The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-08-26
SPEECHES BY GREBRAL WELLS GENE
RAJ WICKHAM AND OTHERS.

RAJ WICKHAM, AND OTHERS.
The long g-looked-for and much-talked-
about grand rally of the friends of Grant
md Colfax came off yesterday according to
| holiday by the negroes, but the compara-
| lively small number in the procession, and
the large number congregated as spectators
on the sidewalks, furnish lamentable evi-
lence of falling off in their political en-
thusiasm since Hunnicutt used to muster
| his hordes on the Capitol Square, and made
them wild with his spoutings about their
newborn liberty.
The various organizations and persons
| wishing to take part in the demonstration
assembled at the corner of Twenty first and
| Main streets, where the marshals were sta
toned to get them in line and give instruc-
| lions. The societies were slow in getting
| in, but ut length, nearly an hour after the
appointed time, the procession was an
nounced complete, and moved off to the
music Of two bands and half dozen ffes
md drums in the following order:
Brigadier-G General West, late United
States army, chief marshal, gorgeously at
| tired in red, white, and blue sashes, and
mounted on fine horse. Following in his
| rain, George 7. Egbert, j. H. Painter, L.
5. Dudley; investigator Humphreys, j. j.
Underhill, S. F. Maddox, and Governor
Wells's little son, carpet-baggers John
oliver and two black negroes; George Rye,
scaiawag all mounted, and wearing the
sashes of aids to the chief marshal, One
| Virginian in that party.
Sanopd norriopoc NTH Spao1-ars op1
other invited guests. These latter were
Commissary Platte, of Petersburg; Ge-
| neral Wells; Wagonmaster Massie, late
Confederate States army; George S.
! Smith; Curtis, of New York Clements, OF
Portsmouth; Peter Randolph (negro), of
Richmond Colonel Poor, last of Orange
| county; Danner, of Richmond, and four or
i've negroes thrown in promiscuously.
Then followed five white men, and behind
them the army of negroes, according to pro-
,ramme, beginning with the "Rising Sons
| of Love-" then the "First National PhG-
nix," Rising Christians Benevolent As
| sociation,' "Young Sons of Messiah, ~
"Young Sons of Zion,' Factory Mecha-
MICS, Transfers Society,"" and the elm
coin Emancipation 1nvincible Defenders y
each society carrying banner. One crowd
IF very black and very shabby fellows bore
| loft an old Fenian flag with the words
:; Sunburst of Erin" inscribed thereon.
they didn't look much like Irishmen for all
that.
| Next came the foreign delegations the
Hannyracker boys, the Petersburg BARRIERS,
Chesterfield plantation hands, Portsmouth
| uegro, three Norfolk negroes, and a dozen
scattering. Then the Ward Clubs, bearing
| banners with inscriptions such as follow :
"We are coming Johnny Rebs, 800, 900
| more" "Better talk horse than talk tre-
| son. " Lee did not, and Seymour cannot,
beat Grant," elf the Republican party
| lon't tan Blair's hide it will be because they
don't know calf's hide;' Z" Deeds, not
words :" God, Grant, and Victory;''
" Grant and Peace-Blair and War;"
One feature of the procession was an
enormous loom, an anvil, and plow, borne
| on four-horse wagon. This was sup
posed to represent the labor interests, and
| the negroes hanging about the wagon, doubt
| less glorying in free ride, seemed to think
it "t the best thing out"
The programme said the rear was to be
brought up by " "citizens generally" but
| somehow or other these persons didn't ap-
pear. More than half the negroes in the
procession were from the country, and thou
| sands of city negroes stood OH the side
| walks looking on with Indifference.
After marching through several of the
principal streets, at half-past o'clock the
procession arrived
AT THE CITY SPRING.
Arrived at the City Spring, the large as
semblage gathered around Il stand erected
for the speakers, and the exercises of the
day at once commenced. On the stand were
seated Governor Wells, General Wickham,
| the marshals, and other prominent Radi-
Gals.
L. Edwin Dudley, Secretary of the Re-
publican State Central Committee, called
the meeting to order. and stated its object
to be the ratification by the people of Rich
mond of the nomination of Grant and Col
fax. Rev. Peter Randolph (negro, of Ebe-
nezer church, } then made sound Republi-
can prayer; after which the band played
'Hail Columbia" and everybody vocife-
rously cheered.
On motion of Mr.. Dudley, Captain Platte,
| late of Vermont, now Of Petersburg, was
called to the chair, ]. w. Hunnicutt and
others elected vice presidents, and j. H.
| Painter secretary.
Captain Platte, on taking the chair, made
a few remarks, thanking the meeting for
the honor conferred, etc. He eulogized
Grant as a soldier and patriot, and Co!1ax
as statesman and patriot, and expressed
the hope that this great body of men before
him might meet again next November 10 re-
oice over the election of the Republican
nominees to the highest Offices in the gift of
the American people.
CASTOR G. Curtis, late of New York, now
of Bedford county, Va, then came forward
and offered series of resolutions recon-
mended to the meeting by the State Central
Committee, which were adopted.
Captain Platte called upon "that old and
tried .Unionigt Major Smith, of smyth
county" to make the first speech, but that
gentleman came forward only to say that,
like General Grant, he believed in deeds,
not words, and couldn't speak to save his
life. [Applause.1
CAPTAIN Platte then raised his voice to
its highest pitch and introduced General
Fl. H. Wells, of Michigan, Republican can
didate for the Governorship of Virginia.
SPEECH OF GENERAL WELLS.
The appearance of General Wells caused
o tremendous outburst Of applause, which
soon subsided. After u few preliminary