The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-06-03

md the 0per,proaght Fselings 81. the Spec
totors of The Tragedy are Relieved by the
Ia,trod,iction of little Farce entitled
q IL. ,Iames's Little Game 2or, Hoao to
Sec,tre a Noniaation - Speeches by Co.
lionel HIM and Others, dc.
a, SIX ASHLAND, June l, 1868.
Il was announced by placards circulated
N yar;o,,s parts Of the county that General
VIC. Wickham had consented upon invi--:
tat;on. to address the negroes Of Hanover
mon their duty in the present crisis. The
Conservatives Of the county thought this a
GOOD time to have general meeting of our
Citizens, and requested Colonel Marmaduke
Johnson, of Richmond, to be present and
invite General Wickham to a discussion be-
fore the whole people. The arrangement
was agreed to by the Radical leaders, and
to-day the whole village has been alive with
excitement. ;,
Your reporter of course came up with the
crowd and sauntered along, taking notes.
Ue expected to be amused and entertained,
and TO he able to give you'a paragraph or
two of sufficient interest to publish out the
scenes he witnessed surpass oil his powers
of description. He can give out 1a'n'
picture.
He attempted to take notes Of General
Wickhsm's speech, but amazement at the
sad spectacle Of late distinguished Con-
federate officer and a member of proud
Old Virginia family taking such position
rs he assumed, and uttering such opinions
to a crowd of ignorant negroes as he did,
make the work very difficult. .3aa s,
AS to Colonel ,Johnson's speech, let me
say ut once that no notes could be taken OF
il. TWAS so brimftil Of humor and wit,
50 scathing and terrible in its denunciation
Of General Wickham's present position, that
between laughing and sympathy for the
unhappy victim, first ridiculed and then
aayed in the presence Of the crowd Of ne
rroes who came to admire him, and the in
disnant citizens who came to look ut him,
the attempt at full report had to be aban-
ioned. aHss, .....,.,..s ...,.,e ~
But YOU shall have the best that can be
dome under the circumstances. Let me try
% paint the scene at least. r:s .s.,y =
The meeting was held in q beautiful
grove, and at y o'clock the large crowd
we-e gathered around the speakers stand.
Nearest 10 it. OF course, were the freedmen,
creEied into dense mass of darkness.
Conspicuous among them was a tall negro
O: very elongated countenance, and OF great
gravity of demeanor, who attracted almost
s. much attention as General Wickham.
He seemed, like the General said that he
was, impressed with the idea that he had
"a: rerv grave duty to PERFORM" and,
throughout the whole progress Of the meet
ing he performed it. He never once left
his posi-, but, leaning upon his stick, he ut
tered at intervals, in deep and solemn
tones, Here, gentlemen, is ole Bob
Johnson :" "Glory! say, glory to
Ginral Washington" Another @distin-
guished colored fellow-citizen your re-
porter feels bouxd in gratitude to sketch,
for he afforded him much comfort. When
ever his feelings became "too many for
him." glance at this gentleman always,
relieved him. He was dressed in an old
blue coat and very short pants, and an old
cavalry helmet, with q white horse-tail
reaching down to his waist, adorned his
woolly head. He stood on the outskirts of
the crowd, near refreshment table, listen,
ing with open mouth, occasionally turning
to the table and picking up huge onion in
one hand and hunk of cold corn bread IN
the other, munching them with great salts
faction. -
And now the meeting is, organized, and
there is no time to look at the crowd Mr..
John II. Taliaferro, an estimable citizen, is
requested to act as chairman, and General
Wickham appears to deliver his advice to
the freedmen. : 4,-s
He tells MS that he did not expect to have
discussion here to-day. He had been in
vited to address the colored people ; felt it
to be an imperative duty to comply; as fan
rs his humble capacity went he was de-
termined to do all that he could to, promote
kindness Of feeling and confidence be-
tween the two races. He was glad to see SO
many white people here, 1t was much
more agreeable to him TO address all the n
people than any class of them. he would
be brief. The first thing to be considered
was: Where, are weto-day We are under
the laws aof the United States; bound 20
obey them whether tasteful or dastaseIui !:
Many of us S,oOrn toFsupport, them. ~ ha f
pleased Congress to pass certain recons.r =,
tion measures. Hes&accepted them 1ally
He sustained them with all his heart. -. Son !.
gress has the power to enforce aus WIZ ~, -
this matter. How unwise then not luity u
recognize this fact, and cordially perform
its requirements.
In feSaTuf tGtnct.Sohoeieo'Aott -
the late Convention he was not SO free t
express, his appreciation. Indeed, he could
not stand the test oath. But wise legisla.
tiorn night cure other Objectionable features,
and Congress would probably either ex-
plunge the test oath or give relief IN some
way. Z III i xGhE Z LII {. Ea-SEs3lia II
Colonel johnson: Do you. advocate the
adoption Of that Constitution, General %
General Wickham can't support ii
with that clause init ~ ,.fl -, ..,...a4g
Colonel Johnson: .Without 1T would You
support it ?, !. sd -
General Wickham: :. That. would be a
matter for future consideration p' 81 81 ~
"Now," said the General, i come to the
special subject which brought me here: n
would reach every citizen Of Hanover and
the State with my voice if could. az This
special subject was the necessity of kindly
feeling and confidence. He dad, not blame
the negroes for not being willing to support
those who call themselves Conservatives.
They would be very foolish to vote for men
who denied their right Of suffrage. He
thought Congress didright to confer it upon
them. AS God was. his judge, he though,
that they had the right to demand suffrage,
and that 1t aoas necessary to their protec-
ton that they should haze it, The Con-
seryatlye party was the party of ruin and
II II succeeded its policy would make the
country very hell aipon earth. t.is s.
Here my tall friend groaned, and ex-
claimed, in tones of anguish, And who
I'M c fnls Is LoII l. "