The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-05-19
THE CIyIr-REaHTs BILL.
REV. w. B. DERRICK's VIEWS ABOUT
MIXED SCHOOLS, oPposBD BY SOME
CoLoRED POLITICIANS
ning-The Civil-Rights Bill and Mixed
Schools Endorsed.

Last "Wednesday we published an extract
from sensible sermon delivered by Rev. w,
B. Derrick, pastor Of the Third-Street (Afri.
| CAM Methodist church Of this city. in which
the minister's views were expressed against
that feature of the pending eivil-rights bill
which proposes mixed schools. The Rev. Mr..
Derrick's congregation appears we'll satisfied
with his position upon this question; If they
do not endorse IL, they have not thought pro-
per to reprimand him for his honestly given
opinions. Some Of the colored politicians OF
the city, however, took offence at it, and last
Friday night they bad n conference, appoint
ed committee to draft resolutions embody-
Ing their views. and called meeting to con.
slider them. The meeting was announced to
take place on Navy Hill yesterday evening at
8 O'Clock. At that hour there was assembled
at the spot-a vacant lot on Seventh street,
| Navy Hill-only four persons. Two of these
were wood-sawyers carrying The implements
fot their calling, one was the proprietor of a
bucket of lemonade, and the fourth was a
citizen at large. In half an hour their num-
Der was doubled; in an hour there were pro.
badly 6tty present; by o'clock about 100
men were collected together Of them
being residents OF the neighborhood returned
from work, and not few members Of the
Third-Street church congregation, who came
to see "juStce doue.' Several colored men
who were conspicuous Conservatives two or
three years ago were present. From some
cause those Who were chiefly instrumental
IN getting up the meeting saw fit to divert
IL from It's original purpose, and thought
proper to make no attack upon Mr.. Derrick,
though it was we'll known that resolutions
having that object had been drafted for them.
Ihe meeting WAS called 10 order By james
L. BurWell, ca whose motion Fitzhugh T2y-
ior was elected chairman. An ironiDg.tabe
was brought from one of the houses near By,
and upon it Was placed chair. This chair
the chairman assumed, and called upon the
Rev. William seiden to offer "a short
prayer" After pray er, James II. Baugh was
elected secretary, aud the meeting proceeded
The following preamble aud resolutions
were offered:
Regarding the civil-rights bin, as framed by the
| late Charles Sumner, and its adoption by the
American people, as the crowuing ACT by which the
equals of all men: and through which they may OBJ
tain those rights Of equal and justice ot which
they are now denied, and recognizing II as the
cuniary, AID political support TO aid US TO secure
It's early passage; therefore,
Resoir"t: lSt. That We are earnestly In favor OF
the immediate passage or the civil-rigbts b as 1t
ca,ns from The h2nds Of the Senate Judiciary COM
nitlce. and that we appeal IN The representatives in
Congress from Virginia to vote fer said bi.l.
Resolred, Cd hat the coored people OF Virgil
MIA be urged to hold meetings aud cooperate with
us in Congress to labor for the passage OF said BILL
The secretary asked to be excused from
| reading the resolutions, as he was unfamiliar
with the handwriting. Thereupon, W. Il.
Lester, the craftsman Of them, was called
upon and performed that duty.
A voice What is the ciyl.rights bill?
Laudon Boyd was asked to explain the
provisions Of the bill, but some one banded
the chairman printed synopsis OF it, and it
was turned over to the secretary to be read.
The secretary had read but few lines when
several persons in the crowd insisted upon
his reading louder. He said he was not "a
loud-voiced man" and couldn't comply with
their request, and therefore surrendered his
office.
Landon Boyd then. by request, read the
synopsis Of the bill, and explained its fea-
turcs. He declared that wrong impress
sion BAD gone forth. 1t had been made to
appear that the negroes of Virginia were
not in favor OF the bill. Voices: We are. J
1t had been proclaimed by some that the
negroes Of Virginia did not want mixed
schools Iyoices: Yes, we dol, and the object
Of the resolutions and his desire was that
this erroneous impression should be cor
rected. AS a negro he wanted all the
rights for himself, for bis wife, and for his
children now possessed by the whites.
w. J. w. Bowe didn't exactly understand
how it was that the meeting came about; !;
he didn't exactly discover the cat in the meal
tub. He wanted civil rights, all Of them
no one-eyed pig; no half pig for him. be
| desired the whole measure. Yet he did not
think Congress meant to pass this bill until
public opinion had grown up to it, and it
had become popular. Like mother coaxing
her children to be good with promises of
preserves, congressman were batting the
negroes ON with this bill to vote
| for them at the next election, He
would not have Congress pass any bill until
it could pass such an one as would give them
all their rights. And he would like for them
| to couple the bill with a bag Of money, so
that when State aid was withdrawn from the
public schools they could be continued at
| the expense of the Federal Government If
need be. The speaker concluded with some
insinuendoes" against the getters-up OF
the meeting.
| w, 81. Lester followed in support OF the
resolutions and in faVer Of the civil'riehtS
bill IS it was reported from the Senate COM
mittee.
-The preamble and resolutions were then
adopted, only two or three persons voting
no. and the meeting adjourned.