The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-01-02

FREgpsRS's CELEBRATION TO ConHnnoIArE
THEIR ExAxcIPArI0S.--Yester was grand
eala day with the freedmen. A general as-
sembly was held at the First African Cnnrch
TO celebrate the anniversary OF the smancipa.
tion proclamation. From an early hour In the
morning to the time fixed for the nesting
eleven o o'cIOck-a crowd commenced gaIhe1nS,
which increased TO three Thousand and mp.
wards. The Twenty-fourth Massachusetts
Band was I'm attendance and discoursed music
to the crowd until the hour lot oEeraaons.-
We giyea synopsis Of the proceedings merely
TO show the public the true state OF OPINION
and feeling amongst the blacks. There were
present several white ministers OF the gospeI
from the North, radical newsp0peE CORE.
spondents, and what we presumed 70 be
"schoolmarms," or ladies visiting our city on
some benevolent mission. The church was
dressed with eyergreens, yellow and blue tis.
sue paper, and q super abundance Of Union
flags were displayed from every quarter. On
the speakers stand was the inscription, "This
is the Lords work; 1t 10 marvellous In our
at eleven o'clock Mr.. Stockwell, pastor Of
the congregation, called the meeting 70 order
and announced the object Of the meeting; and
stated that ii was necessary TO elect cnnir-
man before proceeding further.
Robert johnson was unanimously elected
chairman and Albert Rush secretary. The
Chairman ,:on taking his seat, thanked the as;
stated that collection was necessary 70 pay
for the dressing of the church and an enter.
.ainment for the band. A committee was elect.
ed to escort the band to the place OF entertain
ment. A prayer was offered by James Holmes,
after which the Chairman addressed the meet
Ing: - -.,-
the Lords work. He felt on the day that Rich-
mcnd fell that there was one blessing superior
toit--the blessing Of G od. A friend had told him
that he nioyed that more than he did the day
on which God cpoke peace to his soul, becaus
he doubted in the latter case whether or not
vxsysAl n h htrSr N
as, i'm the former, the presence Of the Union
armies put the fact Of freedom beyond doubt.
He exhorted the colored people to behave
themselves, and to let this day be ever hereaf.
ter known as the day on which the colored
people, though rejoicing for a great blessing,
behaved themselves.
Fields Cook next took the stand. The occa.
sion was far different from what he had ex-
pected at this time, but he felt, when the South
separated from the North, that slavery was
gone, and that such would ultimately b8
proved If any man supposed that slavery
| was the natural state OF the negro, he was
/ mistaken. The fact of their assembling TO Gel
| ebrate their freedom proved it. lie believed
! that i'm ten years Hence the white people who
| fought for slavery would celebrate the ami
verSary Of freedom with them. Education,
which the colored people could not heretofore
| get was now being given 10 them, and In
| twenty five or thirty years these little boys
now in the school would cope with all other
men The white and black children wouid
have been the case long since, but the Wnite
children were raised from the cradle 10 nato
the negro. He counscllad harmony ana l0Vo
with their enemies [as they persist In Gaining
their former owners. The colored people
were hated elsewhere because they were held
in slavery here. The line Of demarcation be-
ing now removed, the prejudice wouid b
overcome.
lanes Holmes next took the stand. Spoke
of his having been born 4 slave, and mnnacled
and sold South because his parents ran on
To him there was n close connection between
the day of the evacuation and the day tnat
God spoke peace TO his soul. He said that ne
met an old colored man, after the election OF
Lincoln, who said that he used 10 wait on u
departed President Mt school, and used 10 "a
with him very often. He (the Old mani sa !
that Mr. Lincoln told him that II ever ]
should get TO be President he would abolis
! slavery; il was n curse TO the nation. he na
master once, and he was afraid to let ~
| know that he could read the Bible. A Wni
man once told him, and he made out tnat e
believed him, that the Bible pointed out IN
difference between the negro and white maj
In the first place, white mans ankle went
his foot and there stopped, but negro 9 Ask.
went to the bottom of his foot, and his t0ot
was rs long behind it rs before. In the second,
| Ham went into Africa with his wife ana dlen'
after which she took mp with an ape All the
| negroes were born w4th tails, and were 40 Lazy
gave the white man for the wrongs he had
| done him, and wished him well.
! John Robertson next addressed the audience
He was inclined TO be witty at the expense OF
| the white men and those who had grown iat
| on other mems substance. To-day was day
of delivery from auction blocks, whipping.
| posts, ETC.. and they must render glory TO God
and his first Instrumentation Brown-for
it. He counselled the blacks to be peaceful, and
be harmonious with the whites.
Massachusetts and "that God-sent man."
Abraham Lincoln, who dared TO sign tho
Emancipation Proclamation In the face OF q
defiant nation. we suppose he alludes 70 tho
South.l He warned the blacks to be quiet and
not to rise. They must prove TO the wnites
that freedom is not failure, and they Will
give mp the idea.
Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation and
made a few remarks. Long years the col0red
people had waited for Gods good DAY. !ney
had the example Of the children OF Israel be.
fore them and they must take warning. Your
/! enemies hold it as an exc.se that when you were
freed you would RISE Ii, when you had .op.
portunities, you did not rise, why rise when
you are free' Wewant jusice, and TO be pro.
tected by the same laws thai govern tho white
man. He wound up by teciting Whittiers
poem about the Vans will blow, the cotton
grow" etc. Between the speeches the band
PLAYED, and cheers were proposed Tor JOnn
Brown, Lincoln, the President ana Cso'ne''
the Massach usetts band, and others.
The meeting adjourned after rendering Q
vote of thanks to the children for singing seve'
raj songs.
Our crowded space precludes any remarks
upon the foregoing. The whole affair speaks
for itself. Suffice Ii TO say, We consider tns
matter Of sufficient interest for notice.
A QuIRr DAY.-Yesterday was q very quiet
day in police matters in this city. Only one or
two trifing arrests were made. The follow.
ing Is n summary:
George Freeman, negro, for assauiting Ho.
race Holmes In his house.
Jacob Miller, creating disturbance and