News of Fifty Years Ago
(From the Richmond Dispatch, May 11, 1867.)
There was a great meeting of negroes on the heights of Chimborazo last night, composed of about 300 men, women, and children. John A. Kitchen, secretary of the "National Aid Political Society," as he explained, called a long roll of members of the unterrified Republican party, and at the same time called for 10 cents from each member answering to roll, all, as monthly dues, it being explained that the money thus raised was to pay the expenses of speakers to be sent out through the State. The money call being over, Haworth was introduced as the first speaker. He started off with the statement that the "ladies and gentlemen" before him were all members of the great Republican party, which a few years ago was unknown and unheard of in Virginia, but was now here to stay. He harangued for about an hour. Colonel Marsh and Hunnicutt, Jr., were the other speakers. Young Hunnicutt flatly and fully endorsed the proposition to confiscate the white men's property and give every negro in Virginia forty acres and a mule.
The visiting firefighters, Washington Company No. 17, of Wilmington, Del., together with the city fire brigade, paraded through the principal streets of the city yesterday, headed by the Philadelphia Silver Cornet Hand, after which the firemen dined at the Spotswood Hotel, and were further entertained by the Richmond boys. The Wilmington boys will leave this morning. 