The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-02-04
OF Tho Times-Dispatch:

Editor OF Tho tTimeS-Dspatch:
Stiff any person conspire with ano-
Their to incite the colored population of
the State to acts of violence and war.
against the white population. or incite
the white population OF the State to acts
of violence and war against the colored
population. he shall. whether such In
surrcction be made or not. be punished
by confinement In the penitentiary not
less than five nor more than ten
years."-Section 1861 OF the Code Of Vir-@
ginia, edition OF 1887.
This is a'sweeping penal statute, whose
phraseology is not susceptible OF mis-
Interpretations. The enforcement OF this
statute, backed up by the new constitu-
ton OF the State. will bring to all OF
our fresides peace and contentment
It must be remembered that the DEM
ocratIc party of Virginia has never failed
to give us good Judges. The late Major
Baker p. Lee, Judge Of the County Courts
for the" counties OF Warwick and Eliza
his court he should have Justice. Yes.
and what was true In regard to tho
pure and impartial administration OF JUS
tice in his court is true as to the other
courts OF Virginia. The rights OF the
black people In Virginia. in her courts.
are carefully respected and protected. I
am a black lawyer, respected by both
County, Circuit or Corporation Courts al
most every day. with almost as much
business as anybody else since 1882 to
attend to and have failed to see any In
Justice done to any one. So well salts
fled am I with the administration Of the
government by the Democrats that
don't want to see any change.
Why there is such n fight made against
the new Constitution OF the State know
ey1x~ ,t,,I Go Inc
let alone. 1T will result in greater good
to the black people than to the white.
Perhaps this was not intended. but o
close inspection Of tho same Will show
that am not wrong. Long before the
adoption OF tho new Constitution ceased
| to vote. because every Tom. Dick ana
vary were on q level with me Yotlns'
But as soon us this new instrument took
effect, finding myself competent, regis
| tered and voted, and have ever since
| felt like n bird out OF q dirty cage from
| long Imprisonment. am sorry 1t brings
about fi,e abolition Of the county courts
Still everything will come OUT right.
Must we black people fight an instru-
ment because It makes us more inteih-
gent and owners OF properly MS ~. ~.
| strunn emit has been In force only Few
davs but has done more good for US
| than anything that hns happened since
| tne war between the States.
The great trouble with us Is this: We
Will not save our money; and, as a gem
eral thing, persons who have no money
are not respected. be they white or
black.
where IS all this prejudice said to be
on the part of the white people against
the colored people? The fact that we
are here and doing we'll Is conclusive
evidence to my mind that they are our
friends, because If they should say to us
"go,' we would be driven out of exs-
tence like the dry leaves Of autumn,
scattered by mighty wind. Ny wife
and children are oil here and are ma
tives OF Virginia; all Of my property,
both real and personal. is here In Vir-
gin!a. Therefore, I want all this fool
ishness to stop. and stop now, or else
the statute here mentioned Will DO put
into full force and effect. II black
man cannot live In Virginia he can live
nowhere else, for T regard Virginia as
being the cream of the world and the
| garden-spot of creation. "a VI
Very respectfully.
Your Black Friend,
JAS. A, YIELDS.
Richmond, Va, Feb, 8.