The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-05-04
MEETING AT THE AFRICAN CuURCH-

| SPEECH by HONs OhahLbo oibpoS', W
PESNsYLvANIA.-Am mass meeting was held
at the African church last evening, the oc'
casion being an address from Hon. Charles
Gibbons, Speaker of the House Of Dele
gates of Pennsylvania. The meeting was
composed chiefly of colored persons, who
filed the house, though there were a few
whites interspersed among them. Among
those present were Governor Peirpoint
Colonel Charles H.. Lewis, Colonel Nal,
lorv, of the Freedmen's Bureau, and a
number Of army officers.
The meeting was called to order at a few
moments after o'clock, and John Ii. Oil
yer, colsred, was called to the chair. The
proceedings were opened with the hymn
"Blow, ye Trumpets, Blow" and prayer
by Nelson Vanderbilt, colored. Hunni-
cutt, with few predatory remarks, intro
duced the speaker.
| During his remarks he denied that he
had ever urged the colored people against
the whites. The present struggle'was one
of ideas, not of races, and he had only
urged upon the black people political op-
| position to those who were unwilling to
| accede to them the rights and privileges
properly theirs. off you wish to consult
REBEL" said he" and / call things by
their right names-if you wish to consult
rebel concerning the purchase of a
horse, do so. If you wish to consult him
concerning the purchase Of land, do so.
But never consult a man who has fought
against'this country concerning your vote"
[" No! we won't."l
The speaker of the evening being intro
duced, commenced his address with the
statement that he had consented to speak
to them by invitation. He appeared as a
man without public position, and not seek
ing one. He came not as the agent or
emissary of any political party, and could
therefore speak to them as a disinterested
friend.
He then spoke of his attachment to the
Republican party since 1856, and then gave
an account of its history and progress, and
the cause of secession and-the war as attri-
buted by that party. He referred to its
power throughout the North, and said that
it was responsible for all the legislation OF
the last six years, and it was not ashamed
of it. 1t had raised the negro from the
state of slavery and made him free, and
1t had placed the ballot in his hands.
T" Amen!"l The people of the North eX-
pected that the colored people of the South
had intelligence enough to know who were
their friends. ["We do dat."l He did
not wish to be misunderstood. He urged
them to hatred towards no one, white or
black. He had read where speakers had
advised them to work so as to win the
esteem and confidence of their former
masters. [Cries of We will."l If they
would trust in God and merit his blessings
that would be sufficient. He then spoke
of the condition of the people of Virginia,
and their inability to pay high wages for
labor. If their employers paid them fairly
and honestly what they promised them,
they should not stand upon dollar or two,
when they knew he was unable to pay
more. [Cries of "Wo won't."1 He then
spoke of labor and its necessity, its many
branches, and their mutual dependence
upon each other, and urged upon his
hearers to 60 to work. He had heard a
great deal concerning conliscation. He
wished his hearers to be cautioned against
any such doctrine, for the Republican
party would never consent to such a mea-
sure unless driven to it by the conduct OF
the radical seceSsonists of the South. The
Republican party wish to act humanely
and kindly. They had no malice against
the southern people who had been forced
into the war by a military despotism
such as never was known. They asked
them to meet them now as brethren, as
friends, and as citizens of a common cOun-
try. The only issue between the people OF
the North and the people of the South had
been that of slavery, and that was now
done away with. He could take the Bill
of Rights of Virginia and read from it the
platform of the Republican party, and he
only asked Virginians, in re0rganizing
their State, to stand upon the Bill of
Rights, and they would stand upon the Re-
publican platform. He then entreated his
hearers to abandon the idea of confsca-
ton and 90 to work. [Murmurs Of min
gled appreciation and disapproval.l They
should remember the story of Mr.. Brooke's
turkey Jacob, who, after trying in vain to
hatch by setting on brickbat, died trying
to hatch turkeys out of nest of rotten
apples. He believed that the colored man
knew his rights, and could maintain them
at the ballot-box without quarrelling
or contention with their old masters
or anybody else. He next spoke of Fir-
ginia-its past glory, the pride of its peo-
Pile, and the beauty of its hills and valleys.
The people of Virginia were proud, and
with their beautiful State they had reason
to be proud but they. had depended too
much upon its ancient reputation and past
glory. The people had folded their arms,
stood still, and allowed themselves to be
outstripped by their sister States of the
West and North, and unless they nerved
themselves at once to labor and improve
ment, they would yet be outstripped
by others. He then continued to
argne ably upon the Importance of
labor and internal improvement as
essential to commerce, citing several
examples among the great cities Of the
North and West. He mad noticed that
several journals of the South had been in
viting foreign emigration, and emigrants
of the North to come down and buy
southern lands. If the southern peo-
pie would conform to the principles, and
adopt the platform of the Republican party,
the hardy men of the North would come
down by thousands, labor and develop the
lands, build up the State, and place it
where it should have been long ago.
In conclusion, he urged union and har-
mony. "Let the blood of the past
be wiped out; let US gather around the
graves of our dead, and bury past
animosities with them. Let us unite
upon the platform of the Republican party,
and gathering lessons from the past, labor
for this grand, glorious Government, which
is destined to be the greatest government
the sun ever shone upon."
He was followed by Governor Peirpoint
in one of his short, practical, commit
tai speeches; which was well received,