The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-01-31


And petrifies the feeling.
We have already made n point OF d.
recting attention to the fact that in IT'S
fight for honest elections the Times is
not making fight for the negroes. and
we wish to emphasize that fact as strong
" as possible. We are trying to rouse
our white fellow-citizens TO the peril
they are subjectng themselves to in al
lowing frauds in election to occur without
promptly denouncing them and causing
It to be known that they VIII not be
tolerated for one moment after they are
known.
Cheating I'm elections began I'm the negro
counties because the white people had
grown weary of long continued efforts to
prevent the negroes dominating in local
and county affairs. From very WEAKNESS
they shut their eyes to the fact that
manipulators OF the ballot-boxes were
stuflng them. because, they reasoned, it
was more humane to cheat the negroes
than to shoot them, and they would GER
tainly do the latter rather than
allow them 10 control
But IL was a bad day for the white
people themselves when they determined
TO acquiesce in this, for when fraud is
tolerated at all, it inevitably. and with
the certainty of death spreads from man
10 man. and from neighborhood TO neigh
borhood until IL will finally become the
rule In every locality and that with a
certainty that is absolute. 1t must by
degrees corrupt the white people them
selves and change us from brave, hon
orable. frank people to one that cultvates
chicane and approves of lying and theft.
The injury which we fight against is TO
the white people themselves and it is this
which makes US earnest and persistent
in our appeals TO them to stamp this
monster dead. Already a gentleman Of
the highest character and position who
lives In one of the white counties has
assured US that it is within his own
Knowledge that cheating in elections takes
place In his county. This does not sur
prise us. If the machinery of the law is
broad enough 10 cover the thief, the thief
will certainly be found in the white
counties as soon as he ascertains the |
fact. This thing is sapping the foun- |
-dations OF our State character and must |
turn us into a Commonwealth of rogues |
unless 1t is absolutely stopped.
In that wonderful performance "A Let |
ter on the French Revolution" speaking
OF the terrible civil dissensions IN France
which ended with Henry ", in 1898
Edmund Burke says:
1T is a thing to be wondered at 10
see how very soon France, when she had
"a moment to respirc, recovered and
emerged from the longest and most dread
full civil war that ever was known I'm any
nation Why? Because among all their
massacres, they had not slain the mind IN
their country. \ conscious dignity, a no.
BILE pride, generous sense of glory and
emulation was not extinguished. on the
contrary. IL was kindled and inflamed.
The organs also Of the State, however
shattered. existed. All the prizes OF honor
and virtue, all the rewards. all the dis
tinctions remained"
This might have been written OF the
people of Virginia when they emerged
from our own terrible war. The people
had been plundered. impoverished. sub
ducd. and hardly knew one day where to
seek bread for the next. But they had
IN their minds the consciousness Of duty
infiexibly performed ana though their
worldly goods were gone their noble pride
in heroic struggle elevated them far
above all these misfortuncs Virginia
never shone with such dazzling glory
as when. Frustrated in the dust. she had
nothing but the memory OF a glorious
and heroic past.
turning from what Frenchmen had done
when cast down in misfortune but clean
In their self-respect, to the case which
was actually before him when the reign
OF terror had done its worst Burke con-
tinued
but your present confusion. like
palsy, mas attacked the fountain OF life
i'sei' Every person in your country IN
a situation 10 be actuated by a prlnc,nla | I
can entertain no sensation OF life. excen, /
IN mortified and Inundated indigna- c
ton" N'e''a- /,
And this must be our fate too II we q
allow our minds 70 be led away from '
those sheet anchors OF our safety which ,,