Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-01-02
THEY ARE THANKFUL
ISSUING or THE EMANCIPATION
PROCLAMATION ceLe6HArsO.
A Slsss-sfseting Of Colorsd People Held
ut the Rsformsrs' Hall-ssvsras Con-
servativs Addresses Made.

The colored people Of this city held a
thanksgiving meeting st the True Reform
ers' Hall last night for the purpose Of cele-
hrsting the issuing OF tho emancipation
proclamation.
The 1st Of January was set aside about
eighteen months ago as the day for special
rejoicing each year with the Afro-Ameri-
can race, and though tho meeting last
night was the initial celebration, it was
very creditable indeed.
DIR. X. K. Jones presided. and nearly five
hundred people were IN attendance. The
building and rostrum were decorated in
the colors of the United States. On the
platform sat Rev. Y. ID. Lewis, Rev. ]. +.
Jones', ID. D., G. w. Lewis. Rev. DIR. w. III.
Hunter. DIR. s. II. Dismond, Rev. w. w.
Browne. Rev. f. Watts, NJ. B. Jones, X. L.
Hill. DIR. John II. Holmes Councilman
Benjamin Jackson, Professor ID. w. DAVIS.
Jones. Rev. w. L. Taylor. and Rev. w
w. Smith. The representative of the DIS
PATCH was the sole white person present.
TIE MICRO IN 1863 AND NOW.
Rev. w. w. Browne. the orator of the
occasion, was introduced by the Chairman
and delivered quite lengthy talk. He
gave o retrospective view Of the negro be-
fore the war and compared biz present
condition to what IL was then. The speak
er said that in 1863 the intellect of his
race was as blank as piece of pa
per. 1T was against the law for negroes
to read or write" fded he. and lean say
we were fools then I'd didn't even know a
figure. Our masters had been doing our
business. and when we started out IN life
we had many things 10 struggle against.
All "a cfA follo fhrnnht fhnu CArfld or N
work and get an education in week. but
they found they were sadly mistaken. SO
the young ones were sent TO school,, and
though but twenty-seven years have
passed IN every city aud town throughout
this broad Southland there are colored
lawyers. professors. and preachers.
might say.n continued the speaker. that
we have editors. too, but our editor IN
this city is so noisy that every one knows
him."
POEM ON FMASCrrArloN.
Professor ID. w. Davis. Of this city, read
an original poem entitled. "Emancipa-
ton" He made illusions TO negroes who
had taken part in the battles of the Revo-
luton, and referred TO other evidences OF
patriotism exhibited by his race. The
speakers remarks concerning tho late war
were entirely devoid of bitterness. end he
referred TO the blue and Gray" a.
memories of the past. The poem was
really very credtabie production.
The Chairman next introduced Professor
J. T.. Jones, of the Richmond Theological
Seminary. His remarks were principally
in reference TO the future of the Afro
American. To-day" said he, "the negro
pays taxes on $3.50. 900. 600 worth of proper
~. There are 2,6O0. 900 colored Christians
and there are twenty colleges. fifty or sixty
high schools. TO say nothing of the public
schools. The woods are full of theologians
who have gone through the regular currI.
culums of seminaries. When you consider
all the difficulties we have labored under
and how we have succeeded one can only
say that our future Is bright one" Jap
plause.l
THE NEGRO PROBLEM A CHIMERA.
let US possess our souls with patience"
continued he; "the negro problems is not o
problem. il is a chimera. All must be ac-
complished by dint of personal effort. deI
US trust in God and make success come %
us by being men and women. Let what
has been done be- an incentive TO do more.'
Lawyer George w. Lewis aud George
Williams made brief addresses. The Chair
man at the close OF the meeting stated
that q scheme was ON foot 10 erect a nonu-
ment To the memory of Abraham Lincoln
in this city aud that the movement would
certainly meet with success.