The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-07-08
Getting Back 70 Old Times.

The Civil War o. the sixties. and the
reconstruction in the South that followed,
DESTROYED many of our old time customs
and luxuries. In the good old
tines that our father and grand
fathers delight SO much to tell US
about. the people loved public debate.
INDUCED In by candidates and aspirants
Tor political honors. In those days men IN
the eye of the public used to meet on the
hastings 10 discuss questions OF State and
national interest even In Off years. They
did not wait for campaign years. for the
people were always ready TO hear politics
ana political questions discussed by men
who knew how to speak and how to de-
lend their views and the views of their
respective parties, on all question that
concerned the people.
The war and reconstruction, with the
introduction upon the political scene OF
an entirely new element knocked this an
Gent custom, dear to the hearts Of Viz
ginians, especially, and sou,herners
generally. into a cooked hat.
Old southern gentlemen and statesmen
could not stand before mixed audience
of white men and negroes and address
them as my dear friends and fellow
citizens" Old time white men could not
and would not stand and swelter in the
sun at an outdoor meeting or crowd
into country courthouse with loud
+ mouthed perspiring negroes TO hear great
< questions of State discussed. and more
than all. they could not stand to hear
one side OF such questions argued by
carpetbaggers and scallawags, who APP
pealed only to the worst passions of their
negro hearers. To do so was to start a
fight.
Old southern statesmen did mako an
honest effort after the war to resume old
customs, Iieren under changed conditions,
but it.MoH1dn't work. The mixing UP of
the negro and the white man on the hus-
tings was found TO be quite as impossi-
BILE as similar mixture IN the church
or in the social circle.
II was to the credit Of aoutherners that
they tried the scheme. but they found
1t wanting. A canvass in Pttsylvania
county. Va. by the late Colonel Thomas
S. Fournoy on one side and Lewis Scott
negro orator on the other; and like
attempt about the same time at can
vnss OF Granville county in North Caro-
lima by Hon. Lee S. Edwards on tht
Democratic side and Cunec Mayo, negr,
nspirnnt lapialafiva t,n,nrs ~, ~.
Republican ticket. put an end to Join
political discussion In all this region O
, country. For reasons already Indicated
3 1t would not work under the change,
conditions and discussion by political CD
poncnts went into state Of inocuou
desuetude, as Mr.. Cleveland would say
For generation past political dscussio
In the South has been one-s sided and tn
young men of to-day know but little o
what their fathers sc much delighted IL
debate by the candidates."
"a The appearance of Governor Montaru
and Senator Martin in debate at KIN
George courthouse on Thursday revive
for day mt least an old time custor
that old time Virginlans loved. |, Is likel
tina new time yrgnans viii love II OUT
as well II they shall be permitted to g,
used to IT, and why shouldn't they?
The negro problem SO far as 1t nc
tai's TO politics. is now out of the wa,
The mixed audience is a thing Of the pas
and the bitterness ii cngendcrcd Is
more
The primary election plan seems
have opened the way for the reins,at
rnent Of a grand old vireinia and scout
ern custom. Score another point in fay
of the urinary