Evening star., 1898-11-08
EXPECTEDTORETURN
Republicans Counting on the Inde-
pendent Colored Voter.
TIE CONFERENCE At CHARLOTTESVILLE
Discoufaging Effect Of the Trouble
in North Carolina.
CIRCULAR TO THE LEADERS

After the ballots have been cast today
an interesting chapter may be written con-
cerning the colored voter in politics. In
some respects events preceding the cleo
tion, so far as they relate to colored voters,
have been of unusual interest.
Last summer a conference was held
among colored voters throughout the state
of Virginia concerning the attitude their
race would take this fall This conference
was called together by the distribution
among limited number of colored leaders
of circular, which asked that they meet
at Charlottesville, Va, June 30, to devise
plans for a more perfect organization
among colored voters of that state The
circular was signed by a score or more of
men well known to the colored people of
Virginia and the result of the conference
was not fully appreciated until nomina tons
for representatives and others were being
made and the campaign was well ad-
vanced.
An independent Movement.
Ihen 1T was seen that in a very large
number of districts throughout the state of
Virginia the colored voters were putting up
their own candidates against the regular
nominees of the republican party. This in
dependent action had been taken because
the colored men claimed they were not all
lowed tEelr share of the patronage by the
republicans and that they could get along
with independent action a great deal better
than by following the leadership of white
men.
number of colored men showed great
deal oil enthusiasm over this new plan of
campaign, but after tine race war in North
tafoHha mad become well developed there
was change of feeling and now it is said
colored men who signed the circular calling
for this independent action are extremely
anxious to disconnect themselves with the
movement The first name that appeared
on this circular is that of Thomas l..
Jones, who later was placed as the colored
mems candidate in the district of Virginia
In which Thorp was the regular republican
candidate. During the last few days Mr..
Jones, after having run a short career as
candidate for Congress, has withdrawn
from the field and has thrown his strength
to the regular republican nominee The de-
Velopments in North Carolina have had the
eject of creating a great deal of excite
nient among the colored people in Virginia.
with a result that those who left the repub-
hcan party are scanpering to get back in
to it.
solidifying the CoIored Vote.
Indeed, republicans who place any espe-
cial importance on the colored votes
throughout the United States, are quite
satisfied that the result of the North Caro-
vote practically solid for the republican
ful states this vote is of sufficient import
ance to be very acceptable at the present
tune. OF course, as rule, colored men
nave voted the republican ticket, but it is
SAID that In New York city there is quite a
colony of colored men who ordinarily might
have voted the democratic ticket but who,
1t Is believed, will vote for the republican
candidates.
NJ COLL he
Charlottesville, Va, on June 80, was the
Keynote TO independent action on the part
OF colored men, but since the DEVELOPMENTS
of the last month 1t is said that a large
number of men who have their names on
this circular are extremely anxious to dis
avow sympathy with that movement and
to explain how they happened to get drawn
into it, This circular is rare one at the
present time and follows:
Circular Sent to the Leaders.
Headquarters of the Virginia
Republican League, 816 D street, NV.
Washington, D. C.
To the colored republicans of the state of
Virginia, greeting:
We, the undersigned, members of the Vir-
ginia Republican League, voters and resi-
dents of the state representing each con-
gressional district of Virginia do hereby
request that you send a representative from
each county OF your state in the several
congressional districts to q conference of
republicans of the state which is to be held
in the city of Charlottesville Va, Thurs
day, June 30, 1898, at II O'Clock. The OBJ
ject of the said conference is, first, to de-
wise plans and means with a view of per-
fectfng a more perfect organization among
the colored voters of our state, and to de-
termine upon such candidates as may be
found suitable and proper to be nominated
for Congress in the several congressional
districts of our state.
The colored people of our state, who have
tn y
nave never received the recognition in the
councils of the party and otherwise, to
which they have been and are entitled and
their condition today is more deplorable
than at any time since the days of recon-
structlon. In the presidential election of
1896 the negroes were true and loyal to the
party of their choice. Their party triumph
ed in the election of President Mckinley
and what has the negro received? In the
distribution of federal patronage of our
state the white republicans have formed
themselves into what is known as a close
corporation, and parceled out all the offices
among themselves, giving the colored voters
no representation in the matter of appoint
ments. 1t is a well-known fact that there
are many lucrative positions of honor and
trust in the state outside of the post offices
that could have been well and properly fill
ed by representative colored men, namely
collectors Of internal revenue, northern and
eastern districts; collector of customs of the
port of Norfolk, Va; two circuit court
Judges, eastern and northern districts; two
United States district attorneys, eastern and
northern districts; two United States mar
shals eastern and northern districts: six
collectors of customs, six deputy collectors
and many others all paying an annual sal
ary from 5000 to Sc 900 each making an
aggregate of over $4,000, and not one of
these positions are filled by colored men,
but are divided among our state and execu-
tive committee and their few white personal
friends who have gotten the ear of the ad-
m:nistraton and have absolutely refused to
lndOrSe cOlDrp1 repnhljc1n
ment within or without the state Up 10
date the colored republicans have only been
given one deputy at Old Point, Va, paws
81, 400 per year; one collector of customs
Tappah hammock Va, pays 5000 per year; a
few places as 1aborers in the departments
In this city at 500 per month each, and about
the same in the Norfolk navy yard form
ing an aggregate of about 5000 per year;
yet the colored republicans of our state CON
tribute to our party Ia, 600 voters while
the whites only 10000 votes
The vote that elected Yost to the Fifty
NTH Congress, and the evidence produced
10 mr. WI