The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-04-22
RECON STRUCTION.
SENATOR WILSON'S SOUTHERN TOUR
His Opening Speech at Orange Court
House, Virginia-The Audience
Composed Entirely Of
Negroes, Etc.

the Orange and Alexandria Railroad line, and
passing through the battle region of Virginia,
past Burke's Station, with its half-demolished
block house, Union Mills, with their blackened
Union army marched to Bull Run, Manassas
junction, Warrenton, etc ;Rappahannock, with
neat national cemeterv the badies or the Union
soldiers who fell in the vicinity are collscted
crossing the Rapidan, so long the dividing line
OF the two armies, he arrived shortly before
noon at Orange Court House, where his first
speech was to be made.
There are but few white people In this ancient,
stunted town, and those few have no love for
politicians OF the Republican party. Therefore
there was no gathering of citizens at the rail-
way station to bid the Senator welcome. There
were score or two OF colored men th9re, and
one oflthem tried TO get up cheer for the mild
4 looking, porlly gentleman who, carpet-bag in
hand, got out of the cars, on the chance OF his
The Senator, however, was taken in charge by
Mr. Barnes, New York gentleman, who has
TeGeny purchased h % 1ne pSntatGn near 6r tne
Captain McNulty, who controls the freedmen
in this region.
About 8o'clock Mr.. Wilson came to the Court
House, in front of which were assembled some
four or five hundred colored people - men,
women. and children. Their black faces beamed
with satisfaction at sight of one whom they
esteemed as a friend of their race but they
were not noisily demonstrative. The introduce
tion was to have been made by DR.. Terrell, a
much respected citizen of Union sentiments;
but the duty was taken out of his hands by
Major Lee, who is said to have boasted, as the
war was about to open, that he could drive the
but who, nevertheless, Kept out of the Rebel
army, and who now represents the District in
The init oduction speech of Major Lee was
rather wordy, but it came to an end. He in
formed his hearers, rather unnecessarily, that
they were no longer slaves, but free citizens of
the United States, and he asked them TO give
Senator W ilson as respectful hearing as he
would get in Faneuil Hall
No cheers greeted Mr.. Wilson as he prepared
to speak. The colored people seemed to have
too much reverence for him to manifest their
feelings in that way. They gathered upon and
around the stairs leading TO the porch from
superior being muscular female, with a
military jacket on her back, and white hand
herself at his feet. Some few white men were
on the portico, and few others stood on the
street to listen to the speech, seeming to regard
concern. Over the scene the sun shone bright
and warm.
Senator Wilson'S speech was addressed almost ex-
skeched the antsavery agitation from 1882 to 1851
SecaIed ha! he among those who believed that
feeGom aud Slavery neither Would Quietly give way
TO the other, and that the war was one of God
Four millions Of bondmen had been raised to citizen
and had the same rights as himself and those
rights they would h%ye SO long & as the nGtOn hi LIVED
cared that Notwithstanding the great sacrifices made
nation the people of the loyal States had feeling Of
hatred or revenge towards any portion OF their G3un
They wanted the whole controversy settled ON the
s so sesd RasS that all black %hte should
have equal rights before the law MI MThey % wanted to
ssEe'e sOGy Or 'S 70 forge sSsns fefs oE any.
%ontRs 1sSlafsD afer the close Of the the terms
y fsa been Ss the G
eminent would have been regarded as liberal to
g 5 te TO sSFng MR. the aoTe
ADDED six G9na of o1s % ADDED WsGR s@ h %OGe M
had thought the twenty thousand dollar exception
TIME. What was wanted then and what was wanted
for all % q & % TO %ork tho @
wealthy men could give employment to the freedmen
many dificSlt questions. He had. therefore thought
Se Se' of coahy No %an had
ever since asked blm 70 sign YG reYGGommenda-
He would have excepted from pardon few of those
b and while mem6es sSg Of IN the the
cCmncbs had plotted the Rebellion. and then he
and would the time have required the people
of the Southern states TO amend their
equal before the laws. General sherman had said to
legislature Of Georgia aud the Carollnss as any new
men the people might elect, because they we're
ernment might require Of them But But the the misfor-
class Of men gathered around his successor and
PP5 e nU sTa h ear ere ssS or
They might always notice one thing-that when a
his sib being conservative (Laushterj Conservatism
RgSe %Sdd Mr. nHd nS Ts S II e " Was r1se @
organize great conservative party sort Of revi
both ends Of the country were 10 be siogghed OF
although ifthe radicals were sloughed of from the
It, (Iaughter) The President without calling
Congress together, adopted policy of his own,
dred OF those who had elected him. He governed
states endorsed his policy. That policy assumed all
endorsed the Presidents policy they had right to
complain Of the policy Of Congress But the policy
under the stern condemnation Of the american
country Congress had after months OF investigation
consideration ana c%3mpaafson con OF notes settledthe
tions from several quarters 1t seemed to him
that the great hand OF God which had been been
had moulded and shaped and framed that
great measure since scs It's PasSsse sSs acts ahS tns
conduct of the people ofthe South. No murder Of a
colored man bad been reported 70 n tns n tse & HI
tary power embodied in that bill He did NOT lmpute
the change 70 that 6St 70 & se bso an S The
of his life liberty and property S tht Ss
Community nom the Potomac 70 The Rio Grande
was go be divided me .SS grSahs hd s beievsd IN
human slavery and ON the other those who believed
in the freedom of all men. He saw before MN to-day
not saw TO which poll teal party he expected them e
To: there was but party to which they could
g9oie with those men who had fought the battle
fora united country (some cheers and one yes
stSnd u then that he was opposed 10 black man.
party or 10 white mans party, but that he was i
icy bn II black men were in favor Of their ow
Emancipation, their own suffrage; their own etzen
FSSP sPsE the nag ana kept step 70 the music
hnman elevation (Cheers( But, above All thlngs
they were TO entertain no ieeanG ot aopS III
fSw.s iN33 ~ A colored man-'We all understand that
and sOp5 5 gro%ns coaS Sp' 6ad % ns
SEEhV 70 be- forgotten and buried deep and