Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-05-08
Tho South Side speaks.

For the Richmond DBpatch-l
The selection OF Il proper, suitable, and
available candidate by the Democratic Com
vention now soon to assemble for The Office
OF Governor Of the Commonwealth is most
important MISTER. The contest Will be
close one, aud wifi require all our strength
OF course, above all other combinations,
we should nominate one the best qualified.
To do otherwise we would disregard the
true principle OF our free institutions. But
we trus, there are scores OF men Ia our
partv Of character aud intelligence, who
possess the elements OF the highest qualinca-
ton. aud who would come uptO the require
ments OF the most elevated standard. When
90 many are equal, and so many qualified
and worthy, other considerations should be
taken into account In deciding between
them. Among these, we should consider To-
cation and availability.
We propose 10 show that it is to the inte-
rest Of the whole party IN the State, the sue
cess Of our cause and in fairness and Justice,
that our gubernatorisl nominee should come
from the south side Of James river, the re-
gion Of country from the foot OF the Blue
Ridge TO The ocean shore. There are t~en.
weight az these counties IN total OF IL OF
counties and cities in the state, and contain
ing the third.slzed city IN the state, which
wants only few more in population 10
make her the second. In the last preslden-
tisl election they cast 35,Sl1 Democratic and
40, 200 Republican votes III total Of 16,511.
In every one Of these counties the negro
pOpulatlon exceeds the whiie--ln some OF
them upwards Of the proportion OF two 10
one. Hence II is that the portion of the
state that has produced some Of the
ablest statesmen OF the past, such as
Archibald Cary, John Randolph, John \.
Mason, John Winston Jones, Is. watkins
and William Leigh, William y. Cites,
Brodnax, DrOmgOOie, Gbolson, Nash, Alex
ander, GoOde, Nenable, Logan, FiOurDOy,
Mllson, Darlington, and Edmunds, has been
ever since the war almost without repreSen~
taton. The ban has been put upon the
talent the education, and the prOpcrlE-hold-
Ing element, which even our own party bias
excluded from all participation in the gov
eminent OF the State. We have never had
in the eleven counties and two cities OF the
Fourth congressional district buttwO Demo
cratic mem bers OF Congress until Hon. +. Z.
Nenablc was elected by division OF the Re-
publican vote, and but one in the eleven
counties and three cities OF the Second cons
gresNonal district, when Hon. John GOOde
crushed out the last OF the carpet bagcers.
From the year 1907, when the colonial gov
eminent was first established, up TO 1882
among nnety-two Governors Of Virginia,
the South side country has had only
three-Beverley Randolph, OF Cumber.
land; william B. Giles, Of Amelia,
and William L. Cameron, Of Petersburg.
and all tue State Offices have been virtually
closed against her sons. 10 4 minority in
the counties, in minority in the General
Assembly, without representation anywhere
except 10 our party conventions. we are
practically ostraclsed. II any young man
Of Democratic prOclivittes, full OF ambition,
merit, and hope, in the South Side looks
Sround him 10 see where be shall spend bis
DAYS and exert his energies IN the lace OF
life with the best and nOblest OF the land,
be sees that If be lives In the land OF his
birth there is no possibility that be can ever
hold any OF the Offices OF bis mother Com
monwealth or OF the Federal Government.
II he should take r lower look, with view
TO holding any county offices, be finds there
We is also entirely excluded, and has only TO
choose between expiration or ohscurity.
What temptation, then, 10 Join the strong
side and connect himself with party which
promises 70 It's members all the prizes Of He.
Anv one who knows human nature must see
bow many Will yield. II is beneficial to any
aspiring man 10 be Democrat in Augusta,
Frederick, aud L0udOun, bVt % be Dem
ocrat IN Prince Edward, NottOway, Meek
lenbug, and Surry, where, II be runs Tor
the Legislature OF any other position be VIII
be beaten by negro unless he has money
enough or manners requisite 10 get the negro
vote, is very different matter. Hence It is
that the Democrats In these twenty-eight
counties have been tempted and tested As II
by fire, and their fidelity is true indeed. De-
lbera,ey ignored by their own party in the
State government, with everything against
them at home, they exhibit spectacle
OF disinteIested devotion 10 their c0un-
try upeQualled by anything IA these
modern DAYS. They ana they alone have
practically to work out the negro problem.
| In Northern Virginia IL is no question at All
with the negroes IN n minority. With a
Federal tax upon our staple, with but little
| immigration, having to rely upon the IN
| skilled labor OF the negro, with all our coun-
~ Offices, which come 50 near and affect IA
much the private interests OF every man,
| filed by those ininical in politics. some OF
them ignorant and corrupt and Others sue
| cumbing to public opinion formed among
such surroundings, those who remain Demo.
| Gratis are the Abdiels OF earth, "faithful
among the iathlesS, faithful only they"
These causes will. although slowly yet Ger.
! tainly, produce their natural effects. study
| the figures Of the votes and remember by
what q small majority Cleveland had last fall
IN the whole State. II is painful to see that
our Southside Democratic vote ia decreasing.
WILLIAM POPE DABNEY.