Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1866-03-17
rFrom the baltimore Gazette.l

From the Baltimore Gazette.]
FORTRESS MONROE, Va, March IA large
meeting Of negroes having for its object the further
ance of the Florida emigration movement took
place in Hampton yesterday evening. The meeting
was regularly organized, and, after the usual pre-
liminaries William Thornton (colored) was appoint
ed Chairman, and Mr.. Calhoun (white) as Secretary
J. W. Dungy IA runaway slave from Hampton some
years agO) arose and addressed the audience, and in
few sensible remarks demonstratedto the audience
that they were living too thckly on the Peninsula,
between Hampton and Yorktown, and as the imme-
date result they were being subjected to all the evil
influences ofidleness and vice, and that instances OF
theft, depreciation and other crimes against each
other and the white residents Of the country were
bee coming daily more numerous. de entreated the
colored people present TO lose no time in rejecting
upon the subject which was destined to be even
tually one of the greatest importance to themselves
and their families. 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 now cultivate, and
concluded by remarking that the homestead bill Of
1852 guaranteed them l60 acres of Government
lands. He was followed by Major. General Miles,
commanding the post Brigadier-General Arm
strong formerly Colonel of the Eighth United States
colored troops lately appointed Superintendent of
the Ninth District of the Freedmens Bureau; Colo
mel James Curry, Post Commissary, and DIR. Joyce,
of Illinois. The purport of their speeches
sentially the same. The immense benefits to be
reaped by the cOlored population of the Peninsula
emigrating to Florida, where thousands of acres of
Government lands were to be found, well watered,
fertile and highly productive, and where even the
most indolent could obtain an existence. The col
oIed audience, under the influence of these glowing
speeches, in which happy homes, surrounded by
every comfort and blessing, were graphically pic
tured to their imagination, began to exhibit the ut
most enthuSiasm, and the most perfect harmony
would have prevailed, had not disturbing element
made its appearance in the person OF a Mr..
Calvin Pepper. lawyer of Norfolk who, in
opposition to the purposes and objects Of
the Florida emigration movement, has been
working hard to counterfeit, in connection with a
few other dissenting adherents, the progress already
made in enlisting the sympathies of the poor crowd
ed population of the Peninsula in its behalf He
took the platform erected for the occasion, and not
withstanding the remonstances of the organizers of
the meeting proceeded at some length to refue the
arguments and assertions made by the previous
speakers and succeeded towards the end of his dis
course in enlistng the entire sympathy of the color
ed people present in his views.
He advocated the expediency of the colored resi-
dents of the Peninsula remaining where they are as
in a little while the whole country of the Peninsula
would be theirs by Congressional legislation. He
rdicued the idea Of emigration to Florida as being
impracti and said it would be fraught with
great deal of evil consequence, and spoke OF the un
certainty of protection and assistance being rem
dered them after they reached there.
Mr. Pepper was followed by colored " Dr." Bane
of Norfolk, whose speech was even more bitter, and
even vituperative against the previous speakers He
denounced in strong terms the officers who were en-
gagged in the project, and not only seconded the as
sertons and opinions advanced by Mr. Pepper, but
discanted quite at length upon the Freedman's Bu'
reau as injurious to the true interests OF the black
man. He called upon the whole audience then as
sembled to treat with the utmost contempt and dis
gust the idea of emigration to Florida as better
ing their condition. The meeting just at this june
ture, assumed a 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 of no avail
Major-General Miles suggested to the delegation
which accompanied him the propriety of departing
which they did forthwith, headed by Dungy, the first
speaker of the meeting Thus terminates for the pre-
sent the efforts of the military authorities and Others
interested in the movement TO induce the immense
population scattered all over the Peninsula between
old Point and Yorktown, to seek some other more
favorable and less thioky settled region 1t is est
mated that about twenty-five thousand negroes are
inhabting the country mentioned, and to whom are
monthly distributed nearly sixty thousand ratlons
by the Commissary Department at this post. They
are principally in charge of the Freedmens Bureau,
but a good proportion of them have small lots of
ground on which they raise enough vegc-
tables, &C., to provide subsistence for them
selves and families. The larger portion of them,
most entirely destitute of employment, and depen.
dent on Government ratiOns issued them for the
means wherewith TO sustain lille. The alarming
state which their condition has of late assumed has
been the principal reason which has stirred up the
Freedmen's Bureau and other Government officers
TO start the Florida emigration movement among
the negroes of this section of the State. But so far
all these efforts to induce them to emigrate have
proved nearly useless The result Of the Haytien
emigration from this place several years ago has, no
doubt, done much to prejudice the blacks against
the very idea of an emigration to another country
Of which they are entirely ignorant.
Immediately after General Miles and the deputa-
ton of gentlemen who accompanied him had left
the meeting in disgust at the turn which affairs had
taken, the two aforementioned cOlored speakers
from Norfolk organized meeting of their own, and
detailed to their colored bretheren their own pecu
liar views in regard to establishing colonies on the
lands near the city of Norfolk, on the Peninsula,
and in other portions of the State. Their remarks
were warmly applauded, and just before the meet
ing finally broke up collection of fifty cents, in
support Of their colonization scheme, was levied
upon each member of the audience, which was
heartily responded to.