The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-02-13
THE AFRICAN RACE.

and General sherman, sc.
Rev. Henry Ward Beecher yesterday forenoon an
nounced that in the evening he should deliver sermon
upon the above subject and in the evening he addressed
very full but not crowded. congregation, who listened
with great interest to his remarks and the suboned
official statement Of the questions and answers
which took place between Mr.. Stanton, Score
tary OF War, and Major General Sherman on
the one part and some colored clergymen rep
resenng the coored churches and coored population Of
Savannah the other part The interview took place
on the 18th OF January last This probably the first
official report OF the details Of the conversation which
has been elegrarhed from the Washington War Depart
ment for publicity here, and was first read by Mr
Beecher last evening.
Nj. Bcecher took his text from Psalms k 81 and ad
vocaed the rights Of the people TO selgovern
men following it by this prescription for the colorcd
people OF the South make hcm.Amercan citizens"
under the following detais:-
l. Give them Qhe negroes) land in fee simple, with
ample protection IN the shape OF wise iprotectng
economy.
which SO solictously secure for our white popua-
ton
8 Open IN for them a right to use their powers and
sk in honest competit in all trades and professions
with all classes they TO stand or fall by their own capa
city-to stand the ordeal
L. Give to them the right OF every born creature 70
take part in determining the laws the magistrates and
the public policy under which he and his children
to live.
In short said Mr. Bcecher demand that tho broad and
radical democratic doctrine of the natural rights Of men
shall be applied to all men, without regard to race color
condition demand faith In our national principles,
and courage TO trust them in practice The speaker con
tinued to advocate the education OF the masses OF the
people and OF the colored race as WELL In eloquent
and insisted that the slaves entitled TO the
right of suffrage az right and rs boon earned and de
served OF the rpnblc for Their singular good conduct
during the for their love and for sold e and
for their heroic military services and fidelity TO the Union
and nation. Mr. Beecher concluded by remarkng that
people might that permitted TO vote the negro may
also hold office, and asked why not II people want him
to- II thousand men choose TO s0nd Douglass to Con
gress will you take away from them their right To do SOP
The speaker referred 10 msceSenaton and thought the
races should not intermingle but II they did should
be by bra I'd earnest marrages, and no, under tho
promiscuous intercourse prevailing in the rebel States
He wouid have one law that man may marry black
woman II he wishes TO, and another tha, man shall
be compelled to do any such thing Towards the
close of the discourse he read tho following report OF the
interview with the coored IN nters above alluded to-:
HEADQUARTERS MAJOR GENERAL snrRMAs,l
SAVANNAH, Ga, Jan u 1865. J
On the evening Of Thursday January ~ 1865 the fol
lowing persons, of African descent met by appontm mt
to hold interview with Edwin Stanton, secretary OF
War and MAJOR General Sherman to have conference
upon matters relating to the freedmen of the State Of
l. William J. Campbell aged nfty-one years. slave
until 1s49 and then liberated by will Of his mistr IS
Mrs Mary Maxwell For ton years pastor of the First
Baptist church Of Savannah, numbering about eshtcn
hundred members-average congr cation ninsteen hun
dred Tho church property belonging to the congrega
| ton trustees white; worth $4,000
2 John Cox ed fifty eight born in Savannah slave
until 1s4Y when he bought his freedom for 81 100 Pas
tor of the Second African Baptist church in the minis
try fifteen years congregation twelve hundred and TWEEN
ty-two persons Church property lO,0oo
D. Ulysses 1. Houston, aged forty.one, born in Ora.
EVANSVILLE S. c.; slave until the Union army entered
Savannah, and pastor Of the Third African Baptist
church; congregation four hundred. Church property
So, 900. In the ministry about ct sh years.
4. William Beatty, aged seventytwo years. born in
Savannah; slave Until twenty five years O ace when his
MASTER John Waters emancipated him by will pastor
Of Andrews Chapel Methodist Episcopal church. the only
of that denomination In savannah congregation
worth about $40 Oo0 member OF Georgia Conference.
/ Charles Bradwcll aged forty years; born in Liberty
county Ca until 1851 emancpaed by will Of his
! master J. H. Bradweli Local preacher
William Gaines aged forty one; born in Wills coun-
ty Ca slave until the Union for es reed him. owned by
Robert Toonbs formerly United States Senator and hi
brother Gabriel Toonbs in the ministry sixteen years
7. James Hill, aged tytwo born in Bryan county
owned by II. +. Williams Of Savannah; in the minstr,
8 Glasgow Taylor, aged sevcnty-two; born in wiki
county Georgia. slave until the Union army in /,
| the ministry thirty five years
vile county North Carolina; slave until eight years ago.
when no bought himself and wifc for thousand dol
lars gold and silver; in the ministry hiryive years.
TO- James Mills, aged ftysix born in Savannah; free
born and licensed preacher of the First Baptist church
| eight years in the ministry.
twenty years ago, when he bought himself for eight
| hundred dollars; in the ministry about ten years.
IL Arth1r Wcriell, aged forty four; slave until freed
by the Union army; own d by A. A. Solomons, Savan-
! nah; II! tbs ministry six years.
III Alexander Harris, aged forty-seven; born In Sa-
vannah licensed TO preach in Baptist church about
H. Anarow Neal, aged sixty-onc; born in Savannah /;
slave until the Union army entered; Deacon Third
is James Porter aged thirty nine born in Char ston
FREQ born his mother having bought her freedom; in
| Communion nine years.
! is Adophts Dclrnotte aged twenty eight; born in
/ Savannah; in tho ministry about two years.
II. Jacob God rey, aged h!tysoven born In South
Carolina class leader aud steward OF chapel since 1886
| slave until the Union army came.
| IS John Johnson aged fifty one; class leader and
treasurer OF Methodist church since 1891 slave till the
! Union army
49, Robert Taylor aged nfty-onc; class leader nine
years; slave till the Union army came.
20 James Lynch, aged ,wcnty.six !. free born pro
siding elder of the Methodist church. seven years in the
! ministry.
Garrsan Frazier, tho spol Of the above colorcd
| clergyinon, made answers Is follows
cucstionstate what your understanding Ia as to thu
acts Of CONGRESS and President ncolns proclamation
touching the condition Of the colored population In tho
! So.thefn States
clanaon the rebclous States 1t Is that II they would
my down their and submit to the laws Of the I'm tee
states before the LIST of January 1868 all should DC we'll
If not all the slaves In the rebel States should be free
| hcnccfor.h and forever.
dom tina, be given by the Presidents procamato
A. Slavery IL receiving by irresistible power the work
OF another and not by his cons nt The freedom Of
the proclamation taking us out from under the yoke Of
bondage and placing us where we can reap the fruit OF
labor and take care Of ourselves and assist the
! government in maintaining our freedom.
O. state In what you think you can take care
OF yourselves and how you best assist the govern
| mcnt Ia maintaining your freedomY
| a The way best take care Of Ourselves is to
ha land and turn In and till II by our aborthat Is by
the labor OF the women aud children and old men, and
We can soon maintain ourselves and have something to
| spare Aud TO assist the government the young men
should en st in the service Of the government and serve
In such manner as they should be wanted The rsbels
told that they piled them up and made batteries OF
them and sold them Cuba; but we don't believe that
We 70 be placed land until We arc able to buy u
| and make IL our own.
O. State in what manner you would rather live; whe-
ther scattered among the whites In colonies by your
selves
A. would prefer to 1.-Two BY ourselves, for there Is
pref dice against the South that will take years 10
get over; but do not know that can answer for my
brethren Mr. Lynch says he thinks they should not b.
separated but live together All the other persons pre-
sent being questioned one by one answer that they
| agree with brother Frazier
| a Do YOU think that there In intelligence enough
among the slaves OF tho south TO maintain themselves
| under the government Of the United States.
think there Ia sufficient Intelligence among ua "a