The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1885-10-08

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convention 81 eolored people which con-
vened In Lynchburg On the soth of Sept. t
is modest in its terms and eoliser vative III
spirit. We insertit IN our columns as a
matter of news. as we'll as TO give utter
ance to what the convention desired Inc
people Of their race IN Virginia to know
It has been the policy of the VFIRaINIAN
to aid the colored people in every step cal
culated to advance their Interests and ele-.
vate the plane of their thought and action.
Were this movement honestly divorced
from political consideration. we would most
cheerfully commend it to the approval
and acceptance of the coored race. The
temper Of some of the speakers. as we'll
as the expressions, however, show that the
real purpose was to create the impression
that it is to the interests OF the celored
people to vote the Democratic ticket III
the November election It has been
stated that the movement was engineered
by Democratic politicians, and that the
expenses of the attendance We're largely
borne from Democratic funds. OF this
we know nothing. But it is rather sin
gular that the Convention should have
been convened in the midst of an exciting
political contest, and that all the denun-
Citations heard from the speakers were of
Republicans. That tie Democratic papers
Of the State have been exceedingly friend
ly to the movement, there is 10 question.
That they expect benefit from it there
can be no reasonable doubt. Whether
from an actual accession OF colored votes
or as an excuse for resort to Illegal
methods, can only be demonstrated when
the ballot box is opened, he vote cast and
counted.
In whatever way the influence of the
convention may operate, there is one
conclusion to be reached and that is, the
Bourbons can no longer justify their
charge that the Republican is the niger
party The solicituee they have mani
tested for the colored vote the ingenious
methods they employ to win it, and the
earnest efforts they MAKE TO divert it from
the Republican candidates, demonstrate
very clearly that it is not so much horror
at the idea of the negro voting as it is for
| whom he votes. 1t takes from Bourbon
demagogues one of their most effective as
! it has been one of their most wicked and
mendacious appeals. and relieves the can
vass of that bugbear which has been sue
cessfully used in the past to frighten TIM
i'd people from voting their honest senti-
ments. The result will be that, if even
the delegates to the Lynchburg Convention
did not represent sfollowing. thousands
of white voters who have rot heretofore
supported the Republican party. because
Of the cry of niger, Niger, viii now
unite with that party and give their votes
to measures and policies in which their
interests are directly involved. Let the
white voters of the State remember that
the Bourbon press and managers have Civ.
en- all the aid and comfort to the gather
/ ing of colored people in Lynchburg that
they dared do openly, for the purpose of
converting the results of their proceedings
into a Bourbon annex, and in the hope OF
securing the election of the nominees of
that party, when they know they have no
chance of success save by such means. In
the great Valley of Virginia and the
Southwest the Republican strength is
largely composed of the sturdy yeomanry
who make the values of the Common
wealth and create the wealth upon which
the State depends for existence. If the
negro vote Of the East should be cast
for the Republican ticket, with anything
approaching the unanimity that Bourbon
papers declare when they are addressing
audiences, then the Republican candidates
will be elected by an overwhelming ma
jority. It is only by dividing the col
ored vote more than it has heretofore
been that there is any chance of Demo-
cratic success, with free ballot and fair
] count.
/ 1t is right and proper for the eolored
people to meet and deliberate and act upon
questions and interests affecting their
welfare. 1t is q source Of gratifcationto
witness any evidence manifested of a
4 greater degree of self-reliance and solicit
tude for the genuine welfare of their race,
on the part of colored men. But if they
only appear as mercenary decoys. influ-
enced by no higher motive than to serve
the purposes of design Bourbon
tricksters and demagognes, then the re-
suit must be a palpable harm to them and
a boomerang to those who are guilty of the
deception they would practice. The can
yass has exposed SO many Bourbon make
shifts and inventions to deceive and mis-
lead voters and avert the wrath Of the
/ people, that it will surprise no one if it
shall be developed that the hand Of Bour-
bonism was in the IyncAburg Conyen-
| tion.
! Their whole canvass thus far has been a
continued expression of false pretenses
and deception. There has been no honest,
frank, manly appeal to the judgment of
the people, upon the issues involved,
or the records of the two parties. These
are waived aside, to make way for cavalry
parades, bugle calls. and the pomp
and circumstances of war at a time of pro-
found peace. This has been the resort
to win the unthinking. 1t therefore
could not be past the emergencies Of the
contest if desire was fathered and en-
couraged to divide the colored vote, in the
hope that this factor in our political
relations might turn the scale in IA
vor of the best people, the burthen of
whose song in other campaigns has been
l. Il