The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1865-08-16

aD-Spccial notices, Is cents i line.
The Mass Meeting o. Saturday.
agreeable to the suggestions of sun
dry citizens, and In accordance with
the views Of Gen. Van Wyck, mass
meeting OF free,lMleu, to which plan.
:e.s were invited, was held on Satur-
ta;, at Academy Grove Yhe purpose
Was to g i've Il goo1 plain sensible talk,
to correct erroneous i.leas and false
Aot1o11s, growing out ot the pew reI;:-
ton vi atf,llrS, and, If possible, by this
big talk, this general explanation, to
obv::ste the necessity OF the thousand
daily and honrly lite explanations
:tad settlements, arising from the t,lsc
notions which have c-ept into the
heads OF the Negro, and ale lHiscon-
ceptlon, III lew c;iscs, hv t.lc plulter,
a' to his present aci,.tions. We are
pleased to say that tne Generals talk
. was al, and i;cri,a;)s more, than WAS
expected. lie lsl good speaker, clear,
forcib-e, and is perfectly at home on
the stump. Although i, difficult mat
ter to bring himself dowu 10, ;ti4u touch
tho dull eIsa.ndings OF, tie mass
around him, Yet hs happily succeeded
Ill doing so, and i'm fixing tneir attan-
lion, while iii tie plainest .reanner,
vet positive and emphatic, all was ex
planned and tl"tlt upon until tie
slu'lcst mind must have been i,n,,ress
III. The speaker grew. eloquent in
cXpatlatlng upon the great boon which
h;ti been conferred upon them, Who,
WITHOUT effort Of their own, in u,
lAolhent as it We're, stood in the broad
Sunlight of freedom; but ne warned
them not to abuse it, and to hc wOrthe
ot the Boon, for otherwise better lud
IL not come. E.lcii OF the common
abuses and errors were touched upon
and explained, and the proper course
pointed out. Idhn@, v..Grancv, going
OK; from the plantation without per-
mission laying down the hoe 1.ef.lsals
to spin by the women, and to drive
the c,irrlaSe by the. men, i,npudent
language OF jaw, neglect in showing
proper and customary respect to for
naer masters, Ill FACT to all persons,
.tAicving. lying, drinking, and many
'c.her Offences, We're shown 10 be
wrong, and all of which must be cor
'.'ac5ed. Many, he said, had the false
idea that land and stock were te be
divided among them, but they must
get that out of their heads, ut once;
that by labor, industry and economy
alt NJ can they ever hope to become
possessors Of property; they must
wcrh, eoonomile, save, and buy
& these things as the poor white man
does. BY working faithfully now, by
obedience, kind and respectful deport-
meat, they would have. the love and
confidence Of former masters, and be
able TO get work when their contracts
were ont, and those too must be
sacredly observed They are ignorant.
but have minds and hearts capable of
cultivation and must study and learn.
not only the whole alphabet of free:
dom, but the \, Il, G OF everything
else. Those who We're dissatis fl I'd
with their present homes and employ.
'e:s, must he patient and enduring,
and wait till January, and if then they
could better themselves to- do so, but
now to rem%ia close at home and
work; freedom did not mean idleness.
Their Old masters still loved them,
and would keep them employed if
faithful, otherwise there would be
nothing to prevent their being turned
out homeless wanderers. The planter
was shown II few errors likely to be
committed, and which he trusted time
ond good sense would soften down
thai in the end good feeling and kind
l;nesS wonld be the sentiments of both