The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-09-20
IT'S ORGANIZATION
speech Of Hon. Charles II. Porter.

As previously announced, meeting wa
held yesterday afternoon at City Springs
Park, on Eighth street, which was callc,
to order by Joseph NJ. Humphreys, ESQ
On motion, DIR. Il. Ii. Smith was elected
chairman and William ii. Lester appontct
secretary.
The Chairman having announced the OBJ
ject Of the meeting, to be TO hear an address
from Mr.. Porter, the Rev. Mr.. Barlow
OF New YORK, was called upon to pray
who responded in a brief but fervent prayer
appealing to the Throne of Grace in behalf
oil the entire people Of the State.
AT the conclusion of the prayer, Mr..
Porter addressed The large crowd present
in telling and effective speech of near
three hours in length; none too long for
those who listened to it.
Mr.. Porter apologized for his long sepa-
ration from the people of his district, which
was due to family atflictioDs, and the neces-
sty he felt for rest from 4hc arduous duties
OF public lie. He had now returned re-
freshed ard invigoraied, and felt competent
to the TASK of making an active and vigor-
Gus campaign ayairst the enemies of equal
rights and the liberties Of the people. lie
indicated the action of Congress in is pas
ssSe of the Ku-Klux bill, VIII ch he said the
Republican members of Congress regarded
as an absolute necessity for Che projection
of the lives and property of the loyal rpeo-
pie of the S9u.h. Cong fess bad done no.
BILE work had performed lis duty, from
doing which it had found great relief.
lie ventilated the theivingv acts of the
Tammany Ring, in New York, and proved
that its object was TO obtain possession of
the government, in order thai it m;oht Sc
cure an enlarged field for the prosecution of
lis dishonest buliness. The exposure of
It's iD.amies was due TO the fearless action
of Republican journals, and bad led to such
revolution Sin New York as would give
tac Republican party OF that State succ yss
in c coming Presidential election.
lie deended the financial policy of the
present administration, and showed that by
a Jud'c'ous system of revenue collections
and an honest payment of them into the
treasury, as compared With the johnson
administration, The public debt had been
reduced to manageable affair.
In MIR. Porter's remarks relative to the
bill, he made the astounding
statement that more than fifty thousand
persons in the South had fallen victims to
the cruelty of the Ku-Klux, since the war.
and that The records of the investigating
committee would furnish proof of the cor
rectness of his statement.
He argued at length, the ample provi-
slons of the civil rights bill, by which the
rights Of The colored people might be Sc
cured by having their cases transferred |
rom the State. 70 Che Federal courts, in
Which they could obtain the advantage of
rial by loyal jurors.
He showed the colored people where
heir rights had been outraged by the de-
lial to them of trial by mixed juries, and
hat there was determination, on the part
If partisan officials in the State, TO anuul
he provisions Of the State constitution
granting them an equal participation as
urors. The rights of the colored people
% the enjoyment Of public privileges had
been denied them by the;r ejectment from
treet cars and other public conveyances
nut they had means afforded them, by the
provisions of the civil rights bill, to enforce
heir demands. The present condition of
fairs, said he, is due 70 the action of menu
'ers Of the Republican party in Virginia,
Vho had asked the admission Of the State
Without requiring the members of the
legislature to take the test-oath. He, as
representative OF the parry N Congress
rom Virginia, had protested against the
Omission of the State Internationally, and
hose who had been opposed 10 him now
aw Their error, but too late to correct il.
lie earnestly appealedito those present to
tend promptly their ward meetings, and 10
cave no work undone that would complete
he thorough organization of the party. 10
e organized is TO defeat Democracy in No
ember, and to do this and secure Repub-
can legis 'ature, was to secure 10 the color
d people in fact, the right which they now
old under the constitution only in form,
He urged the selection of their best,
blest and most judicious men to represent
hem in the approaching State and nomna-
ing conventions, and while he would not
iscourage the acceptance of new converts,
e would be unwilling to trust them as far
S he would the long and well tried MEM
ers of the party.
His speech was listened to with marked
ttention by those present, and particu-
lrly by The colored people, many of whom
Tere loathe to leave the place even after
1r. Porter had ceased addressing them.
10 man, within the circle of our acqua;nt-
nee, possesses to great II degree the con-
dence of the colored people of this dis
rict, than does the Hon. Charles III. Porter,
7hom they regard as their fast .riend.
He concluded his remarks by offering
hree cheers for the Republican party,
yhich was responded 10 by hearty good
yil. Six more were then proposed by
i'm and they, too, were given with enthusi-
SIN. t
The meeting adjourned after giving three
heers for the speaker and the able manner
e had defended the principles of the party.
democracy will find in Mr.. Porter dam
erous and powerful enemy, and he has de-
,rmined to Wage a fearful warfare nnnn il