Caroline F. Putnam to Frederick Douglass, October 7, 1871

AFFAIRS IN VIRGINIA.

LETTER FROM MISS PUTNAM TO FREDERICK DOUGLASS.

DEAR FREDERICK DOUGLASS:—You know how earnest the political struggle is in Virginia, this fall, to secure the Legislature on the part of the old rebels.

It is, as they say, a matter of life and death with them; that without this victory the domination of the negro and carpet-beggar is their doom. With this victory their future is safe from the "mongrel sway" of enfranchised barbarians and the "greedy cormorants: that lead them in politics, and the prospects of their Presidential Candidate in '72 will be brightened. The watch-word of the Richmond Whig and Despatch is Death to Radicalism.

The late State Convention or Conservative Conference in Richmond is reported as very harmonious and well-planned in its scheme for party action in the counties—dividing every township and district vote into tens with a leader of those ready to [illegible] under its banner. The leader is to see that his company, every man is in his place, and so not a possible vote lost.

To us who live in the face of all the peril to loyalty and the future of Republican principles in which the hopes of the colored citizen are bound up, this November election is full of the deepest moment. It is to be a hand to hand contest, and as John Quincy Adams and the Democrats see, is of National importance.

For weeks the Richmond Whig has been loud and long in its call to Virginians to see such arguments and condescensions to the 90,000 colored voters as will "break up the black band." They hailed with applause the colored delegation headed by Abram Hall that came into their Convention in Richmond last week.

I hope and believe from my knowledge of the Virginia colored voters that they will be true to the party that has sided for their rights as far as they understand.

They may fall into the hands of partisans who will not be true to them. Our special danger in this Congressional District (the 1st) is from the cowardice of white voters. What we need here is some electric spark of sympathy between the white and colored Republicans that will lift these mostly poor whites above the power of the sneer of the old Rebels at their alliance with the blacks and their Northern Republican friends. What will do this openly, "in the face of all Israel and the sun," and effectually, will be an address from you, at a mass meeting, Court Day in Heathsville, the County seat.

Our one worthy Republican—the one man that we can trust in this county to send to the Legislature—is the Supervisor of Heathsville, Ephraim Nash, formerly of Auburn, N. Y. He was one of the most intelligent and faithful members of the Constitutional Convention—that made what Butler declared the best Constitution in the country. The Governor and the Legislature for two years have been busy to annul its benefits to the people, and with a new Legislature more hostile to its provisions for the general good as opposed to those of the landed interest, it is easy to see how the hope of the poor will speedily perish, and the miseries and oppression of the landless peasantry of the old world come upon them and political independence be virtually crushed. Shame to American Statesmanship that it left such a dangerous power for despotism in the hands of traitors and rebels!

And now this astounding and impudent claim of pay for their slaves?—$5,000,000,000 to be divided with the blacks "as their share for confiscated homes and right to protection!" Do come, I pray you, and talk to these infatuated Virginians, and she them their extreme folly; but most of all, for the sake of the palpitating loyalty which [hales?] and cringes before such audacious villainy. It is because I believe you can do a work for Virginia, and so for the Nation in 1872 that no one [illegible] can do so well, that I entreat you to visit us in our extremity; and help us on to victory over our [enemies?]

Will you not write to me that you will come, and gladden us with your voice and presence in our Virginian exile. I should say the 9th of October was the day to be chosen,—that being the Court Day, Monday.

The vote of the Republican and Conservative parties in this county is nearly equal. The majority last fall was only twenty-two Conservative. So you see there is a chance of our success.

C. F. P.