The national Republican., 1869-02-22

lowing call was published In the REPUBLICAN,
Of Saturday morning;
ga meeting will be held In Union League
Hall this Saturday evening, February ~,
at Z O'Clock, 10 discuss whether the action
for the abolition Of the board to supcrintend
the education Of colored children IN tne DIS
| trict was correct. Three persons on each
side will be selected TO discuss the same.
| VIM. II. Smith, esq, will preside"
In accordance with this announcement the
spncious lower room Of Union League Hall,
Ninth street, was filled toits utmost capacity
at an carly hour by vast audience OF the
colored citizens of Washington, among
whom we noticed llrge number Of the
most prominent Of the colored men OF the
city. Many OF the 'shlning lights" and
"smat takers" OF the several ward clubs oil
the city were present, and although the rules
adopted for the discussion prohibited them
from taking part, still during the evening
their "rullng passion" to talk and raise
points Of order, would crop out.
ATS O'Clock VIM. II. Smith, esq, assumed
his place as presiding officer, called the
| meeting to order, and read the call for the
gathering. He at the same time announced
| that the dlsputants selected to discuss the
oucston before the meeting were Afilrma-
| tiye-John II. Crane, A. Z. Newton and
Charles King; negative-Prof. W. J. Wilson,
George T. Downing and Chas. A. Harrison.
The dlsputants on the affirmative side
were white men, while the three In the neg
atiyc were colored. Amer the Chair had
made the announcement, as above, William
II. Brown desired TO know who had selected
these dlsputants, and whether there was to
be any vote taken at this meeting TO SEEM
ingly express the sentiments Of the eolored
people In regard to the colored school bill.
The same question was asked by J. 7. G.
Brown.
In reply, the Chairman stated that this
meeting had been called by few gentlemen
for the purpose of discussing the bill; no one
but the disputants had any right to talk In
the matter, and II was not expected that a
vote would be taken, or any means adopted
TO obtain the sense OF the meeting In regard
to the question under consideration.
The Chairman then said that the first
business was to procure q secretary, and he
appointed VIM. A. Tallaferro, who said
that he knew nothing about the objects Of
the meeting; had no confidence In Its pur-
poses; could not compromise himself TO sit
In the position; therefore declined the ap-
pointment. The remarks OF Mr.. Talinferro
were received with applause.
The Chair then named Mr.. j. +. n. vii.
klnson to act as secretary.
That gentleman said that he had come
here with the idea that this was private
meeting. II such was the case he did no,
like to intrudc.
The Chair stated that he was authorized
to make the appointment as secretary.
A little debate here arose between the
Chair and Mr.. Wilkinson, which ended b,
Mr.. Wilkinson declining the proiiered honor
Charles A. Harrison was then appointed
by the Chair to act as secretary.
Rev. Anthony Bowen wanted to know
what point was to be made by this meeting
II there was no vote to be taken; no expires
sion Of feeling to be given.
Mr.. George T. Downing said that he and
Mr.. Crane had procured the use of the hal
for the purpose of having a plain and fai
discussion of the question which Is nov
agitatlng the mind Of the colored people o
this city. What may be said Is not to b.
taken rs the sentiment Of the people OF tn
city. II would be simple statement OF boil
sides of the question by three persons OF
each side. II was not intended TO throw tn,
matter open to general discussion. Ever,
fpcrson present was here as an invited guest
and he hoped that they would so conside
themselves and act accordingly.
Mr.. Abraham Dyson inquired II there wa
any charge, and suggested that all presen
pay something to make themselves vel
come.
Rev. A. Bowen suggested that some Of tn
old residents Of the city who were presen
might like to have a few words to say.
The Chair stated that would be impossible
as the disputants would require all the time
Mr.. Crane said thnt he and Mr.. Downin,
had secured this hall. lie did not wan
those who were present to disturb the meet
ing. All that were there must behave them
selves, because they were merely Invites
guests.
Al this point Father Beckett, of the seventl
ward, arose and gathered up his hat an,
coat, saying, "Good night All good Re
publicans, / hope, will follow the example @
old Beckett and leave this meeting with him.
But II seemed the good Republicans woul
not take the advice, because no one left bu
Mr.. Beckett.
DIR. Lockwood, the husband of the lesse
OF the hall, who had been walking up an
down the hall uneasily, could restrain hin
self no longer and broke out with; 81 hoT
there will be order In this meeting tonight
The report has gone out that the meetin
last Monday night was o very dlsorderly on,
and ] do not propose to have any troubl
here tonight"
,, Mr.. Crane called the attention Of tho,
present to the fact that this Is the only pu
lie hall In the city where colored people Cd
assemble; and yesterday the proprietor
the building had waited on the lessee Of Il
u hall, telling her that colored people must n
Il meet In the hall, because they were so disc
I, dcrly. A few days ago he had attempted
= secure Carroll Hall for a meeting of color
. men, but he was refused on the ground tn
l, the meetings were OF such a disorderly cha
- actcr. He, therefore, hoped that good ord
C would prevail throughout the entire eve
Ing, and that nothing should occur to rend
9 the proceedings unpleasant.
= Mr.. Tompkins asked how much time wi
: to be allowed each Of the six disputants,
c which the Chair replied that II had been a
y ranged for each to have thirty minutes.
T. Good order having been obtained, and d
Z audience seeming fully to understand that
l. person was to speak except the six disputan
~ the Chair announced as the first speaker
H. the affirmative side Mr.. John II. Crane, W
n said;
d, This meeting is called for two reasol
he first, to yindicate the right OF free spec,
o. and second, to discuss In fair and cant
* manner the school question OF this Distrl
X, The other evening, US sat here and listen
III TO the tumultuous proceedings, and saw m
try to gag the utterances of those W
1, thought different from themselves, my o.
" :, voice being drowned In the din, asked u
. self the question: "Is this what we ha
- been laboring to accomplish for thil
~ yearsi Has 1t come to this, that after hf
r ing labOred for u quarter of a century to
cure free speech and free locomotlon for I
- colored man, is he to turn round and for
pad-lOcks for our llpsi"
.' ! remember the time when some Of y
- were clanklng your chains on the Southe
u plantations, or II trying to escape frc
VI slavery, with the blood-hounds baying
u your track when darkness covered the Ian
u when forty thousand pulpits were eth
u openly against you, or dumb on the questlo
When both the great political parties we
A. vleing with each other In base seryility
= the slave power when Garrison was mobb
q In Boston, and free speech gagged
n Faneuil Hall; when LoyeJoy was murder
: at Alton, and Torrey In Baltimore dungeo
/ when the colored schools were broken up
. Canterbury and Canaan when to plead q
. cause ofthe slave was to stand alone, to
. socially, religiously, and politically ostr
clsed, to sec ones business broken up, as WI
a Ms ones life endangered lit was at such O
= hour, long before there was any Rcpublica
party or Free Soil party when your frien
were few, and your enemies were man!
when the day of emancipation seemed az
4 OFF, and none Of us dreamed that II would
. brought about in this generation.
. say II was at such an hour that Join
,. the ranks of the olitionists, whose numbe
% Rt that time could almost be counted on one
I InInaJ ha ~, \