Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1885-10-08
yIRGINIA'S COLORED MEN
THE PRESIDENT DETERMxNED
IN HIS COURSE.


stvi Service comnsissaan = REID
stand of the Virginia CoEerea Bscxl.
state convention of the colored men
of Virginia met last week in LynehburR.
An address to the colored people OF Vim
ginia WAS adopted, s'calling a halt" in the
unqualified support they have given sheI
Rcpublican party, declaring that tl.A
Republicans practically abandoned theiii
In former campaigns, and TINT the raa@
antagonisms which has caused the splitting
of their blood and which retards their
progress and makes it difficult for them to
live in the land of their birth are largely
traceable to the mismanagement of the
Federal ofice-holders in their section.
The address concludes; stThese foregoing
reasons lead us to adopt such methods
nnd to so demean ourselves as 10 make
friends of those whose interests are
identical in every way with our own.
We therefore appeal 10 the colored
people of our native state to look
well to the altered condition of affairs
and in the future to make such political
alliances as will most Advailce our
interests educationally, financially aud
| politically. We feel sure that there is
throughout the broad limits of tho COM
monwealth q general dispositions on the
part of the white people TO nceord us nll
our rights before the law, and TO meet US
heartily in every advance we mske for
| the upholding of our people. IL be-
hooyes, then, to SO use our ballots thnt
| we may drive out all discordant elements
in Virginia, whether they be headed by
natives or aliens to the state. We also
condemn the raising of the race issue by
any class of men who essay to lead
the masses, because il can do moth
ing but prove detrimental to our
cause and our interests. We,
therefore ask hearty corporation of our
people in Virginia to the success of our
movement. We have cause to be thankful
for the iberality of the present national
| administration to our people in the south.
We also believe our relations to the state
debt are such as to justify us in hoping
that Virginia will be reliyed from her
| present financial endorsements by aid
from the Federal government, which will
enable her better to provide for all the
material interests of her citizens and
bring about that universal good feeling
which ought to exist between the two
| races" The convention was largely
attended, and many leading colored men
were present.
AWashington dispatch says: The Presi-
dent was closeted for long time yester-
| day week with Civil Service Commissioners
Eaton and Gregory. The business is un-
| derstood to bethe complete reorganization
| of the commission. Professor Gregory
has rendered his resignation TO take effect
| on the selection of his successor. II was
Mr.. Gregory's desire to have retired some
| time ago, but Mr.. Eaton suggested that it
would be well to wait until his own case
was disposed of, 30 as not to embarrass
| the President. There are indications that
Mr.. Gregory has now asked the President
| to name his successor. There is no evil
| dence of any such desire ON the part of
Judge Thoman. He will be fired unoere-
moniously when the President gets his
new Civil Service Commission slate ready.
The President, it is understood, is very
solicitous as to the reorganization of this
commission. He holds peculiar relation
toward it, in that Civil Service reform is
| TO be the cornerstone of the administrn-
ton. 1t now calls for the incest Judgment
of men in filling the places of the present
commissioners. The unfortunate condi-
| tions are that he has as yet the choice
only between politicians and pedagogueg,
and neither one nor the other is desirable
in such a place, while the salary isnot high
enough to tempt men in the prime Of
business life.
| A PUGNAoIoUs CANDIDATE.
| A very large crowd left Washington
Thursday night on the 6.25 train to attend
the Republican meeting at Alexandria.
/ Among the passengers were John 8.
Wise, Republican candidate for governor
| of Virginia, who was to address the meet
ing, and John Amber Smith, claim
agent of Washington and formerly mem
Der of Congress from Richmond. For
some time past there has been bitter
feeling between these two gentlemen.
They occupied adjoining seats in the
smoking car and when about two miles
from Alexandria, Smith and Wise became
| involved in wrangle, id which Smith
called Wise liar. He had no sooner
| uttered the words than he received
stipging blow in the mouth from Wise,
that drew the blood and knocked him
down. Wise followed up his attack,
but the crowd interfered and stopped the
row. When Alexandria was reached
Wise went to Armory Hall, where the
meeting was being held. The meeting
was noisy from the start and when Wise
appeared on the stage and began to speak
he was interrupted by the friends of
1
numbers, with all manner of insulting
remarks and was finally forced to leave
the stage and hall and the meeting broke
| up ins disorder.
| cLEvELAND's DETERMINATION.
A Washington special says; Il is stated
upon apparently good authority that the
President is dissatisfied with both Collec-
tor Hedden and Surveyor Beattie of the
| Nnv Vprlr rtfcfnnn bn1ioa a.s1 that ,,a,thax
of their names may be sent to the Senate.
The President feels that Collector Hedden
placed him in IN embarrassing position
in the Sterling case, although the decision
that weighers must submit TO Civil
Service examination has settled the diff
Guilty. The affair, however, caused a
great deal of unpleasant comment which
was annoying. Surveyor Beattie has
studiously disregarded the Civil Service
rules, and has given the commission no
end of trouble. s'If there is one thing
upon which the determination of the
President is absolutely fxed,n said q
prominent Democrat Thursday, s'it is the
strict enforcement of theprovisions of the
Civil Service law, and he expects the
hearty cooperation of his subordinntes."
FIGHT IN PROSPECT.
There was a ferment of excitement in
Washington, Friday, over the row in
Alexandria and the personal difficulty
between the Hon. John Wise and the
Hon. John Amber Smith. Both men
belong to old Virginia families who haye
been ut enmity with each other for two
generations. The belief is here that, not
withstanding the efforts of personal
friends, further trouble is likely TO grow
out of it. There will be no duel, as Wise
has already declined to fight two or three
people, among them Capt. Page McCarty
of Richmond. In this instance, however,
as in those quarrels, the formula of an
opportunity to carry out the code will be
gone through with. Mr.. Wise will be
given q chance to fight il he desires TO
do so. If he shall refuse, as he will un-
questionably do, then Mr.. Smith will
find means to personally resent the blow
given him on the Alexandria train last
night.
This is the stand made by friends of
Mr.. Smith, who is man of undoubted
courage. 1t means an apology from Mr..
Wise or a street affray at the first meeting
of the latter with Mr.. Smith. OF course
Mr.. Smith declines to say what his in
tentions are, but the above is likely to be
the course adopted. &
an OLD RULE REYOKED.
| ~ as-i
A New Special Rule for Civil Ser
| vice ImprOVemeur.