Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1888-01-31
A LESION.

A Lesson.
1t was fortunate thing for the nations,
democratic party that the republicans in
Washington held convention" Tuesday
and that it fell into just the hands it did.
lesson was taught to certain estimable gen.
tlemen, republican members of Congress
that could not have been conveyed half SO
effectively in any other way.
A number of gentlemen, perhaps dozen
or more, members of Congress and republi-
cans, understood that "the republicans of
the District" to use their own phrase. were
holding a convention for the election Of De-.
egates to the next national republican CON.
yention. Though the District has no Vote
and this step seemed useless, the gentlemen
thought 1.-THE influence of so intelligent
body of republicans as thosegof the District
to quote one of them, might be effective n
other communities. So four from New F 10.
land, three from New York, three from
Ohio, and one from Pennsylvania dropped
| In Just az the convention" was irving 10
seat chairman.
The lesson was terribly effective one
No man who saw that crowd can ever fer
get it. Instead of a quiet, orderly BODY of
citizens, transacting their business in order
and decency, as they were accustomed to in
Massachusetts, Maine. New Hampshire. or
Ohio and Pennsylvania, there was simply
pandemonium, mob of bad-smeline
screaming, shrieking. howling negroes all
talking at once, The air was full of
''pints of order" and oathe, and strong
Senegambian scent rose high above every.
| thing else.
You should have seen the faces of these
excellent gentlemen as they witnessed the
spectacle of their coored fellow citizens ex-
ercising their political rights" III this is
the way they do it," muttered one gentle.
map, who had been a soldier with the free
dom of the camp 1.-THE sooner they are pre-
vented from exercising them at ell the bet.
ter" and one near him said amen"
| 1t was the spectacle of the Louisiana
Legislature in full blast under republican
rule, presenting very much such an ensem-
BILE as that in Willard Hall did Tuesday,
that caused Charles Foster and William
| Walter Phelps (of the Potter Investigating
Committee in 1074-'75) TO join with tie
democrats in their report, and then it WIZ
that the first step was taken toward letting
| that State out from under negro radical rule
| two years later.
| The gentlemen who witnessed the specta.
Gle above mentioned are republicans, very
honest in their convictions, but in whom the
instinct of decency is stronger than any
political tenet. And when Southern Con-
gresham, hearing of their visit, said TO one
of them, "Are these the people you would
place in power in all the Southern States ?"
the other WAS obliged to sorrowiuly Say,
| no" and he even went further, and said
| Ill was no wonder the South would stand it
no longer"
Now here comes question that forces it.
| self upon every thoughtful man: Is such &
mob, whether il is in Washington or Jackson.
| Miss, ft to be trusted with the administra-
ton of municipal, county, or State affair."?
| No democrat pretends to believe th2t such
q gang represent the great body of self c.
speeding men in the District who are repub
| licans. But the trouble is these decent, self
respecting men have no political influence
here when convention is bengrun, because
they will not associate with the negro roughs,
so the latter capture the convention.
Think how much worse it is in the South.
Below Tennessee the white republicans are
to the negro as one to FIVE hundred. The
loud mouthed brawlers among the latter
always control as they do here. And is it
not strange thing that after quarter ofa
century oftreedom, with schools and colleges
with great political party behind thea
helping them in every way, they say T. ey
do, at least that when representative men
of the colored race should appear TO lead
their people we invariably find lust such
leaders as were in charge Of thD % at Vii.
lard Hallp Are these then, indeed their
chosen leadersP And If they are. is the con-
dition and advancement of f'ne negro an an
couraging factor in our '.vilization?- Wash
Herald.