The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-09-12
c,.-u.ro,donce Of the Richmond Dispatch

Correspondence Of the Richmond Dispatch.
Dry weMther-LArge Number Of Pre-.
sentiments by the Grand Jury-Evt-
dcnce or . Colorcd Man CONCERNING
the People OF this County before the
Reconstructi0n Committee-Specch
Of Hon. n. l.. Montague, and sunday
school Celebration.
MATHEWS COURTHOUSE, Va"
We have had long, very long, speh o'
dry weather, seriously injuring tue corn
turnip, and potato crops. The former, IN
some neirhborhoods, is cut short one-hait,
and. we regret to say, the oat crop, so pro-
missing. has not come up to the sanguihe
expectations of the farmers.
At the last quarterly session OF tue
comfy court the grand jury was empan-
nclled. and, after four days constant Ia
bor made about forty preSentments, prin-
c;nsIly for violation of the oyster law and
for larceny. The "nation's wards " came
in for a large share of both. They seem
70 think themselves privileged class, and
can comply with the oyster law If they
think proper, and rob hen-roosts with i'm
punity.
Some of our prominent citizens were
not little annoyed at seeing in the volu-
minous report of the Congressional Recon-
struction Committee the evidence Of one
William Thornton, a colored preacher,
who testifes TO certain things concerning
our good citizens, oil going to prove the
disloyalty Of the people of Virginia. lie
says: "A gentleman and lady (colored)
received q certain number of stripes for
going to hear him (Thornton) preach that
he was informed Of q plot to aSsassinate
him, and Mr.. Mahop said things which,
if true, were Gerry u9iy," &c. If am not
mistaken, he also testified before said CON-
mittce that he preached in this county
once month. This testimony was given
many months ago, and We arc unable to
learn Of more than three visits made by the
reverend witness. Moreover, upon inquiry
among prominent citizens, we find they
knew nothing of the whipping referred to,
or the assassination plot, which it seems so
shocked this individuals nervous system
that manu- months passed ere he repeated
his visit-though in his testimony Inc says
lie breaches monthly in THIS county.
refer TO this ridiculous evidence, " so
called" simply TO show-what- has again
and again been proven--that our enemies
are resorting to every means in order to
prove Nirginians are unworthy Of repre-
scntation. The last time this individual
visited the county there was exhibited a
sight we trust il will not be our misfortune
again to witness. On the Sabbath day
procession of scores of negroes was seen
approaching the water for the purpose OF
administering and witnessing the holy Or
dinance Of baptism, with flags or banners
flying, and the stars and stripes lluttering
in the breeze. These people had on badges
marked &C. s." some wore green, and
others red and blue sashes. The women
were also uniformed, and in this parapher-
MALTA they marched to the "baptismal
waters"
This is what VIC witness after the north
crn missionary has, during four or five
years, trained people except SO long i'll
darkness by southern masters"
A large concourse of persons assembled
at the Baptist church last Saturday week
to listen TO an address delivered by
Hon. Robert l.. Montague to the Sabbath
school. For more than one hour Mr.. Mon
tague unclaimed the attention Of his large
audience. Always interesting, on this occa-
sion lie was peculiarly so. We under
stand he will deliver the same address to
other schools in Tidewater Virginia. The
speaking over, the officers, teachers, and
scholars, numbering nearly 200, marched
to grove near by to, find four long tables
loaded with every delicacy the county
could produce. Not since 1860 has it been
our pleasure to see SO bountiful q prori-
sion. We may truly say the tables groaned
beneath the weight of Virginia hams, ele-
CANT lamb and mutton, all kinds of poul-
try, vegetables, and various kinds Of dcs-
scrt and CONTEMPORARIES. After spending
a few hours under the trees, we again as
sembled in the church, and were enter
tanned for short time with questions and
answers upon Bible texts. \ number OF
excellent hymns were sung by the chill
drcn, remarks made by the pastor, Rev.
j. G. Ceuncill, and the superintendent
after which, the beautiful hymn "Home-
ward Bound was sung, and the crowd
dismissed, all delighted with the speech,
dinner, and exhibition. CHESAPEAKE.