The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-04-21
tory ahall not fail in any Of its legitimate

not be forgotten. We cannot put trust in
our enemies. We cannot vote for them.
This is to be borne in mind ut all elections.
The freedmen rejoicing in their rights must
think oft constantly.
"Accept my thanks and believe me, gen.
tlemen, faithfully yours.
CHARLES SUMNER.
"The Committee, &C., &o.'
Senator Edmunds writes
/" NV engagements are such that cannot
attend. In that amendment great step in
the progress of republican government
has been taken; but it is not all that 1t
ought to have been, in that it seems to con-
cede the right Of State to exclude from
office any class Of its citizens. 1t vas my
earnest wish and endeayor when the matter
was under consideration to perfect 1t In
this particular, but as it is 1t accompllshes
much, and must be fully enforced"
Senator Wilson writes:
Z" John Oliuer, Esq: Dear Sir,-l deeply
regret that it will not be in my power TO
accept your kind invitation to be with you
on the Goth in the celebration of the adop-
tion Of the fifteenth amendment-the croWn-
ing victory of the great struggle between
the spirit of freedom and slavery, caste and
privilege. In your rejoicing forget not the
fact that all this has been won by years OF
debate, toll, blood, and sorrow...Remember,
too, that we have yet much to do to make
laws and constitutions having practical real-
tiles accepted and acted upon by all por-
tiOns of our countrymen."
Senator Lewis writes
"JOhn OliUer, &C., Committee:
"Gentlemen,-Your letter inviting me
to attend the celebration Of the adoption
Of the fifteenth amendment is before me.
"ThoughI cannot promise positively to
be present on this interesting occasion, l
assure you none will be there who more
justice than myself. I rejoice that this is
now emphatically the land of the free and
the home of the brave ..
Respectfully and truly yours,
"JoHN F. LEWIS"
Representative Mckenzie writes:
"1 have always been friend of the CO.
lorcd dpeople am not latter-day convert,
but was their friend when to be so brought
odium to those that were. Irejoice that
the colored people are free. believe time
will determine that it is better for both
races, although to bring it about has cost
great suffering to both races; but, as the
Lord had to do with it, let His name be
praised. They have now the privileges
Of the ballot-box, to aid in the choice Of
our rulers; let them exercise this great
boon judiciously, and cooperate in electing
the best men to fill the Offices"
Mr.. Hughes writes:
"Having been myself rebel until the
close of the war, it was natural that ]
should have arrived at the conclusion slow
" and reluctantly (but l entertain it pro-
foundry that the policy of the Republican
party is the only policy that can settle the
controversies of the late war and restore a
final and substantial peace between the sec"
tions and races. In this policy of peace
Virginia, more than any other State, is inte-
rested and, therefore, in the interest of my
native State, and in the face of sectional
clamor and revilement, ! fight as soldier
in the Republican cause"
MIR. Sella Martin, bright mulatto, the
principal orator of the day, and editor of
the Ne,D Era, was then introduced to
the audience. He began by taking a re-
prospective view of the events which led to
| the occasion which was celebrated. He re.
fcrrcd to the action of John Brown as the
beginning of the era of freedom; for from
the hour mis- first shot was fired the peace o.
Virginia and the United States was disturb
| ed, and never again was it restored until the
end of the rebellion. He denied that graft
tude was not due to men for the results thai
had been attained. Lincoln, as slow anC
cautious and as time-Serving as he was al
times, reflected but the sentiments Of the
northern people. But in the end he wa.
converted, and became the instrument OF
God in the emancipation proclamation-the
first charter Of rights in the Constitution
an d should he not be honored and CRATE
| fully considered as such.
After reviewing the peculiarityot Amerl-
can emancipation he contcnded that the
colored people, with the same oppor.
| tunities that the white man has had, could
prove his compeer in any respect and that
| they could show women in their parlors
| who, for virtue and all the other qualities
that could ldorn the mother or the wife,
could equal any white woman on the face
of the earth.
He compared Conservative colored men
to the dog jumping up after the cheese In
his masters hand, which he held higher as
the dog jumped higher, and finally, as he
pocket and said, "That's pretty good;
NAV want you to do it again some Of these
days."
in the course of his remarks he alluded
to the condition of Italy, and spoke Of the
Pope as a usurper of the throne of the
Caesars, who was holding Italy down and
preventing her advancement. He then coun-
selled them as to their future conduct. He
called their attention to the example OF the
laboring men of the North. who, by CO.
operative associations, could Strike at any
time they chose, having money enough in
their treasures to feed every Idle man; and
thus, with their bread in one hand, their
ballot was safe in the other. He said in re-
gard to education that wherever there was
a school-house that white child could en-
ter and a coIored child could not-whereyer
| there was q church or theatre where there
was a negro gallery--there the spirit OF
slavery fingered, and it must be wiped out.
| He concluded with very well-wordcd Pc
roration, and President Oliver read Senator
Lcwis's letter, and proposed three cheers
for him, which were given.
Mr.. Hughes's letter was also read.
| "John Brown" was then sung in good
tune, the air being raised by Edmund Dab
ney.
Mr. John Langston, Professor of Law in
the Howard Institute, colored man OF
considerable distinction, was then lntro;
duced to the audience. He Is go0d
speaker, and used finished language. lie
referred to the outline Of the history. OF
slavery and emancipation, and their lnnu-
ences on public sentiment. He compared the
influences of the past with those OF the pre-
sent, and claimed that at length the Amerl.
can Constitution had become purified, ano
stood as at first intended by its fathers.
He contended that slavery was wrong II
the sight of God and by the words of Jesu:
Christ, and quoted from the Old Testament
and the New in proof of his argument. Iht
only direct political allusion ne MADE wa
as to the manner in which the cOlored maj
was to vote. He said he knew he woult
vote right. He alluded to the men Wh'
deserved the grateful esteem Of the coloret
men-yiz., Sumner, Phillips, etc.-and eX
tolled their qualities. He concluded by ad
yising the colored men as to their course il
the future in the working out Of their owl