Year: 1871




Here, in the city of Richmond, where every
thing is open to the face of day, Justice Whites
administration of law is so impartial and so kind
hearted that even the Radical JOURNAL has been
constrained to applaud.-Whig


The Wing sees proper thus to speak of
our references to Justice White. We not
only concur with its statement referring to
Mr.. White, but again repeat what we have
SO frequently said of this gentlemen--and
that is, that he is IAN honest andjust man
in the discharge of his official duties. A
large number of trying cases, in which the
colored people of Richmond are interested,
come before Justice White, whom we have
watched with intense interest, and of whom
we have never been justified in speaking
otherwise than as we have.


The mere fact of our applauding Justice
White for being just, is evidence that he is
an exception to those who have the dispo-
sition of similar cases but Mr.. White can
not and does not leaven the whole partisan
judiciary Of the State. You need not single
him out, and refer to him as a fair sample
OF others of your party similarly situated.
We wish it would be fair to do so but the
crowded state of our pententiary, the
erection of whipping posts all over the
State, and their frequent use, deny in un-
mistakable language comparison with the
majority Of such officers.


An intimate acquaintance with many
sections of the State, and knowledge of
the conduct Of your law officers, convince
us we are not unjust when we say their
conduct has driven the colored people such
distance from the party, as that the thun-
ders OF Heaven alone can recall them.


More cases, in which colored people are
interested, are heard by Justice White,
than by any other twenty judges in Vir-
gnia, and yet we have never heard of him
condemning single one to the whipping
post, or, without the MOST JUsTIFIABLE
CAUSE, consgning them to prisons. How
is it if you cross the James into the neigh
boring county of Chesterfield? How is it
with the records of your own City court +?


We have heard your judges boast
that they had performed hard days
labor-that they had that day consigned
half dozen negroes to the penitentiary.


Such language as that III which our CO.
temporary has indulged for the past sixty
days can be Of no avail, SO long as it is
known by the colored people that the DEM
ocratic party not only legisatcs in favor of
the white and against their own race, but
carefully selects OF its material, fit tools to
execute their unjust and inhuman laws.


The negroes would be the simplest fools
of Gods creation If they did not despise
and hate your iniquitous laws, and those
who glory in their execution. If the Wing
really desires the negroes of Virginia and
the South to desert the "scalawags" and
''carpet-baggers" of the South, it must re-
form its laws, so unjust to them, put itself
upon the broad platform of EQUAL JUS
TICE TO ALL, ground its arms of opposi-
tion to their advancement, and if not out
run, at least keep up with those who are
impartial and willing to give them an open
field and fair fight.


We are engaged in the great foot race of
life, and while Republicans are willing that
all men should hear the starting word
"go," Democracy is blindfolding and
deafening the ears of the negro, until the
white man shall have started by many
yards. Slavery has given us sufficient ad-
vantage over them and it is almost an
acknowledgment of the inferiority of
our own race to be afraid at this late hour
to give the negro "start."