Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-01-25
Malone and the Negroes.


General MAHoNR's recent declaration IN
nm interview with a reporter at Charleston
that The negro ought 10 be content WIN u
back seat in the political synagogue was cha-
rscteristic OF the man. lie opposed the
election OF LASosToS 10 Congress on the
ground that toe time bad not come ior ne
eroos to dare to aspire TO such honors. A
GOOD many persons are OF the opinion that
that time will never come, and we suspect
that General MALONE Is one oil them.
We do not know what General AAHoSEs
object was in puttlpg himself on record as
being opposed 10 office-bolding on the part
OF negroes: but we are confident that be mas
motive. and that this motive Will be made
pubhc before many months stall have rolled
over hs head. The Washington P'ess pre-
tends that II does not like MAHoNE's declara'
ton. We do. We give him credit for say
ing what all the negrophiIsts except cranks
and fool. know to be true, but what they are
afraid to- endorse. We quote from the Press
rs follows:
"The recent utieriuces OF General he
liam Malone advising and directing JUG
eolored ptople 20 take back seats IN political
affairs has created deep feeling on tne part
Of many co0red men. IL Is true
that there is cls.s Of white men al the
south who are williug to ac"ept Office under
the Harrison administration provided TIE
colored man il ordered 10 the Tear IN that
section OF the republic. We do not believe
that President Harrison has authorized
General Mahone or ady one else 10 maze
combinations WITH the Bourbon element 81
the South 10 strengthen the Republican iarty
by the sacrifice 81 the manhood, the ambi>
tion and hopes OF the black man, or that he
will select az oee OF his advisers any person
who advocates thit The colored nan shsli be
deprived OF or relinqush any OF Tue posi-
hilitics Of advancement guaranteed to hiul
by the amendments 10 the Constitution OF
the United States"
When the fifteenth amendment was under
discussion in the United States Senate q
motion was made TO amend II so as 10 make
A provide that the right OF citizens OF the
United States TO vote "AND HOLD OFFICE j"
should not be denied by the United ststes
nor by any state; but the Senate voted
down the motion. We have no doubt that
q similar motion was voted down IN the
House Of Representatives. so that It is not
true that the trainers Of the thirteeath, four
teenth, and fifteenth articles OF amendment to
the Federal Constitution intended 10 confer
upon negroes the right TO hold office. On the
contrary, the evidence afforded by the action
OF the Senate is conclusive that that body al
least did not intend TO confer that right upon
them. The sileace Of the new amendments
on the subject is itself significant fact. The
malignants went as far as they dared 10 "a
and there stopped. They left It TO the deveh
opmeuts Of the future to decide whether the
negro should be accounted qualified for of
fee or not. General MALONE has taken vi
the matter where they left II, aud declared
that Il Is not yet time for the negroes to hold
high office though they have been their OWL
masters for more than twenty years.
Elections for Governor, LieUtenant'Goy
ernor, Attorney General, and members o.
the Legislature are TO be held IN Virgins
next fall. Perhaps General MALONE ha'
ser(kd notice upon the negroes that they
muN not expect TO have any OF these
high places. We await further develop