The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-10-25
Mass Meeting of Colored Ci,;zens.-Keso,a,,ons.


At mass meeting of the colored citizens
of the city of Richmond, held at Navy Hill
on the 23d day of October, 1877 Landon
Boyd, Esq, in the chair, and William H.
Lester acting as secretary. On motion, a
committee of five were appointed on reso-
lutions, consisting of Mcssrs Trent, De
Mortie, Anderson, Strange and Robertson.
The committee presented the following
preamble and resolutions, which. were
adopted after fall discussion and careful
consideration:
WHEREAS, the primary object of all law should
be to secure and preserve iuyiollte the recognized
and inalienable right of all men to life, liberty
and the pursuit of happiness, thereby compelling
security to each member of civil society and en-
suring the preservation of peace quiet and order
i'll communities; and whereas it is the boast of
our laws that they grant II remedy for every
wrong and secure the enforcement of all lust
ri shts; and whereas, it is the painful, The de-
liberate opinion of this meeting that the laws in
tended to accomplish these beneiicent ends have
been perverted and distorted into iutrnments of
oppression and wrong, by reason OF their enforce
ment being committed to the hands of igno-
rant and vmdictivc po!entates in many
cases, resulting in such unNarrlntahle and
despotic abuse of their powers as those
recently dsgracing the pages of Justice
IN this city, TO wit The illegal and lnjis!iiia-
bic cjccmrnt of our citizens, male and female,
from the cars of the Richmond City Railway
company; the worse arrest and brutal disler-
sion of a large number of onr people at Hams
Hall on the 9th instant, where they were assem-
bled in furtherence of a charitable and chrstiln
cause--attemptng to do good TO all men and in
jury to none-which should have been encour-
aged and protected, rather than molcsted, by the
city authorities; and the more aggravated, be-
cause more Illegal and brutal arrest of "a female
who was seized without a cause, shamefuly
dragged through the Streets and bruised aI
beaten in II manner us cruel and fierce as it was
cowardly, by policeman OF Richmond; there
fore be ii
RI raI bat in Of e r;n
and justice, and lastly, of humanity itself, we
appeal TO authorities grant us their aid in
suppression OF such scenes, ontrascs and wrongs,
and to use the powers vested in them to bring all
parties guilty of such abuse OF tncir nlhoriy to
immediate Punishment.
Resotced That we, the colored people Of The
city of Richmond, do unqurtliiiedly ti..nonce lhn
recent conduct OF Justice George j. Crutcliirld
for imposing fines upon the colored citizens for
no offence whatever but simply for the purpose
on his part OF saiating prejudice and malice
against our people us Il race. And we do hereby
affirm, and challenge contradiction from any and
all sources whatever, that the eoiorcd people
both male and female, who We're arrested 'yc-
Gently at Hams Hall for an alleged violation of
a city ordinance, and were fined therefor by Jus
tice Crutchfield, Were acting in orderly and
peaceably manner; that the object of their as
semblng was one of religion and bencyolence,
and the disturbance then aud there created, il
any worth speaking of, was moro or greater
than occurs at the festivals and ftirs OF the
White people of this city, whom these yiaillnl
and chivairons policemen would not have dared
Aai be Ufurtlie, resoloed, That Il committee OF
three he, and the the same is hereby ;lppoinied
to lay these grievances before the proper an hnii-
tios of this city, to request their prurction :Ani
interference in the promises, 10 the end that of
Tenders may be punished and tie laws indicated;
that the peace and good order of our city may
not in the future be disturbed; that right and
not might, shall he the rule, and IL reign of good
will and prosperity in all classes and in sil con-
dtions shall be inaugurated
The following instructions were then
given to the committee: taH
lst. To ask for the removal of policeman Per-
rim, who made the arrest i'll manner and iOnm
above set forth of Mrs James rurncr
I'd. To ask that the amount OF fines ;tSseSstd ip
Justice Cruichteld against the parties arrested
ut HAMS Hall be refunded them-Police Justice
White having decided in the ease of those brought
before him for this so-called offence that they
We're not guilty of Il violation of any regulation
enactment or ordinance of the Stl,c or city. and
thereby condemn the course of the magistrate as
sessing the fine.
81. To confer with the authorities generally
upon such measures will eltctually project
every and secure the peace and quiet OF the
city in the future.
w. II. LESTER,
w, IL. 1HgNr,
LASpoN BoYD,
REV. J. STRANGE
TAFF LAWSON,
Committee.