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Staunton Vindicator: July 16, 1869 Go To Page : 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |

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Summary: This article illustrates the supposed political allegiance between the majority of black and white voters in the recent gubernatorial election. White Virginias, claiming they are the "best friends" of blacks, suggest that if the few blacks that voted the radical ticket had a chance, they would realize that they had been misled and would change their votes. All radical "cries" of intimidation and election fraud are flatly rejected.

Full Text of Article:

The course of the colored men in the late election may be regarded with a prejudiced eye by some. To avert any injustices to any we desire to call the attention of our readers to the following facts:

The colored and white voters in this section, as a whole, voted side by side for the Constitution.

They voted side by side against the Disfranchising and Disability Clauses.

These were the main issues of the contest and colored and white stood together, as one man, on them.

The only point of difference was in a choice for the gubernatorial ticket. That the colored man should vote for Wells, appealed to, by those they have been taught to believe, to vote for him as the only means of their political salvation, and warned by their professed friends that Walker's election would ensure their reversion to slavery--ignorant as the majority of them are, creates no surprise in our mind. With a colored man on the ticket it is even less surprising to any.

A number of more enlightened colored men knowing that they could not be damaged politically or pecuniarily, preferred and voted for Walker and thus more nearly allied themselves with the native whites.--Numbers, who voted for Wells, seeing that they were misled as to the difference between Walker and Wells, and that their political fate was not at all in the scale, would, if the election were to be gone over, vote for Walker.

In view of the fact then that they, in the main, voted to relieve Virginia White men of their Disfranchisement and Disabilities, and only differed with the Whites in the choice of Governor, and that they, from the light thrown on the subject by the result of the election, are less liable to be in conflict with the Whites of Virginia hereafter than heretofore, we counsel a great degree of leniency to them on account of their ignorance and bad teaching. We believe that the vast majority of our people look at this matter in the right light, but for fear a few may act from prejudice rather than reason, we call their attention to the above facts.

The contest between the white and colored men of this State ended most happily and peacefully for all parties in the late election. The colored men understand it and are rapidly realizing that the white people of the South are their best friends. They will hereafter stand with them on all important issues, for their interest are our interests. --Then let us, as one man, convince them by our acts that we are their best friends and that they have been most egregiously misled by men who desired only to use them against us, for the offices which they believe in their power to confer.

"Unfair election" say some malcontents. "Fraud, intimidation" &c say others. This is not at all singular. In every election there must be a defeated party. There must be a scape-goat and hence the cries above noted. Gen. Canby asserts that it was as fair an election as could be held in any State. It stands to reason that he is correct. Among the vast majority of the White and the Colored voters in the State there turns out not to be a great difference. The Constitution is carried by an immense majority, while the Disfranchising and Disability clauses are defeated by an equally large majority. This must have been done by the White and Colored voters combined. We know a number of White and Colored Wells men, who openly electioneered against the clauses. It was their preference without fear or intimidation of any. This we judge to have been the case every where in the State. With this the case, as far as the Constitution and clauses are concerned, the cry of intimidation and unfairness falls to the ground.

These charges are only then be alleged in reference to the votes for Walker as against Wells. That intimidation would be used to secure votes for a man as against another, when it was not used in regard to the Disfranchising and Disability clauses, which were a thousand fold more important to the people of Virginia than the choice between any man could be, is simply so absurd, ridiculous and childish that sensible men can only entertain it in fits of desperation or passion. Hence the cry has quieted if not died out. To carry the cry into requiring a new election, would result in the defeat of any extreme Radical Candidate by twice the majority that Walker has obtained. Radicals of sense can see this and hence we argue that they will drop this childish cry rather than suffer a more ignominious defeat.

Congressional Election
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Summary: Augusta delivered a 2,507 vote majority for Milnes in the congressional election. Milnes defeated Harris with a 4,727 vote majority in the district as a whole.

Intimidation
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Summary: The article asserts that black voters in favor of Wells prevented black voters in favor of Walker from voting. "This is no doubt much nearer the truth than the statement that they were intimidated by their employers."

Origin of Article: Dispatch

Circus Coming
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Summary: Old John Robinson's Big Show, Circus, and Menagerie is coming to Staunton. Jimmy Robinson, "the greatest bare-back rider in the world," will perform. Miss Cordelia, the famous female writer, will also be in the show. Clowns and a menagerie will also be highlights.

Married
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Summary: James R. McCutchen and Miss L. E. Baylor, daughter of David Baylor, were married on June 24th near Summerdean by the Rev. Harvey Gilmore.
(Names in announcement: James R. McCutchen, L. E. Baylor, David Baylor, Rev. Harvey Gilmore)

Died
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Summary: Eugene Anderson, infant son of Col. W. D. and M. V. Anderson, died on July 8th. He was 23 days old.
(Names in announcement: Eugene Anderson, Col. W. D. Anderson, M. V. Anderson)

Died
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Summary: Cora Temple Pritchard, infant daughter of J. T. and Mary A. Pritchard, died in Staunton on Friday. She was 1 year old.
(Names in announcement: Cora Temple Pritchard, Mary A. Pritchard, J. T. Pritchard)

Died
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Summary: Pearce Kramer, infant son of Rev. George and Jennie V. Kramer, died in Staunton on Friday. He was 9 months old.
(Names in announcement: Pearce Kramer, Rev. George Kramer, Jennie V. Kramer)

Died
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Summary: Rev. William Ide, father of Prof. E. Louis Ide of Staunton, died in Richmond on Thursday. He was 60 years old.
(Names in announcement: Rev. William Ide, Prof. E. Louis Ide)

Died
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Summary: Jacob Showalter died at his residence near Mt. Solon on July 2nd.
(Names in announcement: Jacob Showalter)

Died
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Summary: Charles Hanger Henkel, infant son of Jewett and Virginia Henkel, died near Mt. Crawford on July 6th. He was 10 months old.
(Names in announcement: Charles Hanger Henkel, Jewett Henkel, Virginia Henkel)