Year: 1873

|


w. p Bur0ezl, Esq. Chairman of Central
| Committee, Richmond:


Dear Sir-I had the honor to receive by the
| mail OF yesterday your letter inviting me to be
present and address mass meeting OF the citi-
zens OF Richmond, on Friday night, Aug 22d.
| AS L cannot conveniently be present on that
occasion, | hope you will excuse me for address
| ing few lines expressive of my cordial concur
renee in the objects of the meeting.


| The Conservative Convention which recent
ly assembled in Richmond did its work wisely
and well. If they had taken month for de-
| liberation they could not have framed a ticket
| better calculated to insure harmony among the
voters, or more admirably adapted to the ext
| gencies of the times. 1t is ticket of which
every Virginian may feel proud. Turn it up
side down or inside out-combine its elements
| ln any way you ch0ose-it will still present a
ticket eminently worthy of confidence and en-
| thusiastic support. Each member of it is Vir-
ginian by birth, and in interest and feeling =
| Each possesses an unblemished character, high
intellectual ability, and brilliant record of pa
| triotic service.


| The representatives Of the people in conven-
| ton having thus faithfully fulfilled their duty
| in nominating such a ticket, it now becomes the
duty of the people, at the polls, to ratify their
action by Its triumphant election in November.
On this point cannot permit myself to enter
tain the shadow Of doubt. The interests at
| stake are two great, too direct, too personal to
every citizen of Virginia to allow any one to
stand idle and see them sacrificed by negligence
and inactivity.


The issue now joined, and upon which the
people will be called on to render their verdict,
Is, which race, white or black, is to govern Vir-
ginia. 1t is an issue between virtue and intel
ligence on the one side, aod vice and ignorance
on the other. | admit that among the colored
race there are some who possess high degree
of intelligence, and whose moral worth entities
them to our respect. But even these men cam
not deny that the mass of their race are ignor-
ant, indolent and unft repositories of political
power. Should we allow them to get control
of the government, it is easy to see what would
be the practical effects. South Carolina and
Louisiana are standing admontions to the peo-
pie of Virginia. They proclaim to US in no un-
certain tones, that if we want the rule of the
bayonet-if We want grinding taxation-if We
want State and individual bankruptcy-if we
want corruption in every department of the gov
ernment-lf We want mixed schools, mixed
churches, mixed hotels, mixed public convey
ancey and places of amusement. then let the
Conservative voters stay away from the polls
and we will soon have them. Tue people of
Virginia cannot close their eyes to the sgni-
fcant action of the Lynchburg convention on
the subject of mixed schools. The committee
appointed by that body to report platform in
their report disclaimed all idea Of mixed schools
as injurious to the interests OF both races. But
the convention promptly, and may say indig
nanly, struck this disclaimer from their polit-
ical creed.


1t Is a notorious fact that nine-tenths of the
voters of the Radical party 10 Virginia are ne
groes, and yet, strange to say, not single ne
gro was placed on the State ticket of that party.
Here We have distinct confession by the col
ored race of their own ineompetency. They
had the power to frame. ticket to suit them
selves. The game Was in their hands. And
yet they presented for the support of the ne
groes ticket composed exclusively OF white
men! l repeat, here we have humiiitating
but emphatic confession by the negroes them
selvs of their own lnc0mpetency to govern


This action was doubtless dictated by policy.
1t was hoped that by adopting it they might
cause division In the ranks of the white men
and thus achieve a triumph of their party
Suppose such victory be accomplished. who
can doubt what the consequence would be.


The successful candidates of every party are
bound 10 good faith to reflect the wishes and
sentiments Of the majority of those who place
them In power. To do otherwise is to practice
fraud on the constituent body. If, then, the
negroes are allowed to elect their candidates,
even though they may be white men, we will


inevitably have an administration rejecting ne
gro sentiment; or, In other words, we must
have negro policy and negro government


No one can regret more than | do this un-
fortunate array of the white race against the
black. 1t ought lot to have been so, and am
persuaded that if the wishes of the white men of
Virginia could have prevailed, it would not
have been so. AT the close of the war the white
men Of Virginia felt kindly toward the negro
They were grateful for their fidelity during the
war, and for the important assistance which
they had rendered in the support of their fami-
lies. They were disposed to extend to them
helping hand and aid them in fulfilling their
duties in the new condition to which they had
been elevated. But, unfortunately, the igno-
rant and credulous negroes suffered themselves
to be seduced by artful and selfseeking dema-
gogues into Union Leagues" and other secret
societies, whose only bond of union was hostil-
ity to their former masters.


These unfortunate combinations rendered an
union of the whites indispensable for their own
protection. And now, the very miscreants who
inaugurated or fostered these leagues" for
the advancement of their selfish purposes, are
the most clamorous In denounciug that divi-
sion which is the logical result of their own ne
farlOus teachings


nope tnat during the canvass shall be able
to find some suitable occasion to deliver an ad-
dress to the people of Virginia of a graver
character than would be expected at your mass
meeting. Should such an occasion present it
self, will endeavor to discuss, somewhat at
large, several questions affecting the relation of
the colored race, not only to Virginia, but to
our whole country. The time has now come
when, in my judgment, the attention of the
American people should be awakened to the
consideration of this negro question in all its as
pects-political social, economical and humani-
tartan. For nearly hundred years the negro
has been disturbing clement in our political
| system. As slave, be caused the war; as a
| freedman he is an obstacle to the restoration of
national harmony. Is there no practical reme-
dy for this colossal evil? think there is
The consideration of these questions has an
important and direct bearing on the issues in
volved 10 our State canvass, but in their broad
er aspects they fall more appropriately within
I the domain of Federal craftsmanship, as they
can be controlled and adjusted only through
national means and agencies.


Very respectfully, yours, &c.,
ALEX. Ii. FL. STUART.


The Lynchburg Neus says: Bring out the
best men for the Legislature. Follow the ex-