More Trouble in Henrico.
November 28, 1903
Summary
Henrico is accused of being “the worst [county] so far as political recognition of the [black] brother is concerned”; the county spreads the notion that black people are “so corrupt and so addicted to selling their votes” and should therefore be “robbed” of their “political right".
Transcription
More Trouble in Henrico.
Of all the counties in the State, Henrico is one of the worst so far as political recognition of the colored brother is concerned. It has steadily robbed him of every political right and denied him considerations that the most no-count white citizen would be accorded.
It has been charged in the daily papers here that the Negroes were so corrupt and so addicted to selling their votes that it was absolutely necessary that they be excluded from the rights and privileges at the ballot box in order that the white folks might have pure elections.
We believed and knew that this was the politician’s expedient to ride into power.
The intention was to promise something which was out of the realm of possibility, for when it comes to stealing, cheating, or any other kind of devilment, the white men, or at least some of them are experts; while the unprincipled Negroes are but clumsy pupils.
Well, the unconstitutional “Constitutional” convention disfranchised the colored citizen and it was proclaimed that the era of good feeling had arrived and that honest elections were here to stay...
Of all the counties in the State, Henrico is one of the worst so far as political recognition of the colored brother is concerned. It has steadily robbed him of every political right and denied him considerations that the most no-count white citizen would be accorded.
It has been charged in the daily papers here that the Negroes were so corrupt and so addicted to selling their votes that it was absolutely necessary that they be excluded from the rights and privileges at the ballot box in order that the white folks might have pure elections.
We believed and knew that this was the politician’s expedient to ride into power.
The intention was to promise something which was out of the realm of possibility, for when it comes to stealing, cheating, or any other kind of devilment, the white men, or at least some of them are experts; while the unprincipled Negroes are but clumsy pupils.
Well, the unconstitutional “Constitutional” convention disfranchised the colored citizen and it was proclaimed that the era of good feeling had arrived and that honest elections were here to stay...
About this article
Source
Location on Page
Lower Left Quadrant
Topic
Contributed By
Rose Williams
Citation
“More Trouble in Henrico.,” Black Virginia: The Richmond Planet, 1894-1909, accessed May 17, 2025, https://blackvirginia.richmond.edu/items/show/1582.