The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-12-28
RADICAL MEETING AT FIRST
AFRICAN CHURCH.
HUNNICUTT'S MOB CROWD OUT
WARDWELL AND HIS
COMMITTEE.
IscENDARY SPEECH OF HuxwcU7r.
DR.. Colver and others Repudiate 1t.
WARDWELL & co. LEAVE.

WARDwELL & co. LEAVE.
The Executive Committee of the Re-
publican party Of this city, consisting of
B. Wardwell (cllairman), Brooks, Oliver,
Bragg, and Brockmeyer, issued a call for
meeting of the party to take place at
the African church on last Thursday night.
The object Of the meeting was to get to-
gether the more respectable members of
the party in this city, and pass resolutions
showing the true status of the party,
their position, strength, etc., here.
Their business was all prepared, and
they supposed that there would be no
interruption, but that they would have
harmonious, quiet time to dispose
of the business before them, and 90
home. But they were doomed to disap-
pointment. They had called the meeting
minutes before that hour arrived, Hunni-
cutt and his clan had filled the church,
had appointed their chairman, Benjamin
Bragg, and by the time the executive COM
mittee reached the hall, were prepared to
forestall the business of the meeting. At
the hour named in the call, one Of the
"drilled" sang out for "Hunncutt" to
take the stand. Several hundred voices
cried out, No, no; we don't want to hear
him; let's have business first" But the
Friend and Hero" never missing an
opportunity to make himself heard, came
forward and began, in his usual ranting,
nasal, highfalutin style, to defend Hunni-
cutt. Had he stopped there and said moth
ing else, all would have been well, but,
warming with his subject, he dwelt at
length on the supposed wrongs and suffer-
ings Of his " colored friends" "THERE Is,"
said he, "CoRN, AND WHEAT, AND FLOUR,
AND BACON, AND TURKEYS, AND CHICKENS,
AND WOOD, AND COAL, IN THE STATE, AND
THE COLoRED PEOPLE WOULD HAVE
THEM BEFORE THEY OULD
S ARV e."
This was received with shouts of ap-
plause by the negroes present. But the
more moderate whites among the audi
ence, knowing that it was incendiary Ian
guage, spraDg to their feet and babe the
speaker to stop. Among those who were
opposed to this kind of talk, and who were
foremost in denouncing it then and there,
we noticed particularly Mr.. Wardwell,
DR.. Colver, and Mr.. O'Hara. DR.. Colver,
with earnestness, remarked that " this talk
is all stuff; these people who are here to-
night won't steal" But Hunnicutt would
not be put down. He had come there to
break up this meeting, and he did not in
tend to sit down until this end had been
attained. He repeated the words above
quoted, and added, 1t is so-all history
and nature prove that it is so. THESE
PEOPLE DON'T INTEND TO STARvE."
When asked by some one in the crowd
why he had voted against the Freedmen's
Bureau in the Convention, he answered
that he had done so because there were
bad men connected with it. He also gave
notice that the session of the Convention
would be q long and arduous one that
there was much business to be done; and
it had to be done slowly and carefully.
Very much more of the same sort he spoke;
but as we have so often reported him in
these incendiary harangues we do not deem
it necessary to report him at greater length
now. Enough is said to show that the
grand jury Of the County Court Of Charles.
City did right to issue bench warrant for
his arrest. When he sat down, moderate
counsels were out of the question, and the
executive committee, who had called the
meeting, seemed to feel that it was no place
for them-especially as Porter, of Ports
mouth, delegate to the Convention from
Chesterfield, was called for, and made his
way to the stand. AS he was advancing in
one direction the committee left in an
other, Wardwell, ever in good humor,
saying as he passed us, ave don't take
porter in a frothing state" Porter
took the stand, and for all hour or more
| INDUCED in one of the most violent ha-
rangues we ever heard from any other
than his predecessor. After he sat down
(about 10 o'clock), colored woman from
Philadelphia was introduced, whose name
we did not catch and not caring longer
to remain, we gathered up our notes and
left.
The meeting was called to reconcile the
discordant elements in the party, and to
present as candidates for the Offices in the
city, should Congress declare them vacant,
men that would be unobjectionable, who
had some interest here, who paid taxes
to the State and city, and who could be
trusted not such men as represent this
city in the Convention. They were dis
appointed this time; but Wardwell will
try again. He does not intend to be
bluffed off by Hunnicutt or any other
man or set of men. He intends to have
that meeting, and we intend to be there,
too.