Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1872-07-19
Radical Mass Meeting.

NAtAbS uACCGAhSs
A Radical mass meeting to ratify the uomi
nation of Grant and Wilson was held here last
night at the corner of Prince and St. Asaph
streets, the speakers stand being erected ia
front of the east widow of the Postoffce.
A colored brass band from Washington, in
full uniform, discoursed music and attracted
considerable crowd of spectators
The meeting proper Was not very large one
and was composed of about three tOurths col.
ored people, Of both sexes.
Among those prominent upon the stand we're
w. N. Berkeley, g. A. Lumpkins, f. f. White,
): A: Seaton, Lysauder Hill, Fields Cook, r..
+. w. Garnett, John Fields and several strang-
ers, white and colored
The meeting was called to order by Z. 4.
White, upon whose motion w. n Berkeley was
chosen to preside.
Mr. Berkley upon assuming the presidency,
returned his thanks for the honor, stated the
"'Ject OF the meeting to be to endorse the
nomination of Graut and Wilson and hoped
that U. 5. Grant would be reelected.
The speakers were Columbus Delano, Score.
tary OF the Interior, j. NJ. Langston colored,
connected with the Freedmau's Bureau and
Howard University of Washington Jacob Ella,
Fifth Auditor of the u S. Treasury and Ly,
sander Hill of this city.
There was very little enthusiasm, and it was
only during Mr. Dclanos speech, when some
interruptions occurred, that there were any
demonstrations Of applause
The speakers all took for their text Horace
Greeley whom they could hardly find language
strong enough to condemn. He had been,
they said, deceitfu in the past and of course
could not be trusted in the future; would re-
pea the laws enacted for the benefit OF the col
ored race, aud though he could not put theu,
back into slavery he would make their oondi-
ton similar to that of the free negro before
the war, and so on Extracts were read from
the Tribune to show Mr. G's. intense hatred
Of Democracy. but now he was to be found in
bed, politically, with Doolittle aud other lead
ing Democrats. Then he (Greeey) had done
more to effect the abolition of slavery than any
other man in the country and for this reason it
was difficult to see how Southern men could
support him, Mr. Delano compared Mr.. 'iree-
Icy to bad oyster that would not set upon a
man S stomach though'he had tried it six times,
and thought that as Jonah had ulade the whale
sick at its stomach and caused the fish to vomit
him up, SO the Democracy would soon sicken
and throw off Greeley, who never had had any
fixed principles and was always carried away by
the last ism. The same speaker attempted to
make it appear that the internal revenue and
all the other departments of the government
were not only economically but most honestly
conducted and made many excuses for Genera
Grants ''rccrcution' at Long Branch, rendered
necessary, In the opinion of the speaker, by his
arduouS duties during the war, and whose deeds
of vaor" were all recouDted The same speaker
declared tina, the President and Cabinet, (ot
which he is one, are only SerruntS OF the PEG
pie, which seemed to be considered rather
exploded idea by many Of his hearers. In the
opening of his remarks this speaker referred to
his first visit to Alexandria, when he said there
was slave pen here, and was informed by
some of the colored men, that such an iustitu
ton was still in existence, though where they
did not say
Laugston eulogz"d Grant to the skies, con
sidcring him one OF the greatest, pureSt anC
constant reference to himself and the colorec
portion of his audience as negro and ne
groes" was not reliShed, and when after giving
glowing description Of the benefits of true
| democratic form of government and appealing
to his hearers to know if they did not desire
such. he received decided negative answer,
though for the nom ent on-plus>ed, he could
not help smiling and passed on rapidly to Other
subjects more comprehensive and in accord
with the ideas of some of his auditors. HI
thought Senator Thurman a great man aDC
and had good word to say about Sumner
His speech was the most 0rndte Of the evening
MIR. Ella was dry and the crowd scnsibly
diminished during his speech and he failed
sigDally to elicit any applause though he mad'
one or two attempts TO awaken the audience
Lysander Hill made few remarks upon tht
reduction of the debt Of the I. S. under TIT
present Administration, when Mr. Berkeley de
cidcd the meeting adjourned
MIR. Ella thinking that he must redeem hi
reputation undertook to tell an anecdote
but showed plainly that his talent does not lie il
that direction. The band then played sew
eral tunes and the crowd dispersed
| Mr.. Deano during his speech vas interrupted
by some persons in the crowd and showed q
good deal of temper and in his replies used
language rather calculated to incte than allay
feeling, and thus it happened thatsevera times
the confusion was so great that the speaker
could not be heard for minute or two.
All the speakers were on the defensive auC
the speeches were, 10 the main, excuses to
the short comngs Of the present Admin
stration, and violent personal attacks upon MIR
Greeley-the ''shining light and apostle o
Repubcanism. The question of taxation
seemed to be stumbling block to all, aud one
of the speakers declared that if anybody would
devise plan by which taxation could be re
duced it would be at once adopted by the party
in power. All the speakers made appeals tt
| the blacks as class.