Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1869-06-18

unav.ling. As Of Q "ery other tragic occur
renee in cur iowa we cha'gA this sudden
and bloody death up to whiskey.
SEREN1DE TO COL. HUMES.
Ga Mondoy evening last Col. J. W.
Humes, who was on his way TO al his ap.
pointment at Etillville, Vs., wss serenaded
at the Virginia House. A large number of
our people, both white and colored, had as
sembcd upon the grounds in front of the
hotel, and after the close of the musical en-.
tcrtainment, in response to humorous calls
he appeared, and delivered n stirring AMI
forcible address upon matters pertinent to
the success of Col Walker.
SPEECH OF Oh. uUMEs.
The Colonel commenced by saying he had
recently met in discussion great small
man named Wells, after having handled al
aLoiher point smaller, but much larger
one, and 50 much had he recently been ac-
customed 10 skinning the Adventures and
interlOpers, who are devouriUg the pros
trate form Of the Commonwealth, that he
really felt at a loss upon an occasion like
this, when there was no one OF lhem left in
the field before him whom he could pitch
into. He was like certain married woman
who had a snoring hush aud who never ven
tured from home until they had for many
years lived and slept together; finding il
necessary to leave at length for while the
company of bis spouse, the husband left the
faithful wife and matron, es he supposed, to
sleep alone, but after number of nights Of
Intellectual attic mpts at slumber, aud the
administration Of opiates and anodynes all
to no purpose, a thoughtful housemaid sug
gested that perchapce the furco of habit
had something to do with it, and mprovi
sing an cd cpffee-mill, filed with pebbles,
commenced grinding it near her sleepless
head with the happiest result, for the ner
vous aud perturbed spirit of the old lady
found relief in immediate sleep. lie was
reioiced at the present manifestation of in
terest on the part of the white and colored
men of Bristol; it evinced our great anxiety
to use the present opportunity of choosing
between the constitution, with all of its
enrrmities, and the same Instrument with
those m nStrosites removed by separate
votes. The Legitimate party now aiming
TO perpetuatc itself in power was like a ser
pen, with lis fabgs fastened in our hearts.
The movement headed by Walker and en-.
iii g the co operation of good people eve
'ywherO in the State bad for its object the
. ] ~ hot Ill 4. a. -..L
drawing of those fangs; and the Inaugural
ton of peace aud harmony of sentiment
among our people. Were there any who
we're so Indifferent to their own fate that
they could now remain unstirredi If so,
was there 10 obligation they owed to their
friendsf liza man saw his neighbol's house
on FIRE would he refuse to throw upon 1t a
bucket Of cold water, because his own wa,
not wrapped in fl ,mesi Here we had the
State on fire with those feuds and passi, MS
which thould be congeniAl to no locality
hut that of the damned, and cou'd any good
citizen consent to stand until it should be
left only a smouldering pile of evili As
surely as virtue was superior to vice, and
intelligence to depravity and ignorance, so
surely would the intelligent and thinking
mass of white people yet control and rule
Virginia. Bat, If we should allow the cleo
ton of Wells, then our State would have to
pass through a four years saturnalia OF
blood an violence before which the great
Tennessee apo3tacy would pale in'o insg
n'icauce.
A., -. ri.
had told in LVnchhurg concerning his
tHumes) speech in Abingdon. to the eject
that he had threatened that Il the colored
men voted for Wells, then the white people
would have nothing left but to sharpen
their knives aud 60 to work. He pronounc-
ed the statement bold AMI men dacinus
lie characteristic Of its author. Wells was
running 10 Eastern Virginia upon the Issue
Of non.expurgation, while in the Western
part Of the State he waspretending to favor
expurgiti1n. He had accused Walker Of
riding both sides of the sapling lint In truth
Wells was himself riding tlCO sdDlinqS
In his appeal TO the colored people ne
showed clearly that the native born white
people of the State alone had the power and
The honest purpose to befriend them that
there were 40, 900 more white than oolored
voters in Virginia, and told an anecdote Of
Uncle Israel" Of Richmond, who had
heard that Gov. Wells had gone back on
the fatfornl, for In South Wes' Virginia he
was having the colored man Harris's name
scratched of the ticket, while he had
pledged himself to keep II on In the Eastern
part Of the State. He compared Wells to a
certain horse, which, according TO the col
ored ostler, told one story by his month and
then denied It out OF the tip end OF his tail.
According to Wells testimony, before the
Reconstruction Committee, there will he
under the present re registration an in
crease Of the white vote to tho extent NJ
25 600, and that increase would 10
him. Now, he had no doubt, but that the
verdict in the canvass by the legal voters o
the State had been already mentally given
ia favor Of Walker, b". he really had
doubts whether II would he so cast on the
Gu diy o. July, owing to an apathy on The
part Of Cur people as to registering, we
could surely elect him, but he fear"d the
result Of popular indifference. He show d
how Chandler had heen the vehement and
persistent opponent of colored suffrage, ana
that he had sold more slaves to traders
than he tHumes) had ever ownedi yet he
was claiming to be the right hand man OF
wells. He introduced the familiar but
striking illustration Of black and white
horse In the same team, and asked II they
conld accomplish ANYTHING by pulling In
onnos,te directions. In conclusion, be pre-
dictei that n our people failId 70 reg s'er
and permit Oh the election Of Wells, in ies'
than ninety days we would be st'y At
Inc amend snts his party would propose TO
: he Constitution, and the abhorreut legisla-
! lion they would attempt Col. llumes re-
tired amid rounds Of applause.
Amer music from the band Mr.. Hsnry
Preston was called for, and responded
briefly. Ile made handsome allu,ion 10
the compliment paid on the occasion b. his
friend Col. Humes, and thanked the audi.
B. ence Tor their call on him.
s The b ilstol Brass Band did itself great
Q credit on the occasion, and we are pleased
0 10 observe a decided Improvement on the
- - fts ,nap,hare n daxorvae The an