Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-09-25
THURSDAY. .sEPTEMBER %, 1890.
vircin,a the White Man. and the Negro

South feel an honest pride when we note
how in one generation we have overcome
The most depressing influences that have
ever borne people down ana risen AGAIN
to be a great power IN controlling theI
career Of our country.
Virginians have especial right to ENJOY
this satisfaction. for at no period OF the
worlds history has people passed from
calamity so dire as ours was 10 prosperity
so great rs ours Is to-day.
Proud as yirglnans are of a noble histo-
~. never have they shown the power of
their race a. IN their fight against the adj
versities Of the twenty-five years Just
ended.
On the 9th of April 1865, Virginia stood
before her conquerOrs stripped OF all that
had made her great save honor. Her whole
territory was desolated by such war as
history had never recorded. The flower
Of her manhood lay dead and manned IN
her fierce battles or languished IN northern
prisons. Her fields and her beautiful
homes, her mills and her barns, and the
very implemeuts Of husbandry had been
DESTROYED. Her horses and her cattle were
all gone. every dollar Of her currency had
become waste-paper. and upon her was
visited degradation never before
in the worlds history laid upon
conquered people. for then her slaves were
made the masters Of her people to make
laws and become rulers while they (we)
stood mute. Thus il was with US on that
hopeless night But the dawn of the next
morning found us ready and strong IN our
courage for the fierce and long battle be-
fore Us. The world now knows how we
have fought that great fight, and achieved
the grand victory we enjoy to-day. The
Virginiaus Of this generation mayrevert TO
the struggle through which they have
passed with a pride as honest as that of
their ancestors who conceived and ac-
complished that scheme of civil liberty
which emancipated them from the tyranny
Of their English ancestors and blesses all
mankind to-day.
The most difficult and dangerous OF all
the perplexities which have beset US IN our
trials has been the race question.
No rejecting man can doubt that we OF
the white race do and can well govern Nir-
GINA: and our history and character give
assurance that in governing her we Will
always protect the negro. the capacity
Of the white race for governing has been
too well established before the world 10
be questioned even. Never has 1t been
more marked than during this the second
century of our country's life, while the
history of the negro from HAM till now
proclaims the necessity TO him Of the con-
troll Of higher power than any he has
ever possessed.
Abundant evidences Of all this may be
drawn from the three centuries Of the
race association in Virginia.
In 1898 Mr.. RICHARD RANDOLPH and his
younger brother john owned by inheri-
lance u large estate-each had eighty
slaves. RICHARD died III that year and bis
will manumitted his slaves and provided a
plantation for their occupation and MAIN
tenance. Because Of certain claims against
the estate thus will was imperative and
the slaves remained in bondage until 1872,
when they had increased TO one hundred
and fifty. They were then set free and put
IN possession Of the plantation provided
were at home surrounded by kindred and
every fostering influence. Bullet to then
own control they all disappeared, with the
exception perhaps Of few, III the course
OF one generation.
Meantime the younger brother JONI con-
tinued in control of mis- estate until 1882,
when he died. In his will he emanctpated
ms slaves. then increased lin servitude) to
$50. and provided for their transfer 10 the
free soil of Ohio. and TOR the purchase OF
ample lands and the establishment of new
homes for them in that genial and fertile
region, where they were surrounded by
people who were the advocates OF negro
emancipation. But in one generation that
colony has melted away. leaving no trace
Of any capacity for social, moral, or mate
rial progress Of its population.
Early IN this century Virginians and
other jealous philanthropists, under the
leadership Of HENRY CLAY, established the
free colony Of Liberia on the native shores
Of the negro. Many good people tried e
cherish this colony and the Government OF
the United States protected and helped II
on its way TO place among the nations.
The colOnlsts of the white face who
landed upon the Wild coasts of America
and have built up this great country never
enjoyed in their struggles the warm sym
patty and active aid which have beer
iavished upon that wretched. abortive at
tempt 10 illustrate in Liberia the capacity
Of the negro for self-government. The in
habitants Of Liberia to-day are more thrift
less. ignorant, and unhappy than on the
day they left tEeir Nirginian homes.
The experience Of the freed people OF
the West Indies add unquestionable evi
denee Of the incapacity Of the negro u
govern himself or anybody else.
But right here among us the strongest
demonstration has been made Of the rela
tive capacity of the races for progress
twenty-five years ago the population oil
Richmond was about 10000, Of whom near
one half were negroes. All were then poo
alike. None held property. Ours had beer
DESTROYED by the war the negroes had
never acquired any. All were alike 70
duced to their natural powers to en-
able us TO live. The white mel
were unaceustoped TO labor and mar
row means; the negroes had al
lived in those habits. The active favor o
the national Government was bestowed
upon tho negro. and no was encouraged il
every way to ASSERT all Of his rights as q
free citizen
Dressed in his bret authority he stood
ss All armed sentinel over the home Of hi'
late master. The suffrage taken from tn,
white man was given to the negro, and
now and then white man claiming Viz.
ginian descent was found base enough to
teach him 10 use II to riyet this unnatural
despotisin upon Virginia and drag our PEG.
ple down. But by the uncomfortable
spirit Of this Virginia race all these
schemes have returned TO plague the
inventors, and to-day Richmond in hel
prosperity. her matchless beauty, and bel
dsuntless courage proclaius the domi
pant capacity Of the white raee---how the
negro works when the white man rules.
"a <t-..xo~ L a. Am 10 yrsd fhe ueVfo with