Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1866-04-26
An Illustration in Lyuchburg.

ton to this city 6 few days ago, seems to have
been the occasion of a serious split and angry
controversy among the leading portion OF oul
colored population. The Generals invited ths
Mayor and number OF our leading citizens ta
an:interview, for the purpose OF ascertalnlnG
the feelings of the people toward the freedmen
and the condition and feelings OF the freedmen
themselves, in order. that they might report
the same to the authorities at Washington
/ Soon after this interview. wishing to be entire
ly impartial, several Ct the most intelligent
and respectable colorcd men were also calico
I into counsel, for the purpose of giving then
views. Rev. Thos Elliott, who is one Of tie
most respectable and intelligent Of our colorec
people acted as spokesman tor number OF oul
best coored people, and stated that the rela
tons existing between the two races IN this
section were good, and better than ever hereto
fore-that their former masters were KIND tC
them, and disposed to give them all their rig ht$
and liberties-and thatit Was his belief that
the relations of the two races, IT lett without
the freedmen's bureau aud the military, would
continue such as they ought to be-. In short,
Tom and his friends made pretty much the
same representations that the white cltlzels
made These representations, however, much
offended another and lower class OF the colored
bretherD, who pressed their persons and opln-
the state of things altogether differently. Ac
cording to them, the removal of the freedmen S
bureau would leave them exposed to much in
Justice and oppression When asked their
reasons for such views, they could cite no grlc.
vance whatever; but they complained that
bouse rent and the means of living were exor-
bitant) as if they were not the same to the
whites that they are to the blacks and that
they had no suffrage yet and no political rights.
The Generals told them that they had nothing
to do with such questions, and did not come
to talk about them-that they wanted to know
whether they were treated well, how their
schools were getting on, and what they were
doing for themselves under the state OF things
now existing Unable to show the slightest
reasons for their groundless complaints, and it
being manifest that they were political and
social agitators, and not we'll disposed to accept
the situation as it is, credence, OF course, was
given to the better founded representations OF
Tom and his supporters, who were highly
commended by the federal officers for their
prudence truthtulness and good sense.
But the results Of this interview seem not to
have stopped with the occasion. On the con
trary, the malcontents are lnturlated against
Tom, and besides threatening to punish him
by violence, have proceeded to vent their hos
tility against him in still another way. 1t ap-
pears that Tom has been prinoi pally Instrument
tai in procuring large subscription from our
citizens for purchasing building for a colored
church in this city, and the first instalment
was to have been paid on Thursday last. So
incensed, however, were the 'bEethreu" at
Tom and Els friends. that they held an official
meeting few nj ghts ago, and annuIlcd the
whole purchase and proceeding, rather than
that Tom should be leading l1an among
them thus cutting off their noses to spite
their faces
To make the justification of Tom and his
friends complete, and to cover their enemies
with confusion, it is only necessary to give the
language of the subscription list for buying
their church, which the white citizens 50 ber-
ally signed, and which was drawn by the c0or-
ed citizens themselves. Tits as follows: 1--WE,
the coored people of the Methodist E. Church.
have used cur best efforts to procure place for
divine worship, and have now succeeded in find
ing place suitable for the purpose. The
terms arc one-third Of the whole amount to be
paid On the Goth Of April, 1866. Therefore,
we ask you, the white ladies and gentleman OF
Lynchburg, whom We know to be Our friends,
to help Us il this our time Of extreme necessity"
- Well, the white people did help them liber-
ally and munifaently, and after saying that we
were their friends, they now turn round and
declare to the federal officers that we are their
enemies, and that they arc afraid to trust
themselves amongst US without military pro-
lection !-LyachJHY Republican.
In the L. s. Court Tor the District OF Column