The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-05-27

FIRST MULTTUDNOUS CONvO
CATION OF WHITES AND
BLACKS.
SPEECHES BY THE FRIENDS on
WALkEE AND TIE LIBERAL
PLATFORM.
ENTN USIISTIC RECEPTIOA
oF va LKER.@
COOP NEWS FROM THE COUNTRY

on Yesterday afternoon at halt-past &
o'clock an immense multitude Of citizens.
the tirSt yet convened in this city composed
of both whites and blacks. assembled
around the eastern steps OF The capitol.
According to announcement, several speak
ci> were 10 make addresses, and there was
evident interest III the large concourSc TO
hear what should be said The meeting
SwcllCd until 1t reached about 1000 we sup
pose, and the arrival Of orators was calmly
awaited. The evening was brilliant, and
the green grass and arboresccnt shade of
the Square was so refreshing rs to diminish
the heat of the first real summer day we
have had. Through the openings in the
dense foliage the Governors mansion looked
serene, AMI an, animated game of croquct
was in progress on the grounds in front
OF it.
.At halt-paSt . Mr.. Il. 7. Daniel. chairman
OF the Executive Committee OF the ConSCr-
ratNc party, called the meeting To order
lie said that he rcioicCd 10 meet in such
numbers those who had come to inaugl,-
rate the great movement to redeem the
Statr-to assert the rights of the white peo-
pie rs members Of the y-poltic-their
right TO participate in the government of the
>t;te-rights which should never have been
questioned, much less taken away. They
orcd peoplc by the late political events but
they stood on the platform of equal rights
and as the blacks had all they could ask ac-
corded to them in this platform, they should
help in securing the same rights to the white
man. Al that was asked was that equality
Justice. and the public interests, should eX-
crt their legitimate influence upon the pub
lie mind.
MIR. Daniel then introduced TO the au-
~
Halifax, who was received with cheers. He
addressed the audience in 4 speech of great
force and cloqucncC, which we have only
room to present III abstract. =.'
Colonel Flournoy desired to say few
words in order to point out the way in
which We could lift the old Commonwealth
from her doWn-troddcn position, and secure
her that peace, rcnown. and %rcat physical
power and wealth, which God intended she
should enjoy.
There never was a time when so much
depended on the action Of the people OF
Virginia. In old times, when the great par
ties came in conflict, no matter which TIL
umphrd. we could 90 home and lie down
in peace and security, assured that the Co
ycrnmcnt was safe confident that i'll any
event The men elected were men of intclli-
gcncc and integrity. But the time had
arrived when the struggle was one for the
very llic ul The commonwealth.
We had conc through four years of war,
which had dcsolatcd the land, and we had
four years OF political agitation since; but
neither in four years with its crash of arms,
nor the four years that succeeded them,
had there been any struggle comparable
with this in Importance; and the election to
he held on the 9th Of July would be the
most important that ever took place III ' IL
giuia.
When the war was over, and he Surrcn-
dcrcd along with the Confederate army,
Colonel Fl0urnoy declared that he SluTen-
dCrcd in good faith, and from that day hls
earnest desire was to restore Virginia TO the
Union and sec her once more contributing
her share 10 the general prosperity and
grandeur of the nation which would attract
the admiring gaze of the world.
When, after the war, the Government III
qIircd whether the people had SuDnnttco
in the proper temper anu III So0u itlti, nc
did not complain, nor did he and his people
complain when military officer was scut to
his county TO establish the military power.
Hi>advicc TO all was to respect his authority,
and it was respected. This was the temper
ofthc State. One single military man could
rule the whole Of Virginia. Generals Scho-
field and Stoncman both concurrcd Ill the
statement that troops were unnecessary 10
preserve order i'll Virginia. At last the
election TO be held on the 9th July to restore
Virginia TO the Union.
Colonel Flourney spoke ofthe STRIFE winch,
at such Il time, and under such manlleSta-
tionS Of the public temper, existed III Nlr-
ginia. He contcndcd that ii did not proceed
from the demand of his rights blythe colofeu
mln; but from the interference ot the car
pct-bagger whose effort WAS TO get oliice y!
dividing and alternating the two races In thc
State. Out OF this came the agitation ana
alarm. We sec the Michigandcr who now
holds the office of Governor never appeal
ing 10 the whites for appreciation ana sup
port. He addressed himself altogether 10
the colorcd people, and had boaStcd that
with the undivided negro vote OF tins state
he could rule the white people OF Virginia.
His appeal was to the blacks to JON nm III
putting down the whites. This was strange:
WHY make enemies Of whites ana DlachS
IF the whites accorded their rights 10 tilc
blacks, why should the blacks oppose tlic
bcstowing Of the same rights on the whites
This was the work OF the carpet-Da%SclS pe
cause they knew that when the Whites ana
blacks made friends the carpet-bag rule was
al an end. =.
Colonel Flournoy drew the distinction
between The c;trpet-bag@cr ana the llhllii-
grant who came to dwell amongst us. he
warned the colored people against listening
to the teachings OF the carpeb-baSScis, "no
cndew"rcd 10 heap up enmity between
white and black. How were they 10 IEc TO-
"cthcr unless i'll peace: Since the war tllc
adycnturCrS had used all their cllllhill@ ~
prevent peace between them. they ioiu
the coiorcd man that he would get loity
acres Of land and Il mule. W here was lilc
first man that had got them: The, ,wih'e
man owned the land, and the black man
was The laborcr. The former wanted thc
lattcr's labor, and the latter wanted the
employment the former had 10 give. Now,
The restoration of the State on the liberal
platform Of equality to al, and the Govern
mcnt III the hands Of reliable men, there
would hc state of prosperity that woula
enable the employer to pay pr"lnpll! SoHu ga
wage, and the colorcd man would soon pe
aide 10 buy the forty acres about WHICH 'he
carpct-baggcr had deceived him anu o''
li> dcath-bcd would be consoled by Che re-
nection that he left a home TO his wiie anu
children which would descend TO them ny
his will. .1a- .
Colonel Flournoy alluded to the wiiiui
lie fthc carpet baSgcrs that il me Mill'es M
got power they would return the blacks 10
slavery. He Indignantly denied the cnaiSe,
and said that they were free accoraiiiS Io "
The Federal Constitution, and uniesS @ INC
people Of the North, who put II III, the ION
~ Itttt, u tI,.i