The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-11-04
a Ridiculous Campaign

Whatever may be the results tomorrow Of
tue Virginia campaign, and it is to be feared
that some Of them will be deplorable and
tragic, the campaign itself has been thor
oughly ridiculous If we view it from the
standpoint of the absurd prejudices which it
has aroused. Mahone's followers must stand
their share of the responsibility for this I'M
less they have been belied. From the book
of Joshua the negro parsons have been quot
ing prophesies that lead the supplemented
negro voters to believe that all the posses
sions promised TO the Israelitcs will come 10
Them il Malone wins; while there seems 10
be some foundation for the charge that the
bugbear of return to slavery has been held
up to make the negro an ardent pilgrim to
the polls on election day. These extravagap-
cies are without doubt ridiculous; although
the negroes are excusable for indulging in
them If anyone can be. 1t is not to be wsn-
dered at that the poor freedman, with scanty
opportunities for obtaining information on
subjects of government and society,
should give himself up unreservedly
to ante election absurdities. But what
shall we say of the educated white people
Of Virginia, who are doing even more than
their colored neighbors to make their State
canvass ridiculous. The old "seryile insur-
rections" which the Southern statesmen
used, in their orations, to tremble before.
but which never came, even In the DAYS of
the war when there were all facilities for
such disturbances, were small terrors beside
those which the Democrats of Virginia have
been conjuring up In the present campaign
Thar rub
startling editorial appeals. The Richmond
Dispatch in recent issue, after declarngi Its
belief in the protective tariff and in the wis
dom of abolishing the internal revenue taxes,
"a declaration which it is worth while to
notice-goes on to declare that these issues
"pale into utter insigniicance before the lv-
Ing burning question OF white supremacy. Let
any man who doubts the impsrtane of this
question read 'Haytl: or the Black Republic by
an eminent author, Sir Spencer st. John, who
thrilling account of the daily practice of cannibal
Ism and the revolving rites of Voudoo worship,
cSiIdre a 10y IN lying up unfortunate little negro
heads, SO that their blood will drip into buckets
nan nlled with rum TO be drank hy the bideous
wretehes, the scene eliminating III a hell carni.
val of crime and debauchery too sickeninp to Ia
aae,scrloed are we to come to this in southside
never until the cavalier blood of the South has
mingled forever with the soil of their country
This cavalier blood. which is relied upon
TO save Virginia from such imaginary hor-
rors, Is, the Dispatch conceives, the immedi
ate object of most felonious conspiracy:
Inc New England Puritan, the Hungarian
Gay an, anu the German and Russian Anarchist are
SEEKING 10 sun further Afrcanize the South nv
placihs us under the ban of these Involuntary I'M
mgrS1 isl, 10 our shores, ana thus crush out that
when tney nave always dete ted and always
feared, NE cavalier sh blood which flows in Ike
veins OF by lar the greater part of The nsonio t
Virginia. William Mahoneis the agent Of his IL
unholy coalition. VI 'iiiS
The blind fury of this trumped up panic is
not content to rage within the confines of
Virginia, but must pursue the goblin wher-
ever found.
When Frederick Douglass leaves on a govern