Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-02-07

southern raift0ie Woo naNc 'lc inhf'-
rial prosperity and tho reputation of their
country at heart. Yours very truly,
MARION l.. DAWSON.
February 8. 1881.
Mr.. Dawgon says that we must con-
cede that within the past thirty years
the negro race has made wonderful
strides In the direction OF better.ng their
condition"
Yes. IN a way. they have, but this *
very different proposition from that
contained IN the article in question,
wherein he asserts that their moral ana
intellectual Improvement has been little
less than marvellous" and that the
time HAS PASSED for them ever again
to consent to become the mere tools OF
INSCRIPTIONS and designing ofiiee-seek-
ers."
Educational progress they have made'
we admit, and they have acquired some
property. too. but where is the evidence
OF their moral improvement? Young men
OF this race are prone now TO commit
such crimes as were well nigh unheard
OF I'm the olden time. and the jails and
penitentlaries are filed with members
OF the race incarcerated for other crimes
These are facts which no amount OF
able and ingenious theorizing can get
rid Of They ought not to be disguised
but should be pointed out 50 plainly that
worthy leaders Of the negro race may
address their attention TO remedyins
them.
Nor do we realize that we are in error
in thinking that the negro vote OK TINS
city Is about as united as ever. In EVIL
donce OF this. we may refer 10 tne
patriotic efforts of Chairman Dawson
and others TO see to it that the Demo-
cratic party was well represented by
challengers in Jackson Ward at the last
election. Ii then looked very much as
though Mr.. Dawson thought that the
colored vote OF that section Of the city
was solid enough against us.
Indeed If the situation were as rosy
as Mr.. Dawson insists that 1t Is. there
would be no Jackson Ward, nor need
for any. That ward would be merged
into other wards. We should then have
this city divided into eight or ten wards
and be wholly without fear that 'he
negroes would carry any one OF them'
since "they carefully and conscienuousy
study the Issues which are involved III
every nolitical canvass, and in many IN
stances thoroughly understand them
But as long as Jackson Ward exists
and as long as our City Democratic Com
mittee takes the precautions thal II
usually takes at the polls In Jackson
Ward Mr.. Dawson will not find many
followers IN his theory that the danger
NJ negro rule now really exists ohly
in the distempered imaginations Oh pohu-
cal demagogues." by the way, VINO are
the political demagogues" who VIII IN
sist mon maintaining Jackson ward as
nolitlcal division of this city? VINO
are the political demagogues' who VIII
insist upon sending Democratic chai-
lengers to Jackson Ward-a ward largely
inhabited by a race who carefully STUDY
the issues involved in every pohtical
canvass? etc.
Mr.. Dawson. in the foregoing letter
assures us that he does not wish to be
understood as intimating that the
Southern States. or any of Them VIII
aver desert the Democratic party,
because the principles of that party are
right" etc.
Then we must say that Mr.. Daw-
SON was unfortunate in choosing his
language, for the closing paragraph OF
his article in the North American Re-
view is as follows:
These facts are now practically con-
coded by all who profess to be famlllar
with the existing conditions in the South.
AS they become more generally under
stood the fear Of negro domination VIII
be gradually dispelled from the southern
mind. and this bond of common interest
and self-defence. which has 30 long
united the solid South Will become
less and less a factor in southern elec-
TONS The color-line in politics VIII dis
appear, normal political conditions VIII
he re-established. and THE PEOPLE
WILL VOTE AS THEY DID BEFORE
THE WAR, in accordance with dictates
Of conscience or self-interest.
We submit that Mr.. Dawson can blame
no one but himself If his article In the
North American Review leaves the i'm
preston that he thinks the time is near
ing when the people Of the South Will
vote as they did before the war, I'm ac-
cordance with dictates Of conscience and
self-interest."
Let us give the negro his due, but let
us not disguise the fact that his pre-
sence among us as a voter is menace
to the peace and progress of the South
If this be not So why have MISSISSIPPI
and South Carolina adopted the State
Constitutions that they have? Indeed
see what every single Southern State
has found it necessary to DO, to lessen
his influence at the polls. In truth, so
far from conceding that the negro care
fully and conscientiously studies the Is
sues which are involved in every politi-
cal canvass" we must say that there
never was a time when the people Of the
South were more anxious than they are
to-day to eliminate this united, ignorant
and dangerous influence from our electo-
rate. This is true Of the whole
South. particularly of Virginia, and more
especially OF Richmond city.
Yes. we repeat, let us give the negro
the credit that is his due, but let us not
disguise from ourselves, or from him,
the glaring faults we see in him.
And so we must reiterate our dissent
from the conclusion of Mr.. Dawson,
that the freedman has exhibited mar
yellous" moral Improvement; also, from
his theory that there is no longer any
danger of negro rule, and that the time
is nearing when the white people may
vote as they did before the war;
This freedom from the menace Of the
,,o ,,ota we shall believe IN