Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1869-06-21
LOCAL NEWS.

SPEAKING ON SATURDAY NIGHT. About
three hundred colored and twenty or thirty
white men and boys assembled at Liberty Hai
| IN Saturday night, to hear Gov. Ii. II. Wells
who had been announced to speak. The meet
| ing was not organized until near nine O'Clock,
previous to which time there were but few
persons present. The assembage was called tC
order by F.. +. White, upon whose motion,
Judge j. G.. Underwood was elected to preside.
The Judge, on taking the chair, thanked the
meeting for the compliment, and then proceed
ed to explain and define several features OF the
proposed Constitution, which he said was made
for the poor man, and had been called after
him "the u Underwood Constitution but that
neither himself nor the fra,ners Of that instru
ment were entitled to any credit. inasmuch as
it was nearly ayerbatim copy OF ;he eens'itu-
tons of The New England States. After an
appeal to the colored race, as race, IN hchaIi
of the Radical candidates and an aluSlon TO
the Saviour of Mankind as workingman, IN
contradistinction to the property owner he
concluded; and
Goy. Wells was introduced, and made a
snceeh of about an hour and 4 half 5 duration,
during which, while asserting that he himself
was in favor Of striking out The test oath, be-
cause he did not think republican form OF
COVE. .mont could be maintained where SO
many would b. prevented from participating
in ITS advantages, yet he very lngemousiy Int
insi,lluusly limited to his colorcd hearers to vote
for retaining the diSqualiiying and disabling
clauses in the Constitution. His remarks were
directed principally to the colored element, to
whose rreindices he appealed He threatened
the Conservatives and "lndepcndent kepubi-
cans the attcr-ef whom he essayed to be
narticularlr severe upon that it they persisted
in eleetinr their candidates Congress would rc-
fuse to admit the State into the Umon. lie
uscd sunlry epithets tow?"dS Col. Walker,
whose bold, manly and dicniiied speech was in
marked contrast with this, AMI wound up with
expressing his profound regret that there were
not f,reafu frc of the Lp4nccS mo-, Of the city
present to whom he would have liked to tx.
plain how Col. Walker procured his nomina,
nation ut the hands OF Gen. Malone, whose
sole aim, he SAID, was to break down all the
railroads in the State, save those under his
own management, and boosted that to day, if
ne would acceed to Gen, Mahone's demands
he could be elected Governor with hit little op'
position. O. Alter advising hi9 audience not
L., Iu no cif. ~ mi Ia
tional wages to remain away from the polls on
election day, and a most deserved tribute to the
merits and gallantry of Col. Withors, intended
to excite the feelings of any Conservatives who
might lie present, the Governor took his seat
During the delivery Of the speech there was
was but little applause, and then onIy when
scriptural phrase was brought in As an llu>tra-
ton or an aneclotc, often fur fetched, Wa t".l
to amuse and arouse the audience.
The President Of one OF the Radical clubs OF
Washington was introduced after the Governor
concluded, and proceeded, until - o clock, to
make passionate aud incGndia,y harangue to
the colored people, appealing always to their
fears and prcjudiccs, and citing the mode OF
Radical procedure in Washington "a verify OF
imitation in Virginia.
The hall was very hot, which seemed to pro-
duec soporifc effect upon some OF the au-
dirncc, while others almost "sans culottc ap'
parcntly enjoyed the speaking and tho heat,
hut all we're in melting mood.
Upon the stand were noticed ". n. Berklcy,
J. ID. Adams, Il. +. White, Judge Willough-
by, and Z. A. Stoutcnhureh, butt 1t is SAID, not
colorcd man.