Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1895-03-29
FRIDAY MORNING, MAR. 20, 1895
THE GOVERNOR AND THE MASSA-
CHUSSETTS DARKEY.

We don't know when we have seen such
tumble as has come out of the reception
by Governor O'Ferrall, at the Governor s
mansion some days since, of a committee
from the Massachusetts legislature, sent
South to investigate the facilities there fol-
manufacturing cotton. Some of the com
ments made in connection with the affair
are well calculated to mslead the public
for we question if there is man in public
OF private life, in Virginia Oh the South
less likely to violate the social law in Viz
ginia by inviting Negro to his table than
is Gov. O'Ferrall. 1t seems that there
Was-a fact of which the Governor was
wholly ignorant-a Negro on the Massa-
chussetts committee, and in that ignorance
he invited them to the Governor S mansion
to lunch. The white men of the committee
arrived at the mansion and were received
by the Governor. Just before going in to
lunch the Negro member of the committee
accompanied by the Negro editor of a
paper in Richmond, with whom he had
been driving around and seeing the sights
in Richmond, also arrived. When the com
mittee started into the dining-rOom with
the Governor, both of the Negroes, to his
establishment, moved in with them. 1t
was at this point the Governor seems to-
have lost his head for, instead of taking
aside the Richmond editor, who well under
stood the situation-or if it was necessary
one of the white members of the commit
tee-and quietly and courtaously explaining
to him that such breach of social custom
in Virginia could not pass, even under
cover of an official reception, he let the
Negroes participate in the lunch at which
the Mayor Of Richmond, Mr.. Richard Tay-
lpr, was also present.
1t strikes us that if the egro editor had
been thoughtful representative OF the
best class of his people in Virginia, he
would, himself, have given the Massachus-
sets Negro the proper information and
avoided all the trouble The Virginian
knew perfectly well that in this State no
respectable Negro invites to his table, nor
welcomes there, any white man, nor does
he regard it as anything less than an i1aa-
pertinence for such a man to atterQ9t such
Il familiarity, and he well knew chat no
respectable white man willingly welcomes
a Negro at his table.
The outcome of the a Tstir has been COM
ical. The Massachusetts committee on
getting home thankaa She governor tor his
cordial reception the governor naturally
and holly denies that there was any cordi-
aIity about it and informs the committee
that but fol- its being forced on him by his
official position it would have been too dis
gushing TO tolerate; the Negro organ in
Boston roundly abuses the white members
of the Massachusetts committee for hav-
ing submitted to the Negro member being
ruled out of hotels and sent to board with
Negroes on the tour South, and altogether
it is a. conlical affair.
1t may be safely said that Gov. OFFER
gall will never invite another Massachus-
sets committee to the mansion without
having quarantined it at least long enough
to ascertain the color of it's members. If
that had been done in this case, we may be
sure no Massachusetts OF Virginia Negro
would ever have lunched in the EXecuti CO
mansion.