Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1866-04-30
LOCAL NEWS.

mess Ly N"JOT General D. D. TFOtr6 ri This
uCTnIng, Ihis Con f-rrnce reassprnnIed in the
Israel Church, near the Capitol. all the bi.h-
ops present ana Was opened with. devotional
exercises, conducted by Rev. Mr.. Barney OF
toe Philadelphia Conference.
The report of the bank steward, Rev = l.
hammond, was presented and adopted: and
The report of the Book Concern was also read
and received.
Bishop Campbell read an extract OF q letter
from Rev. NJ. NJ. Clark. now IN New Orleans.
Zone OF a committee appointed by the bishopS
t0 confer with the General Conference of the
Methodist Episcopal Church South in refer
ence TO the African churches in the South in
which he states tina: the General Conference
oftrr 10 the African NJ. T.. Church the churches
Win deeds 10 the church properly. amounting
TO S5JUn,Uu. and numbering 26a.OJ0 members.
provided the members are willing for the
change
This announcement was greeted with mucb
satisfaction, and Bishop Payne called up the
Conference, who sang the long metre doXolo-
", - Praise God from whom all blessings
How after which, Bishop Campbell. Bish-
op Wayman and Rev. Thomas Henry, now
the Oldest member OF the Conference, led in
prayer.
Major General o. o. Howard, chief of the
Freedmen's Bureau, entered the church. and
was invited to the stand and Introdu ced 10 the
Bishop; after which he was introduced TO the
assemblage. ~
Alter expressing his qualification that he had
come IN, he said that he wished them every
success, for their work and his were coinci-
dent-the elevation OF the colored people The
crisis had now arrived; they had left an old
state and were now in new one: the reyolution
mad not ceased, and II behooved all good and
uue men TO WORK. They wanted guarantees in
me Constitution and laws, and wanted TO mt
down pins, so they need not go back He be-
loved that IL was not far distant before they
would nave a full and complete recognition
equal rights; but in order TO secure il the COL
ored people themselves must make A strong
enoTt. The more intelligent especially should
WORK, and they should remember that good
teachers made good scholars He was clad 10
see mat they had expressed a Willingness 10
take IN anybody who is willing 10 work.
III men carry out the teachings of their Lord
Jesus Christ there need be no fear, but they
mad 4 tremendous inertia against them-men
IN hlgn and low places-and many are actuated
oy selfish motives As long as this opposition
continues they will have 10 work and be
would entreat them 10 work now.
The civil rights bill was a good thing like
the magma charta, looking bright and reading
well. Ii will read well a thousand wears
hence, when people will point 70 it as the be-
ginning. But II must be executed When IN
is executed fully in Kentucky that State will
he Tree, and so in Maryland. There is great
danger that IL VIII not be executed
Tney will find that he Is end eavoring 10
work rightly in the right place, but they should
not expect too much from the Burea Il. Some
regard il as a great source OF relief and so n
was, IN so far as il gave protection and rucour-
agement TO the people as 10 education, &c. No
bureau, or set OF men, or Churches will meet
the wants OF all the people, and II could not De
expected that the Bureau could. The Bureau
was not intended to support any class of peo
pie IN Idleness. Senator the other day,
pointing his finger 10 the galleries filled by
colored people, said: 'sSee the Freedmen the
Freedmen's Bureau are Importing in idle
ness" This was not true, for not one of those
was receiving aid from the Bureau, other than
its protecting care.
When he took charge of the Bureau he was
oV'rloaded with anxiety, for there Were over
Tour million OF men cast in a new situation.
but 1t was wonderful how well they had done
aud they had acted nobly. He ascribed that To
me good sound common sense Of their leaders
Several DAYS ago a convention of freedmen
assembled in Georgia, and reoueSted the A.
slstant Commissioner 10 send the men 10 work
10 make them work They said they did not
want y few lazy scoundrels 10 disgrace them
gust as they are coming 10 freedom. The same
Inducements TO labor, &c. given To other
classes, II given these people, they would
make equal progress If not greater. He had
had great doubts whether the colored people
would be able 10 keep up in the race with the
Anglo-Saxon. Some say they are going 10 The
wall, that the race will run OUTPUT he had
come to the conclusion that they will not be
far behind.
In conclusion he said, when YOU 90 back 10
your people energize them; tell them what 1
nave told you. Begin at the bottom in the
work OF elevatlng your race-the lowest first
and the consequence will be that all will be
elevated.
As he was leaving the stand one of the MEM
oers spoke TO him in relation 10 the recent order
IN relation TO marriages; and he returned to
the stand and stated that for the present the
matter of renewal of the matrimonial vows
would not be pressed, but that he was going
before the committee Of the House 10 urge the
passage OF law on the subject What was
wanted was new law, and he would be glad
to receive suggestions from the members of the
Conference
Chaplain Turner offered a resolution ex
pressing the qualification of thu Conference at
receiving visit from General Howard, and
rendering their thanks to him for his patriotic
address; which was adopted.
1t was expected that this Conference would
close to-day, and in consequence the church
was crowded The body viii probably adjourn
tomorrow morning.
PROPOSALS. FOE SEwERs-This morning,
bids were opened at the Mayors Office for the
construction OF a three-foot sewer, with nine
men walls, on New York avenue, from 18th to
10Th streets. The following were the bids -
Jacob ID. Hutton, $6.97 per foot for sewer, SIS
lot manhole; w. n. Downing, 81, 500: Jones
q COLLINS, $3.50, $50; Reynolds Harper, S.
go The contract was awarded to Messrs
Jones d CoNius
BIDS Were also opened for the construction
OF q three foot sewer on ID street between 9th
and Nh, aad a two foot ever running from IL
TO the center OF square &67. The bids were as
Acknowledgements e. Harper. Sass per foot
for main sewer, &43 for manhole, II 10 for two
foot se wer, "a for drops Jones &c CoIins "a a.
&5 f2-Q5, So6; JSW. e. A. L. Hutton, @ a.
ga - 50, 500; Bontz & Hormaa, Sc So s7o
e4BH, S+e. The contract was awarded To
Aessrs- Reynolds Il Harper.