Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1889-03-06
Gov. Lees Return from New York.
INTERVIEWED BY A REPORTER OF TIL
RICHMOND STATE.

INTERVIEWED BY REPORTER OF THE
RICHMOND STATE.
On the night of Feb. 22nd, Gov. Lee
made speech at the banquet of the South
ern Society of NY. city which has attracted
much attention. On the night 6 the eth
be returned to Richmond, aud the next day
be was interviewed by State reporter, to
whom he said:-
eyes, sir; the more I see of the North
the more am convinced that the southern
people are the best friends the negroes
have" said the Governor. Il heard and
saw enough the other day to convince any
one that the northern people care little for
| the negro race. The very people who are
disposed to grow sentimental about the
blacks and who are really fanatical on the
subject, have nothing whatever to do with
| them. The carriage-drivers and footmen
are white, the hotel walters are white and
the servants generally are white. 1 saw
very few negroes in New York. The PEG
pie there do not want them. Now the
paper that distort my utterances on the race
question make it appear that l am hostile
| to the negro race, whereas am particular
| ly friendly, and the negroes themselves ad-
NIT that have done more for them in my
official capacity than any other Governor
ever did. But for some wise purpose, God
made the races distinct-the negro race in
ferior to the white race-and the races must
ever remain distinct. The white race ought
to and will ever dominate
''Do the northern people regard the race
question as a serious issue?"
"Why, yes. While in New York the
LII H., II Of
we'll as Democrats, and heard Republi.
can say that it would never do to put the
negroes in Office. No matter how much I
may differ with you in politics. LIE said,
we can agree on this point-this must al
ways be white mans Government
"Did you hear any plan for the solution
of the race trouble advanced?"
ooh, yes heard member of Congress
say that he was in favor of the Government
appropristing enough money to colonise
the negroes SO as to keep them distinct
from the whites. I heard many schemes
suggested. One was to send them back to
Africa; another was for the Government to
buy all the lands in three or four southern
States and COLOMBO the negroes there. An
other was for the Government to buy Cuba
and send all the negroes there. tell you,
the northern people are very much interest
ed in this matter and discuss it quite bold
ly. gave only two or three minutes in
my speech to the race topic. and what l
said was we'll received, although one or two
papers in particular distorted what I said
and tried to make great sensation of my
views.''
SIS the Southern Society of New York in
a f1ourishlng condition.
1.-THE Society is a decided SUCCESS, and
attracts great deal of attention. It has
about 600 members, and there were about
800 at the dinner on Friday in honor Of
Washington's birthday. A fiuer body of
men l never saw. There were several
northern Republicans present as guests, and
they we're loud in their praises of the south
erners. There are about so 900 southern
people living in New York. In the New
York medical profession the South leads;
some of the ablest lawyers at the New York
bar are southerners, and seven OF the ma
tional banks there have southern men for
their presidents"
"Did you meet Gen. W.T.. Sherman dur
ing your visit?"
81 did not"
ibid there seem to be much interest in
the centennial of Westinghouse Inaugural
tion to be celebrated In New York April
SOP"
Yes, the celebration will be grand
affair. The Flfth.Avepue Hotel, where I
stopped, is the headquarters for the cele-
bration committee, and the committee ia
very busy Virginia will be represented in
the parade by a number Of military com
panies, and as the railroads will sell cheap
tickets, great crowd will go from this
State. All the Governors are invited to
take part in the centennial exercises and I
expect to be present."
At this point in the interview the Gov
ernor received fresh batch of mail, which
was signal for the reporter to cut his work
short,