Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1866-03-16
Meeting of COiored Men at Hampton, Va
-EmigrnfiOn 30 EInr;sln

Fort MONROE, Va March IA large meeting of
negroes having for its object the furtherance of the
Florida Emigration movement took place in Hamn-
ton yesterday evening. The meeting was regularly
organized, and after the usual preliminaries Mr.
William Thornton, (coored), was appointed chair
man, and Mr. Calhoun, (white), as secretary MrJ
W. Dungy. "a runaway slave frGm Hampton some
years ago., and addressed the audience. and in
few sensible remarks demonstrated to the audience
that they were living too thickly on the Peninsula
between Hampton and Yorktown, and as the imme-
diate result they were being subjected to all the evil
influences of deness and vice. and tn at instances of
tnet and other crimes against each other
ing daily more numerous He entreated the colored
people present to lose time in rejecting upon the
subject which was destined to be eventually one of
the greatest importance to themselves aud their fam
lilies He read extracts from residents of Florida
showing that land could be purchased there for three
dollars an acre., which they were paying for rent
alone on the land which they cultivate and con-
cluded by remarking that the Homestead Bill of 1862
guaranteed them $50 acres of Government lands He
was followed by Major General Miles, commanding
the post, Brigadier General Armstrong, formerly
Colonel ofthe Sth United States co0red troops Lately
appointed Superintendent of the 9th District Of the
Freedmen's bureau, Colonel James Curry Post Com
mlssary, and DIR. Joyce. Of Illinois. The purport of
their speeches was essentially the same The immense
benefits to be reaped by the coored population of the
Peninsula emigrating to Florida, were thousands of
WasrSd nd an6; 6oS to 6e found well
were even the most ind0lent could obtain an
existence. The colored audience, under the innu-
homes surrounded by every comfort and blessing
were graphically pictured to their imagination,
began to exhibit the utmost enthusiasm, and he
most perfect harmony would have prevailed had
not disturbing element made its appearances in
the person of Mr.. Calvin Pepper, lawyer of Nor
folk, who, IN opposition to the purposes and objects
of the Florida emigration movement; has been work
ing hard to counteract, in connection with few
made in enlisting the sympathes of the Door croWd
ed population of the Peninsula in its behalf He
took the platform erected for the OCCASION and not
wlthstandlng the remonstrances of the organizers of
the meeting proceeded at some length TO refute the
arguments and assertions made by the previous
speakers and succeeded towards the end of his dis
in enlsng the entire sympathy of the colored
people present In his views. He advocated the ex-
pedienoy of the colored residents of the Peninsula
remaining where they are, as in little while the
whole country of the Peninsula would be theirs BY
Congressional legislation. He ridicued the idea Of
said it would be traught with great deal of evil con
sequence and spoke OF the uncertainty of protection
and assistance being rendered them after they reached
there.
Mr.. Pepper was followed by colored DR.. Bane or
Norfolk, whose speech even more bitter and
even vituperative against the previous speakers lie
denounced In strong terms the officers who were an
gagged In the project and nc. unY seconded the as
sertions and opinions advanced by Mr. Pepper, but
dScanted aEi.e at length upGn the Freedmen js RnS
feaa 40 injurious to tho true interests of the black
man. lie called upon the whole audience then as
Sembled to treat with the utmost cGntGmps and dis
gust the idea of emigration Florida as better
ing their condition The meeting just at this june
ture, assumed d. rather turbulent appearance Loud
cheers were given for MessrS Bane and Pepper and
long and continued Kisses for Florida.
Deeming It useless to remain longer and as all eff
forts to quiet the two colored orators were of No
avail Major General Miles suggested to the delesa-
ton which accompanied him the propriety of DEPART
ing, which they did forthwith headed by Mr. Dungy
he first speaker OF the meeting. Thus terminates for
the present. the efforts of the military authorities and
others interested in the movement to induce the i'm
mense population scattered all over the Peninsula,
between Old Point and yorktown to seek some other
favorable and less thickly settled region Tt
estimated thatabont twenty five thousand negroes are
lnhapltlng the country mentioned, and TO whom are
monthly distributed nearly sixty thousand rati0ns bv
the Commlssary Department at this post. They are
Principally IN charge of the FreedmenS Bureau hui
good proportion OF them have small lots of ground
on WhlcA they raise enough vegetables 40, TO prO-
vide subsistence for themselves ana families The
larger proportion of them, however, roam at will
over the country, almost entirely destitute of en
ployment, and dependent on Government rafinns
issued them for the means wherewith to sustain IL
The alarming state which their condition has =
assumed, has been the principal reo Gov, Ill Idte
stirred mp the treedmens P;reau and Cha ien mas
ent oaieers 70 s@rt the Florida emigration move
But so far, all these efforts ID induce them IN ep;
crate hGEe pToTed nearly useless The resut of tbe
haypen emigration from this place several wears
be o vap Gone much to prejudice the blacks
country, OF which they are entirely ign0rart
. Immediately after General Miles anG fbe dan,,+o
.ion 9I gentemen VINO accompanied him had left the
meeting IN disgust attic turn which fairs had taksn
me Two betGge mentioned colored speakers frNni,
NGrtala organized a meeting of their own IN ! d.
taued to their colored brethren their own pecpIiSr
near the city of Norfolk on the PeninsnlS orS =;
other portions e the State Their remarks - ~
warmly appiauded. and Just before tbs meefinC
bsaily broke up collection Of fifty cents, in guppor
y, Sntir colSnzation sceeAe, was levied upon each
sponded tQ. '"4''1' fe