Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-02-05
sAmno AND rnE snEaIrrALrY.
Judge Harrison Calls Upon Him 90
Surrender His Ciaims-The Candi-
dates Don't See IL. and Say SEA- Loufi
Meeting at Andrew Charge Chapel.

Surrender His Ciaims-The Candi-
dates Don't See It. and Say SO-A LOuti
Meeting af Andrew Charge Chapel.
Judge Harrison last night addressed
nearly three hundred negroes at Andrew
| Charge Chapel, in South Nashville. The
meeting though boisteroHs affair, was not
exactly counterpart Of similar occasions
heretofore. II opened with the reading of
superscriptions on some uncalled for let
tiers by postofice official, but no claimants
could be found, the crowd evidently not be
ing of the letter writing kind. Then fol-
lowed a prayer, and the meeting was fairly
under way, though Jno. Hugh Smith was
absent on account of illness.
| The task of convincing the negroes that
| il is not time for them yet 10 take a share
of the loayes and fishes, would hardly
( have been undertaken by any but Horace
Harrison, and he did all that one could
have done, beating about the bush and
| calling up by-gone questions until he finally
reached the point which he seemed so re-
lnctant TO take up.
1t was not important, he said, that col
ored man should not be elected. He did not
want to see Nelson Walker or any other
colored man elected. Profound sensa-
ton, grum looks on the part Of the black
candidates, and Walker especially souri,
Il was not so important that they should
be elected, as that the rights of all citizens
should be recognized, and this could only
be through united action. Ii was impolitic
at this time. 1t would be the production
Of mischievous results for cOlored men TO
become candidates for Office until there was
some more definite repeal Of the sixteenth
section than that now before the Legisla-
ture. The question might come up in
such way as to defeat the interests de-
sired to be secured. Several negroes go
out
The speaker launched off as to how the
constitution should be fixed in order to
| give the colored man the right to hold Of
fee and sit on juries, but they did not
seem to understand what he was driving
at. He concluded by urging that free in
! situations were worth more than office, and
advising them TO reflect upon the uncer-
tainties of life, and especially upon the in
significance Of the Office Of Sheriff.
Judge Harrison's speech was either not
| understood, or was not we'll taken, the APP
| plause being peculiarly faint. At its con-
clusion loud calls were made for Jno. Cock
rell and Nelson Walker, both colored, and
the latter candidate for Sheriff.
Cockrell quickly stepped into the pulpit
and began:
FELLOW CITIZENS You see / am before
! you again, like bad dollar, allus on hand.
/ You have listened TO the eloquent dress Of
| your Judge, Judge Harrison, but [ want
| 10 drop you few hints, and / hope you
+ will consider it like seeds soWn in good
soil. Thars a mighty heavy contest be-
fore you, and if you don't act, the wolf is
| nigh. l speak in plain English, and won't
| say a great deal. Judge Harrison's lecture
was full Of unspeakable glory. The colored
folks oughten't to go SO fast. They will go
down the hill like a wagon that goes SO fast
| it falls TO pieces. A voice: Did the wagon
| 90 too fast when Hood was coming on to
Nashville?l
| Let us endeavor to sustain the forum
Ratical. You talk of carpet sacks, but it
was the knapsack and the Enfield rifle.
Thar is good native men, but where was
| your native Ratical until the carpet sack
men came down. Whenever the wind
blew strong from the North, he was gone.
Look back TO the time when the carpet
sack men came down to make sacrifices of
themselves for this Union. You must lock
1 round yourselves. tell you you got to
| stand eye to eye as firm as throne.
Here's an object. You say you elected
the carpet sack men and they go back on
you; but if you don't sustain the Northern
Radicals you go the way Wards ducks
Il II L.
favor of universal suffrage. The very
day you go for suffrage, you cut
off Your supplies and find yourselves
as the niggers in Kentucky is. Here an
other disturber, who attempted to speak,
was put down, and nearly every one in the
house had risen, crowd gathering around
the stove, Excitement intense. We've
| got to be sound to secure of our moral
danger. When you cut pose from the
Northern Radicals, away goes Mr.. Niger.
This shan't be the last circle ofthe coon.
j have something to tell you as sweet as
roasted maggot in the ashes, and hope
thar will be another occasion. l thank
you, ladies aud gentlemen, for yonr Berious
attention.
| Cockrelps speech was concluded amid
mingled cries of "Go on 90 onw
"Walkerp Randall Brownp aud "Si-
leneel silencep
| In the midst of this hubbub, w. A. Sunni
| ner offered the following:
/ Resolved, That il is the sense of this
meeting that this is the proper time for
eolored men to offer for offices of profit and
trust"
The whole audience was again on its
feet in q twinkling, when negro moved to
lay the resolution on the table, put the
question himself, and declared il tabled.
This being out of order, the Chairman was
permitted to put the question, and the re-
solution was tabled by light vote.
Alfred Menifee, one of the candidates,
then responded TO calls, and said he hardly
knew what to say after what had been said
, but he managed to say good deal before
: he concluded. He said that as the colored
people were bearing the burdens Of govern
ment, he could see nothing wrong in any
man who had the nerve, aspiring to posi-.
J ton. and did not think it necessary for
the safety Of the colored people to give
1 | way 10 the whites. The military might bt
called out il there should be danger. He
said he had his receipt for his taxes, and
had read the notice calling upon the col
ored men to come up and pay their pol
tax or have their property sold. The
course advised by Judge Harrison, who tolG
. them not to seek Office, was a blow TO tbs
1 colored people of the county and State
= He advised them 20 stand square up ant
do what brave men could, and closed By
: thanking them for their attention, and so
g liciting their votes.
, Another tempest of cries followed this
and Allen Mcfeer mounted the rostnlm
indorsing Judge Harrison. Then cam
IL Nelson Walker, at which time all the re
y porters had left, the hour waxing fast to
II ward midnight, and little having been &C
.. complished by any of the speakers. TIL
result will be sharp struggle on the par
of the 'otfice-seeking negroes and the Rad
cal whites, the termination of which vii
} doubtless be bolt Of the entire negro votin
Of strength from its present allies, TIL
n. blacks have everything in their own hands
and they know we'll how to use their M
bridled power.
,e A GUsH OF ELooUEECE.-In the debati
ty yesterday morning, in the House of ReprV
sentatives, ON vote for reconsideration