The New York herald., 1867-05-15
Immense Mass Meeting Of
Whites and Blacks.
Speeches Of Horace Greeley, Gerrit
Smith and others.
Richmond Press Opinions Of The Release Of
Jeff Davis.
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE OF rus ugsALp.

and was the most extraordinary Of its kind that has
yet taken place. The OF the church occupied
by large number OF prominent whito citizens, and the
side asles and galleries thronged by dense
bage Of blacks. The platform occupied by Horace
Greeley, Gerritt Smith, Governor Perpont Judge Under
wood, J. W. Hunnicutt and Others.
SPEECH OF aoRAcs oREELgy
Governor Pierpoint introduced Mr. Greeley who said
he did not understand that his invitation 10 speak was
at the dictate Of any party He under people
of different opinions wished hear his views They knew
his Views, and he came not to speak to any particular
party. He citizen Of New York. and he wished
to speak kindly to ALL An American citizen, standing
in the circle Of the great civil war; falling on this
side and that In what each believed righteous cause
he would say to them that all the heartbIrning strife
that has sprung up should be abandoned forever
The rivers Of blood that have been shed attest the sim
ccrty with which the American people fought out the
great struggle for Union and liberty. When people OF
different parties and sections look dstrus,fuly upon
each other there may be an avoidance Of hostility
but no real peace. The war ceased with tho sur.
render Of General Lee though much had been said about
South said, We yield give peace. What hindered
peace In the flush OF lriumphH An assassin's blow
received complication from Southern sentiment at the
time that injured the prospects OF the South The adhe
rents or these assassns were identified with the South,
and as the word flashed the country that ts
Chief Nag strae stricken down In the hour Of exu
taton, WILD and passionate grief and wrath pervaded the
deed wefs enced By hs sed TSs nor non
could not In its blind fury consider that
this was the work OF men unknown TO the
great mass OF the Southern people. II
terrible calamity to both North and South The melan-
choly military events that followed expressions Of
the popular wrath. They expressions OF
the popular mind felt at the moment. Shortly after
there assembled Southern Legislatures that showed an
Legislatures met and dev lsed laws az II TO discriminate
harshy anst the coored people for the part they took
10 the war He would merely glance at some Of these
laws some of which, II they bad been wise utterly
napplicabs when slavery was abolished II might have
been proper when slavery existed to forbid instance
passed ali possible roason for whte or coored people
holding In conflict with the constitution OF the
United States If 1t be chat United States soldiers
around ard took that had been used service
OF the Union was but Indictment another rebel
lion He considered the ures OF the United States had
the right to deal with all such Cases. when Legislatures
came together and enacted such laws discriminating
between the testimony Of black and white, the com.
were invdous and dcgradng and i looked to the people
ofthe rth as revival Of the rebellion This legislation,
persisted in throughout the South Of the chief
mpediments towards an early and hearty reconstruction
porable tragedies at Memphis and New Orleans TO in
dictate this species Of cass legislation. They had no
idea how the elections in the North enccicd by this
suicidal policy Tho reassemblng OF the Convention In
Louisiana was made the preex for the slaughter Of
aging impression al the North against the south These
TRAGEDIES this unwise and ipjudicons legislation,
people that thore no peace in the
Union unless that all men were guaranteed
equal share In the administration Of the laws The
republican party, he believed had strength
and power since tho promuigation Of tho peculiar
the blacks hnTrahed for their masters when the VA
began, but when tho conflict became deadly and ths
North Thought proper TO put the blacks n the neld
silent understanding was felt among the blacks that M
war war FOR freedom. While the North is unde
thousand obligations TO the blacks for their kindnes
TO Northern prisoners the South Ia under equal obi
cation them for resisting tomptatio1
TO inuro their white masera They could have east y
~as U1 Y p.CcsS hs
proclamation Of emancipation license for havoc
and massacre You VIII bear me out that no such pre-
black would bo villains Of the deepest dye 20 take
such advantage Of thor masters' absence Some mon
say the blacks are ignorant and degraded-as II you
make ignorance the ground OF excluding men from
suffrage. ! can understand tho justice OF such
the argument is 10 favor OF tho back man. as his
ignorance was compulsory while the white mans was
OF the African race who always remain separate
from the Caucasian, and the gradual decline In the
Der OF the eoored people. The enormous OF for
eign emigration breaking upon these shores will at
future time render the black nero fraction He
would make equal rights the corner stone OF recon
strucon He would wish to be done with the question
forever and 20 along the consideration OF
ters II those In tho ofices OF the government
mad recognized this ci two years asS the
II disgracefully truo that republican states
have not carried out this principl, OF equal rights II
bc moved out OF the way, he would ask them 10 help
have embodied In the federal constitution equal
G e ao ne no Is a
ton OF prescription In bis opinion every man who
was thoroughly loyal citizen should not be denied the
right OF voting The purposes OF Congress- he believed
was to discriminate between those who were still dis
loyal and those who, having rebelIed turned honestly
around and repented When you hieing away
70 Brazil and other places, you may be
are not rcconcied 70 the government How many moro
there may be We cannot tell II was right TO exclude
In fhn inf
try He accepted the prescription embodied In the act
OF Cong only as precautionary measure and when
the restoration Of the prescribed 70 the privileges Of
oitizenshp As to connscston, he would say, having
because So they had been promised them BY oonscsiion
that they had much better chance OF earning homes
than Of receiving them BY connscation. AZ the head
snd foot OF this consaton movement was Mr. Thaddeus
Stevens, who has held tho highest position 10 tho
republican rsnka His conascation spseches were
published and also bis late latter against men pcddng
out amnesty, but be knew Of oshsr In Congress
who publicly proposed 70 take away the property Of
ss and % rnss aa nSs S !. e
was probable that violence at tho south might impel
that body 10 confscate the property Of rebeA BY
surplus lands Of tho rich could be divided among tho
poor u might do good 70 the many aud little harm TO
ins Sscaou would bring deporSs csam:s u S
and general social pr0statlon. All the conscatons that
ever took place IN the history OF the world never
may grown enormously wealthy, but tho treasury
Of q country was never enriched He bad always been
advocate OF helping tho poor man to tho pubic lands
OF the country In Florida South Carolina, Texas aud
other States, tho government had already helped the
oolored 70 lands He would ask II we're not easier
for the coored 10 and sck thcse lands than 70
walt for the conhscation Of their white neighbors'
estates Under the influence Of cornscaiion industry Ia
para zcd and the seeds OF hatred that produce
iDcaculable mischief II a tho lands Of the South
conscaed tomorrow and put up At auction, he did not
believe hey would realize tho famous I've hundred mt
lion dollars expected by Mr. Stevens. lie dad not pre-
tend TO be adviser OF the coored people, but he folnd
since be here that land cheap in Virginia, and
The cheapest way he thong for the colored 70 do
was to buy lands and seitle them. lie would ask
them TO become landhoders, as " would give them Dig
nifty and position, but not 70 wait for conscaton 70 i'm
prove their condition He was republican, expecting
10 live and die one but he wished 70 vote except
he thought Tor tho bcst interests Of the country
He would ask them, blacks aud whites alike, 70 conform
70 the Of Congress- elect such officers as can take Toe
oath prescrIbsd, and compliant acton ON their
part would, he believed. be met 5y CORES
pondins action the part of Congress- After ahigh
and eloquent euogy ON tho state Of virginia MT
Greeley sntrsaicd them, whitcs and blacks alike,
70 take hold OF the present circumstances IN
honesty and good faith Let U.s. said he forget the Bit
terncss and Of those evona years. nov 80 hap