The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1889-10-24

! THE FORMER ACCUSES THE LATTER OF
81 ATTACKING HIM BECAUSE HE IS A
NEGRO.
Washington Star, Oct. Il.
Hon. John NJ. Langston arrived in
Washington yesterday afternoon on his
way from Virginia to Ohio. He is not
going to take part in the Virginia cam
paign Instead of working for Malone
he will take the stump for Foraker. He
left for Ohio ON the late train last night.
Before leaving he talked freely and
! frankly with a Star reporter about the
situation in Virginia.
''Mr Malione's policy" he said, s'seems
! 10 be if | may make a word for the occa-
Sion, trying to democratize the republi-
can party in Virginia. He wants to drive
the negro into obscurity, giving him no
ountenance or recognition, that he may
tather around him white democrats who
l1eaAswilling to get what they can out OF
4 the republican party if the negro is put
I down. He is trying to drive out and put
! down the negro for being a negro.
They published my letter of Septem-
Der 3 and sent it out as a campaign doc
ument under the caption 'Langston a
party man. He will support the repub-
| Iicans in the Old Dominion He says he
y
/ to speak in the State But meanwhile
had not seen Mr. Malone or any Of his
lieutenants. | had had no talk with
members of the State committee as to
/ the plan of the campaign and what was
! expected of me. / had been in Ohio and
went from there to Petersburg. | ex-
| pected to meet Malone Or Bowden, or
some other member of the committee
there, but / did not find them. There
was not a white man in sight. Some OF
Mahones colored understrappers were
on hand and said everything had been
arranged for me to speak and there was
a large assemblage to hear me, all color
ed men. | said that was all well enough,
but where was Mr.. Bowden | HAD had
no conference with him. There We're
some matters to talk about before l en-
tered into the canvass. [ had received
no invitation. | sent word to Mr. Bow
den that | was there and ready to talk
with him when convenient. Word came
back for me to speak that night as adj
vertised, and that we would confer the
next day. spoke, making such speech
as | thought | ought to. About six
thousand negroes were present None
of the committee, not white man, at
tended the meeting.
1.-The next day / was ready to talk
with Mr.. Bowden, but the interview was
not to be had. | was there at their SER
vice, but Malone, Bowden and the rest
were off in some quiet place. The com
municationS with me were all through
some negro understrappers of Malone.
| made it known that | was ready to
make an appointment; then awaited.
Monday evening | got letter from Mr..
Bowden saying that he would see me
Monday morning; that he would leave
the city Monday evening. went around
to headquarters saw Brady and Con
gresham Burrows. Bodwen had gone
and would not be back until Thursday.
They wanted to know how long | would
remain. l said | had appointments in
Ohio to speak for Gov. Foraker, but
should remain in Petersburg until Fri
day. Then | should go to Ohio If
meanwhile Mr.. Bowden wanted to see
me | should be there On Thursday Mr..
Bowden sent word that he had been
called off by dispatch to see a sick
child.
lon Friday two negroes came to me.
and after some messages back and forth
conducted me to the Albemarle hotel.
One of them stayed down in the bar
room and the other conducted me to a
private apartment up stairs, which had
! been secured for the occasion There
were Bowden, Lamb and Waddill. They
asked the colored man who conducted
Inc there to take a seat. | told them
( that he was merely an attendant they
had sent to show me the way, and that.
as had no further use for his services, |
would excuse him. He had not come
with me to take part in the conference.
He left and we had our talk / told them
that was ready to take hold and help
carry the State; that | was a republican,
and was anxious to work for the cause of
my party,
Mr.. Malone had attacked me on ac-
account of my color and the curl of my
hair. In a speech he had said that he
would fight against my going to Congress
because the time had not'come when the
Petersburg districtcould be represented
in the House by negro. In view of this
there was one condition upon which |
should enter the canvass. They had re-
ceved my letter and issued it as cam
paign document Now what / wanted
was an invitation to take the stump in
the State for Malone. advising my peo-
pie to work for him, with the distinct
agreement that he should cease fighting
me in the contest for my seat in the
House on account of my color. | did not
want any unusual consideration given
me; did not want any assistance 10 get
that seat if was not entitled to it lnder
| the law. All | wanted, told them, was
a distinct agreement that, if my lawyers
proved beyond doubt that was elected,
/ Malone and the republican committee
should not fight me merely because |
was a negro.
Il wanted no peculiar favors on ac-
! count of my race, but did not want to
/ be deprived of justice upon no other