The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-05-07
LEXINGTON, VA, May 5, 1868.

LEXINGTON, VA, May 5, 1868.
The first public discussion in the present
canvass came off in Lexington on Saturday
afternoon last. At the request of some Of
their number, General Moore, the .Conser-
yatiye superintendent for the county,
agreed to address the negroes on the issues
Of the day; and the courthouse was ac-
cordingly filled with a large crowd of ne
oroes and few whites. General Moore
made speech characterized by his usual
good sense and earnestness, explaining to
the freedmen the nature of the new Constl-
tuition, and urging them not to 60
against their real interests. Here 1t
was supposed the meeting would close, but
when General Moore took his seat there
were vociferous calls by the negroes for
Frazier" the Freedmen's Bureau agent,
who was present, and who had told the
negroes beforehand $50 some of them say
to call for him. He of course responded,
and made q most incendiary speech, which
was greeted with frequent applause. tie
flattered the negroes by telling them that If
they continued to be as industrious as they
had been heretofore, they would all be able
before long to buy for themselves houses
and lands; and that since their shackles
had been thrown off, no people in the world
had ever made such rapid progress in edu-
cation. He reminded them of the whipping
post, the separation of husbands and wives,
and other horrors of the old system of
slavery. which he said had been broken only
by the friendship of the North for them.
He urged them to assert their rights OF per-
feet social equality, and roundly asserted
that this equality existed in the North. lie
told the negroes that but for the presence
of United States troops they could get
neither their wages nor justice at the hands
of their old oppressors. He would not tell
them hO,o to vote (of course not), but
urged them all to 60 to the polls, and felt
satisfied that they " acould cote right"
General Moore and Mr.. William Ander-
son made scathing and perfectly unan-
swerable replies; but the majority Of the
negroes evidently did notsee it.
General Frazier spoke q second time !;
expressed surprise that his remarks before
should have been considered infiammatory,
and declared himself "not Radical Re-
publican,'' but said other things rs incen-
diary as in his first speech. General Moore
skinned him again but think the gene
raj impression of the few whites present
was that the Charlottesville Chronicle is
about right on the subject of Conservative
speeches to negroes.
After the meeting some of the negroes
were about to put General Frazier's teach
ing into practical operation by threshing
an old negro for expressing Conservative
sentiments, but it was intimated to them
very decidedly that this would not work,
and they desisted. On yesterday, our re-
gular court day, Major Tellott, Major Dor
man, and General Moore, all made earnest
and telling Conservative speeches. General
Frazier did not appear.
There have been recently written to
northern papers, purporting to come from
Lexington, some most Infamous ISLANDERS
against General Lee and the authorities OF
Washington College.
Your correspondent has had ample OPP
portunities of knowing the facts, and most
unhesitatingly pronounces false any state
ments that General Lee or the college au-
thorities have ever failed to takethe prompt
est measures Sssuppress any disorder on
the part Of students but as matter OF
fact there have been but few disorders to
suppress.
General Wade Hampton is to address the
Literary Societies, and j. Horace Lacy,
Esq, the Alumni, at the approaching COM
mencement of the college. RoCKBRIDGE.