New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-01-26
Mnss Meeting nj Cooper Institute In be.
half Of shcrmnn's Frecdmcn-speeches
By william Cullen Bryant, William
Il. Dodge, Rev. Mr.. King, Rev. ME-
Dunn, Capt. Charles II. MARSHALL ana
Others,

The mass meeting at Cooper institute ias'
evening" in behalf Of tie suffering freedmen on Es'o
Island was attended by much smaller auaiencc '1a"
the charitable object In view should have ara" 'o
gether. But the gathering was eminenty ihlc'nse"'
and appreciatlve, many ladies being present. ana
lively interest was manifested in the proceedings Aer
on opening prayer by the Rev. Mr.. Dunn tie ohaf'
man, WILLIAM Cullen BRYANT, said;
IAn,rs AND GENTLEMEN: We have come together ms
evening on one Of those occasions which Oh ato nav
become rather frequent, an occasion oil peheVole"vo
The memorable march OF Gen. sherman thIoush ~ ~
heart Of tie Rebel couary-a march et me say tnn.
win form a brilliant page III military history-a ihaI.n
in Which his Triumphant army swept over tract ~
miles in width from end 20 end OF the state OF Geofet
territory larger than several OF the smaller States 81
the UnontAet march has brought WITHIN ,e ,nry
cupied by our troops and acknowledging The aulnoin!
OF the Federal Government an immense number OF mei
women and children hitherto held IN bondage Dlt .'iA
God bond servants Lao longer while the wofiG staus
tlose neope have come 10 US in state OF desitutlOn
and IL is our duty to relieve them AT present tneio
not sufficient food clothing or shelter Tor inc th0usn
that have come to u.s. and who will remain together uh
iii thew can be dvporsed and provided Tor IN various
agricultural and mechanical kinds of labor such ms they
have been able 10 acquire. If we 90 not come 10 'v
help OF these people they must peTsn U! hunIisu' ~
thousands perhaps Of hunger of exposure aud by as
ease II we do aid them we shall abandon teh 10
a misery such as no human would allow the bfntes
about him 10 endure OF the fact OF their uherng lec
il no doubt; there is as little doubt as 10 our
duty The circumstances o. their condition VIII
be described to you this evening by those
who comprehend more perfectly thah l. anu anu
who will be able to recito them moro hecu'
rately and with effect. In their narrative you
will find much 10 awaken your sympathy ana stlnuaa.
your bencvoence. We must see that this pe9c 70 Us
purchase their liberty al too dear price, lhey hhNe
come TO Us in obedience to call from our GOverhen
"A call extored from our Government by aseNere M
i,ary necessity; they have come TO US III u. eou'
that We so far rs We are able, viii protect them III th5
transition from our social state 10 another exhcly Us
oppose that will bring them as iaf as We n!c uS S
TO- from extreme hardship and distress Ana IL Is ~"
rs 10 show that this confidence 10 not mispaoeu. ny
fricnds Providence in the war which We are
maintaining for the life OF the uhlon, lof
the preservation Of free institutions and ~ me heoS
sity Of the case-a fortunate necessary auHl-lol .ne
universal liberty of all who inhablt our country
Providence has assigned to us different parts 10 per
form: There are some who must pear INC o'o
who WELD the sabcr, some WHO uraR tnv nc,u P'I
some who navigate vessels Of war ana b0mDrd INC
fortresses and towers Of Tho Rebels bu. 10 US Is as
Jig ed a different duty. IL IS our i,S,Aee, ~ IN,
on charity and meTcy 20 mitigate 50 far as cur tDI'!
noes the misery which this war for The tOn-ohe Oh
the mos. Just and holy wars that u Nord has sVe-I
is for Us to mitigate by eAarIty tHe Ii.scii''
which IL brings IN its rlln: 10 tMs "
are bound rs citizens of this Republic, bound IN
n degree such that other Oh. CATION rnnscehls IL
Is true that we have entered no recruiting once
have signed no papers OF enlistment, taken no engage
ment 10 serve for three ycors anu accepted 10 Duh
but they who at this time with THIS present esi upon
tber bcpeyoence avoid the duty thus thrust upon u
ere rs base dcseIteTs they wEo having esIei Ior
the war run away from their regiment ana hlGc the
selves I'm obscure and remote ncighborhoods Leu Us
then address ourselves with cheeTuness ana aloI y
20 ,his duty the duty Of charity Let us not incur TIE
,er-oach Iathetc as IL is severe, Of Him who ~ en-
forcing the duty Of feeding tie hungry Of clothing the
naked and OF sheltefing TIC sheieTesr uttered tno
words " IAasmueh ms ye have not done IL li,o ']'
least Of one OF these We have Dot done II unto ne
Tie Chairman then introduced the Rev MI hoAptff
lie said that tie people for whose DcLeht TIE meeting
IA hcer convened were IN extreme want. They were
without food garments, nrd TIE h'ile ones were nc
Quenty wrapped in clothes "h.SA tAel ." % -
diseese and death and wi,out collins wherein to bury
tier dead. Could there Dc better oulcct' one more
deeply appealing 20 oar symfaiLy ana compassion
These scope had been slGvcs, bat we're Io~ poNidcA
tally NJ ade fee through tie caoTs % TIE glorious army
II Gen Sherman; pIoy.Gert.a because II we MOI ny
human aIrarg cement that tbs war u ~ come 70 Al ou
For when the South oommerced the "ar os VIC perez
uaton Of Slavery, sle did not Know that tae VAS AIN
ing the deaih-blow At that institution These poor
creatures, lborniod by sherman throw thcmseves uu
der the banner Of our Unloni ana now WINE thA pan
ner Of tho Free is borne ylct0rOusly forward should
be sustained In EewYork by the bands Of the generous
| aud the benevolent. And here iu Ills city OF New
Vork will moi the citizens lend Themselves to tits
ment of CHARITY Ky 80 dong ih"y VIZ sn'o y. a
sard. from misery le,haLs aftuM t.ai'al 10
slaves and that they have robbed their masters The
robbery all the otler way And these people ave
now only taking the boon hat nature gave mem.
They are only csumirg the rights which nature aid the
God OF decreed Tor them. But We arc told that
these people without thru or Industry. Bat vho
took nyny these virtues but their masters, who CON-
PEELED their labor without rcmurcrGiilg them. They
nav say that the blacks ore ignorant, but they are
sensible enough 20 know Tat ills war - war
for their Liberation. We've been expecting yon
long" was the iuynr.ahe welcome which Shor
mans triumphant army received Dom The blacks.
These people ,LGye undoubied capacity, as has been
proved by numbcIess instances. These people throw
themselves on our charity, aud are bound 20 take
care Of them, II We are humane aud generous They
are our fellow Christians and rs God wiz AID Ne, they
AL have our help. Again. Toy are our follow cit!
zeus and Ii II for benefit wei IA theirs that
v should make them Industrious and valuable 10 tie
nation. The speaker therefore thought that II Was
necessary for Nlw OK 10 iAau. uratc INC great and
noble movement
| Tie Rev Dr. JONAS KING, q missionary and long a
resident IN Greece was the speaker lie sad mat
be could not express bis emotions al seeing that his
country Lad such liberal men, awat ready with dona
;ors for the mitigation OF suffering humanity He felt
that God would not take away from such people as
the Americans tAeiT Government which Is the nob.est
on the face Of the earth NewioIkers had always de
yisc6 liberal things the building IN which tie speaker
stood was an instance. Hearty applause for Peter
Cooper Tie spenCcr thought that every man was
worth something. however mean or black BE- might be.
There is every encouragement 20 give IN THIS country.
Wh,re We have 10 need, as they have in Europe, Ia
hoard wealth into family estates, but are prompted
the reader 70 contribute 10 clarl able Ohecs lie
therefore certain that the present object IA view would
| lie generously carried out
Mr.. WILLIAM l.. DODGE YVES the next speaker. being
received With much applause. lie said that, IN day
gone By tie beautiful hall IN which Dc stood had often
beon crowded 20 listen 20 voices u those WHO
were ready % advocate the liberty thlt due 10 the
slave. There las been wat amount Of talking and
writing and labor for many pfst said the speaker
while the poor slave was held IA close bondage. -
patty indeed earnest aud strong ia their behalf
cheap; II cost but little. Tic notice Of the meeting
tie lighting and pay ing FOR .he hall the reporting ia the
p1pcgr about al that 10 cost TO eXpcHd sympathy in
behalf Of Tie poor slave lle was away down beyond
U.s. aud held in lrm. cruel grasp. Gods wonderful
providence moving In that mysterious and wonderful
way in which Gods footsteps pass through tho world
brought about entirely different state u things and
we are not hero tonight merely TO eypeud
sympathy for and take action IN behalf If
tlofe blacks who are beyond our reach
aud for whom We 90 nothing. We are here tonight
for the purpose Of endeavorng. through Ibis meeting