Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-11-23

the numerous millionaire who think with
you, have 70 do h to send down rev
thousand dollars to "Ofd Virginia. eno
the uuiettered men, white ana coiorsu'
may be taught TO read, and we VIII un-
dertake TO teach them how 10 think ana
act
/ say, however. without hesitation. that
II is better. far better. for the interests Oh
this country that the poor, uniettereu mnn
should cast his ballot by chance ana Ius.
10 God rather than 10 trust the pon.cni
hecler, be he Republican or Democratic
A PROPOSITION.
Now I make this offer to you in the ut
most rood faith. was born and raised
in the northern part Of the county OF
Automatic, Va. The only precinct In that
portion OF the county which gives a he-
publican majority is UP In the noun
tains. Ont OF n vote OF about 10 II
gave q Republican majority OF ~: NOW
come down next July and ] Will take you
10 that precinct. We will camp out Tor
month. We will shoot squirrels ana eaten
trout. will give you fried trout aha
broiIcd trout. stewed squirrel and broiled
squirrel. and squirrel pie and brunswick
stew. GLORIOUS old Colonel Fred. SKIN
ner. OF blessed memory. always said that
made the best Brunswick stew IN
America.) Every m0rning after we say
our prayers we will read the Declaration
OF American Independence. written by one
Thomas Jefferson. Of whom, perhaps you
may have heard. We Will then read the
virginia Bill Of Rights" written by one
George Mason, a plain Virginia farmer
who lived and died at Gunston HAM, on
the banks of the Potomac, OF whom. i
suppose. you have never heard. Then for
half an hour we would teach the people to
read We will then spend another hall
hour in discussion. I, in my poor way.
will attempt to explain the doctrines OF
true Republlcanism q do not ike the
word 'Democrat"--there Is no significance
In ~, as taught by Thomas Jefferson
and James Madison. the Paul and Silas
who taught the true principles OF religious
and political freedom. and you may paint
the beauties Of the spurious. tinsel. shod-
dy. wooden-nutmeg Republicanism OF
Massachusetts-a combination OF the Cos
pei of hate OF the East, with the imperial
ism of the West. commonly called Srotec-
ton or McKinleyism ian unholy alliance
between Blifl and Black George, and we
will leave 20 God the right.
| may not convert you. and you may
not convert me. but OF one thing l
am certain: If you are Christian or
even a gentleman. you will have httie
more kindly feeling towards us poor
rebels of "Old Virginia." and you Will
not again attempt, as you attempted
some years ago, and are now attempting
TO do make the free white men ana
white women, too, Of this state the slaves
OF their former slaves. You freed our
slaves: to that we cheerfuly submitted.
But you deliberately attempted to make
the white people Of Virginia the slaves
OF their slaves.
God Almighty, to punish his chosen peo-
pie for their sins, sent them Into cap
tivity In Egypt When the time for
their deliwerance had come. he did not
liberate them and set them over their
Egyptian taskmasters. but led them
through the Red Sea. and the Wilderness
TO the Promised Land.
ENFRANCHISEMENT
When the Goths and the Vandals in
vaded imperial Rome, they doubtless
liberated the slaves, but they did not
make them masters over the Roman
citizens. 1t was left TO the saints of
New England, in this nineteenth CEN
fury. to inflict upon the people Of Vir-
GINA a degradation and wrong against
civilization unequalled In the history of
the world. Thanks to Almighty God.
who worked through General Grant and
the freemen of Virginia. you failed to
accomplish this purpose. You attempted
this, not through love Of the negro, but
through hate Of the master, and TO gain
political power: but 1t has proved a
boomerang upon you.
Has 1t never occurred to you that In
comforting the right Of suffrage upon the
poor ex-slave you have furnished the
most potent argument ever delivered In
defence of the humanizing. elevatlng, and
civii;zing effect of African slavery? You
have embedded In the fundamental law Of
this land to last so long as the Constitu-
ton shall stand. the solemn declaration
that the poor. abject. ignorant, degraded
Afrlcan-the lowest type Of fallen hu:
manity, save, perhaps, the Digger In
dian--has by 200 years Of slavery under
the Engish-speaking. liberty-loving, God
fearing people of Virginia become the po-
litical equal of the Puritan OF New Eng
land.
In conclusion let me beg you not TO DO
in my case as you have done In the case
of my friend Cave-visit my sins upon
the heads of my people. alone am re-
sponsible for what i have written above
Ii there be treason In II j alone am the
traitor If there be rebellion In 1t / alone
am the rebel. / am old and am not much
account, suffering from an irritating dis
ease and i think a trial Tor treason would
excite amuse and cheer me up In my old
age. Perhaps you will exclaim / am mad,
but. in the language of grand old Paul. i
will say. IL am not mad, most noble
Tribune, but speak the words of truth and
soberness." God bless you. Mr.. Tribune
may you live long and prosper. I hope to
live some years. too. and If you do not
relent and repent will do as old Miles
Cary. of Carysbrook. did, will add
codici TO my WILL and in that l will be
queath to you one ten-thousandth part OF
a grain of charity. you being wholly desti-
tute Of that commodity
Yours fraternally,
II. T. w. DUKE.