the owner of thirty
i've slaves when the war broke out, and
daring four long years followed the for
tunes OF Gen. FitZhugh Lee in the field
My grandfather was an officer IN the war
of the Revolution. my father fought in the
war of 1912, and / was on the Southern
side"
You're Republican still, Major,aren't
YOUR
81 am"
"Then what are your reasons for sup
porting Lee?"
''My principal reason for supporting
Lee is that / like him and l don't like his
opponent. Pm against Malone and his
party. If Malone had been an ignorant
man l could nave believed he was honest
in discovering, after being Democrat all
his life, that the Republican party was
right. But Malone is not an ignorant
man aud his political conversion is not
honest. Lee is an honest man, n patriot
and Virginian. He's not much of a poll
tician, ! think. don't believe he's even
much Of a farmer, but he's a first-class
cavalry officer. / would rather follow
him on the battlefield than any other OFF,
Ger in either OF the opposing armies OF the
civil war. He is a good, patriotic citi-
zen Of Virginia, honestly interested in
his own State, and he can be trusted.
Besides he is in accord with Cleveland's
administration. which deserves the sup
port of every good American citizen, for
Cleveland is trying hard TO deal fairly
with all"
'How about the cOlOred voters OF Vir-
ginia? Is the Malone candidate going to
get them allY
''NOt by any means. The Democratic
candidate will get more cOlored votes than
ever before since tue war. The cOl0red
people are beginning to learn that the
Democratic party has no desire TO treat
them unfairly, and the Republicans
will no longer mOnopolize the colOred
vote"
''Have you never voted for a Malone
candidate, Major?"
"Ohi yes; voted for Cameron at the
last contest for Governor, for as long as
the State debt question was in dispute the
Malone party had some excuse for their
existence, although l never believed In
them, and as Republican | was not in
favor OF reputation. lwanted the State
to acknowledge her just debts and pay
every cent. That's Republican principle.
But that is settled, and no honest Repub-
lican who knows anything can vote for
Malone or bis political associates. In
1880 ] ran as Republican against both
the MahOneite and the Democrat for Con-
gress ih the district now represented by
Hon. John s. Barbour. Mabone is going
to be extinguished in Virginia this time.
There will be large turning over Of both
white Republican and coi0red votes In ia
vor of Lee this fall"