The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-08-19
Republican Mass Meeting in Georgia.

KepuDIIcRn MASS Meeting lN SeoESha.
ATLANTA, Ga, August 18.--There was
a grand Republican mass meeting in
this city to-day to ratify the nomina-
ton of Grant and Colfax. The pro-
cession, consisting of about 700 negroes
and three white men, with an express
wagon at its head covered with the United
States flag and little flags with " Grant
and Colfax " on them, formed near the post
office. The wagon contained thirty-seven
white girls dressed in white and waving
miniature flags. They represented the
several States. After marching through
the principal streets with music and ban
ners the procession halted at the City Hall
and was addressed by Ex-Governor Joe
Brown, J. johnson, Joshua Hill, and others.
johnson spoke Of the magnitude Of the
work the Republican party had performed.
1t was arraigned before the country for the
onerous debt, which in fact had been created
by the insurgents, whose object was to
perpetuate slavery. 1t was the universal
rule, he said, that the vanquished party
should pay the cost of the war. The war
was an unmitigated wrong, and those who
caused it ought to pay its penalties. He
was rejoiced to see the day that there was
not slave in the United States, and the
poor white man who complained Of the
abolition of slavery ought TO have thirty
nine lashes on his back. The Govern
ment did right in giving the negro the
ballot. He was poor and ignorant, and it
was necessary to secure his freedom that he
should be allowed to vote, and thus protect
himself. The Democracy intended to
make this white mans Government.
Loud cheers.] He defined the fourteenth
article as giving the southern States the
right to let the negro vote and have
him counted in the General Govern
ment, or to refuse him the ballot and
lose that much representation. He
charged the Democratic public speakers
with the riots SO frequent in the country,
and warned the people that if this was con-
tinued what had happened was not q drop
in the bucket. The attempt of the Demo-
Gratis to underworld the Republican party
through the Executive and army he said
meant war. 1..E
Addressing himself to the blacks, he
said: "God has given you freedom. You
cannot unaided support yourselves three
months. You owe it to your deliverers to
stand by the Republican party. Go home
through the country; talk TO the freed
men urge them to be true to the party,
and come to the polls unawed by threats"
Senator Hill followed, and endorsed ex-
Governor johnson; spoke of the good be-
havior of the masses rebuked President
johnson for threatening war over the
shoulders of General Blair; eulogized
Grant and Colfax; and spoke favorably OF
Seymour, with whom he had no personal
acquaintance, though he had with the dis
tinguished soldier" associated with him on
the Democratic ticket.
Chief Justice Joe Brown followed. He
said he had not been sworn in, nor re-
ceived his commission so there was no
improperly in speaking on this occasion.
He said he was sorry to think that after
many years Of conflict and so few OF
peace that there had been reference
made to re0pening hostilities if Grant and
Colfax are elected. But there is no danger.
The determination, prestige, and will of
Grant all preclude the possibility of such
an event.
He read from Seymour and Blair's let
tiers to show that war would ensue If their
views were carried out, for the negro would
not surrender his right of suffrage without
bloodshed. He did not believe the negro
would inaugurate bloodshed, but he might
be goaded into it by the whites. Loud
cheers.
Other speakers followed, and A. Alpeoria
Bradley, the expelled negro senator, got up
side show during Browns speech, draw
ing off large crowd. At this show one
negro speaker said he had no confidence IN
white men who say they are with US. lie
was for the negroes, and he believed the
white folks were for themselves. They pre-
tend to be with US, and will desert us IN
time of trouble. He advised the negroes to
stand by and for themselves.
A heavy rain fell all the afternoon, and
the crowd dispersed at 4 o'clock. The crowd
was estimated at $500 negroes and 3Oo
whites-about one-third of the latter being
Democrats.
The Republican Ratification Convention
nominated electors for the State at large,
but the Legislature Republicans have
agreed in caucus to present % bill giving
the election to the General Assembly.
The opera-house here is to be rented at
e7 nn0 nov apnnm for a. State house.