The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1866-03-27

Cam, 50, l03.37; QuackenbOss, f8,2f06T; w q
Rodgers, $s,6liaO; RR Wallace, ss,Oss.S3 P q Wat
| mough, $25 1884.
THE SCHEME TO INDUCE emil
GRAFTON OF THE FREEDMEN
TO FLORIDA.
Fortress Monroe, March 21.-The en-
ergetic efforts of Calvin Pepper, ESQ.,, a
| lawyer of Norfolk, and his cOadjutors in
| the lately agitated scheme, entitled 1.-THE
Land and Homestead Settlement" in
tended for operation among the negroes
| residing on the peninsula, received this
morning quietus from Major-General
Miles, commanding the post, in an order
arresting Mr.. Pepper and holding him
in durance vile, preparatory to forward
| ing him to the headquarters of the De-
| partment. at Richmond, Va, for the in
| vestigation Of his plans and purposes.
Since the late meeting in Hampton,
Mr.. Pepper, with other originators Of
his schemes and Intentions, encouraged
by the almost total demolition of the
Florida emigration movement, have
been assiduously engaged in holding fire.
quent meetings and scattering flourish
ing prospectuses among the colOred resi-
dents of Hampton, and the surrounding
country. BY these means quite u diver
sion has been created in favor Of the
project, and sums varying from fifty cents
| to one hundred dOllais-the former
amount prepOnderating-hav already
| been subscribed, and the interest of the
freedmen raised to such a degree that all
ideas of an emigration to Florida or any
other State, have passed away from their
cOntented minds.
These sums of money thus collected,
as asserted by Mr.. Pepper, are at once
deposited in the National Freedmen's
Savings Bank ut Norfolk, and eventu.
ally destined for investment in tracts Of
lands on the PENINSULA or in other por-
tons of the Stale, on which extensive
settlements are to be n~le, homesteads
| for the destitute as weifas the opulent
freedmen erected, and all the other con
veniences Of modern civilization Sc
cured, without the appalling necessity
of an emigration to Florida. @
| The extensive proportions which these
designs are gradually assuming, and APP
| parently without the support and coop
peratiOn of those most interested in the
welfare OF the freedmen, has induced
General Miles to institute u series of in
vestigations as to the mOOtts OperdndiO of
the business, and to suggest a more
stringent mode of procedure than argyll
ments at freedmen meeting, by which
to put a stop to that which has the pres
ent appearance of an enormous swindle
In accordance with which, Mr.. Pepper
was waited upon in Hampton, a few
days ago, by Lieutenant Fessenden, OF
the 9Th United States artillery, who pre-
scented him with the following document
which duly explains itself:
| HsADeuARrERs MILITARY DlsrRIcY VIRGINIA Z
Fortress Monroe March IL, 1866. ! /
Captain Pepper, Esq.:o9 alHae
Sir The Major General commanding
directs me to say, as you are now col
Letting funds from the freedmen of this
| district and giving receipts without
names or dates-documents totally ille-
gal--and as you are under no bonds or
obligations whatever, you are hereby di-
rected to cease transactions, and refund
the money so collected. This order will
not, however, prevent your assisting
the freedmen in forming an OrganiZa-
ton, for the purchase of lands, under
proper responsible officers. =,
Yours, &c.,
tao 4f JOHN MCEwAN,
Capt. and A. d. G. and A. A. A. q.
Mr.. Pepper having concluded reading
the Generals letter, at once announced
to the officer his determination to resist
the execution of its contents, and his in
tention to retain the guardianship of
the funds until otherwise ordered by the
freedmen themselves, who were -une-
Quivocally in favor of his colonization
plans.
General Miles was shortly made &C.
quainted with the result of the inter-
view, and telegraphed to Major General
Terry, at Richmond, for further instruc-
tons. The instructions were received
this morning, and Mr.. Pepper was i'm
mediately arrested.
The whole affair has naturally created
considerable excitement and interest
among the negroes, and various petitions
to Congress and General Terry are al
ready under way to secure the immedi-
ate release ofMr. Pepper, and his restor-
alton TO their midst once more. 1t is due
to Justice to state that Mr.. Pepper and
his associates have extensively adver-
tised the prospectus of their ASSOCIATION
in the columns Of the True Southerner,
a paper published ut Norfolk, Va, i'm
the interest of the freedmen of this Sec
ton of this State.
Before tile publication Of the prospec-
tus in question, Mr.. Pepper asserts that
| it was carefully examined by Governor
Andrew, of Massachusetts, General
Howard, of Washington, ID. G., and Col.
o. Brown, assistant commissioners of the
freedmen's bureau, and secured their
unqualified apprnval; and since its cir
Iculation has received important support
from bankers in Norfolk, and financiers
| in other States. .ls 3. -,-. 4
| Whether this colonization scheme
will terminate with as short a life AS the
Florida emigration movement will pro-
baby be decided when the invesliga-
ton of Mr.. Pepper and his co-laborer's
plans are concluded at Richmond.
| CALVIN PEPPER, We copy the fol-
lowing from the Richmond Wing of
yesterday, and will add that we saw
Calvin Pepper on our streets yesterday:
Mr.. Calvin Pepper was brought from
Fortress Monroe on Thursday night, and
on Friday had an examination before