The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1867-07-31
The Reconstruction Meeting Monday.

Augusta, at the Court House on Monday
While opposed to all parties and all meetings
looking to the organization Of any party in the
State, we are glad to notice the good feeling
that marked the proceedings on Monday. In
these times it will not do to question motives.
We try to give the facts.
There we're about 200 colored men present
and about so whites-net more than third
of the whites participating in the proceedings.
David Fultz, Esq, explained the objects Of
the meeting lie spoke for about an hour
and gave some good advice to the blacks
He warned them against the influences OF
demagogues and disabuscd their minds Of the
idea that any one wished to re enslave them.
He had been slaveowner and he rejoiccd
that the institution no longer existed, and be-
loved every STAKEHOLDER agreed with him.
He compimented the blacks in their conduct
during the war and said that History told Of
no race who had acted so we'll under such cir
cumstances. He told them they must learn
the important fact that they must live by la
Dor and that their own people were their best
friends. He urged upon them the necessity
Of voting for honest men men they knew and
could trust lie told them that party had
ruined the country and that the Government
was now in the hands Of designing, corrupt
partizans-that it was not the representative
Of the people The South was under Military
Government, &c. He then explained to them
the nature and power Of the written Constitu-
ton. He said that if you can't get your rights
by petition; if you try to get them from all
the branches of the go, ernment and fail, then
you have the right Of Rcyolution-but that
RIGHT must not be COMPOUNDED with the right
of secession, which was no where recognized.
lie urged upon all the importance of aiding
the work of reconstruction, under the Military
Bills, as there was no other chance left US, and
said the duties of the Convention to recon
struct the State, were so simple that it should
not set over "a hours. He earnestly asked
all, in favor of peace, to vote for good men
and speedily reconstruct under the present or
ders. The continued rule of the military
would be political ruin. we must obey Or
dcrs. It is our duty and interest to do SO, and
escape, or we will at last become so demorali-
zed, under military rule, that We will seek safe
ty in a Despot. He claimcd honesty Of pur-
pose in advocating compliance with orders and
said ultimate terms would make us shudder
therefore, it was best to accept the present
for, admitting the Radical party to be corrupt.
we could not please them better than to defeat
their present plans. Mr.. Fultz was listened
to attentivcly, especially by the colored PEG
pie.
During the absence of the Committee on
resolutions, Henry Davenport was called for
and spoke. Said he did not know how to read
and see what was going on like white folks.
but had to gather what ideas he had from his
intellect. He wanted to say to his fellow
travellers, white and black, let us meet to-
gether and make laws for the universal fcl
lowship of man He was for peace and har-
mony and universal love- The colored people
asked of the white "come and give US light. .
He gave way for the Committee, hoping that
| together we may live and die
Mr.. Houf, white, objected to the appoint
ment of only five delegates, and wanted every
citizen, black and white, from Augusta, who
might be III Richmond, and wanted to recon
struct, to be delegate. Mr.. Houf earnestly
urged his point and wandered around conside-
rable over s'the Union" before he ended. He
had learned to be a Union man from great
men, like Stuart and Baldwin, in that very
house; we must accept the Military Bills,
while they were not such as he would have
made, but there was no use depending on any
body North, and we should obey orders. Here
he told an amusing anccdote about "cats"
which brought down the house, but won't do
to snarrate" here Mr.. Houf said he believed
the Confcderates were as honest as he was, and
spoke feelipgly about the "old Flag" Said
he loved it, but he sympathized with the men
who followed Stonewall jackson, and he be-
lieved that there were never greater set Of
patriots and heroes than those who followed
Stonewall Jackson, under that internal thing
first raised in Montgomery. Mr.. Houf gave
the colored people good advice and told them
to look to the men who will protect their own
interests that he thought they had been
thrown into the political arena too soon. He
warned them to listen not to politicians listen
not to Maine men who said they freed them,
for it was not So Abraham Lincoln would
not have freed them, nor would the Democrat
but God Almighty did ii. Don't attribute
your freedom to any one but God, &c. Mr.
Houf was pretty hard on the yankee and told
another very pointed aneedote illustrating
yankee character He closed BY advising the
colored people to turn their hands to labor :;
their hearts to industry and all help to build
up the country He had named boy after