A Big Crowd There
September 26, 1896
Summary
In preparation for the Republican convention, members of the Lamb political faction meet.
Transcription
The Republican Lambs gambolled around the corner of First and Charity streets last night and had a merry, merry time of it. They endorsed everybody they liked and condemned everybody they didn't like. They assembled in response to a call from Alderman James Bahen and John Mitchell. Jr., who desired to open their eyes to a scheme "to do" them. The Lambs began to arrive as early as 7 o'clock and it was after midnight when they dispersed for their homes.
The scheme exploded was one of the anti-Lamb faction to control all the delegates from Richmond to the Republican congressional convention, which will meet at Hanover Courthouse on Thursday, and the Lambs were advised to get at the precinct meetings an hour before they opened and remain until they hailed their own delegates and not permit the anti-Lamb people to make up the slates.
Though the Lambs had no band they had the crowd. Upwards of a thousand Negroes attended the meeting. This was not the half of the faithful Lambs in Jackson Ward, said Alderman Bahen. The crowd was several times as large as that at the meeting addressed by Judge Tenny on west Cary street.
The speeches were made from the balcony of Bahen's Hall. Charles W. Young was chairman. He had eloquence to burn and he not only made a speech at the opening of the meeting but sandwiched one in between all the other speeches. He read a telegram from John Mitchell, Jr., dated Lynchburg, announcing that Mary Abernathy had been set free and was on her way to Richmond. This news evoked great and prolonged cheers. Charles scored the anti-Lamb leaders, and said they desired to handcuff the voters of Jackson Ward.
Benjamin Bailey followed Young, but as he did not evoke any enthusiasm he was asked to quit.
Young here made his second speech. He closed by having Alderman Bahen, John Mitchell, Jr, Judge L. L. Lewis and Colonel Lambendorsed. The endorsing fever struck the croud very hard just here. Gov. O'Ferrall was endorsed for sending troops to Lunenburg Courthouse, and Messrs. Wise, Flournoy, Guigon were endorsed for their efforts in behalf of the prisoners. Mary Abernathy was also endorsed.
Bernard Brown made a speech "roasting" the anti-Lamb men and had Judge Lewis, John Mitchell, Colonel Lamb, and McKinley, Hobart protection and sound-money endorsed in his peroration.
Willam Glover followed the third speech of Chairman Young, who had John Mitchell, Jr. and Colonel Lamb endorsed again. Clover made a vigorous gold speech and highly complimented John Mitchell for his efforts in behalf of the Lunenburg women prisoners. He urged all the Negroes in the ward to stick to Mitchell.
Chairman Young spoke again, telling the crowd that John Mitchell, their idol, was coming. He gave way to George Reed. Heed made a protection Mitchell - Abernathy - William Lamb speech. He had everybody endorsed again to show that the crowd was still faithful. He aroused a great deal of enthusiasm. He spoke until Mitchell arrived.
Chairman Young paid a great tribute to the women in introducing Mitchell and had the Editor and Colonel Lamb re-endorsed. John Mitchell dealt with the issues of the day and told his followers in plain way the reasons they should support him in the primaries. At this close of his address a resolution was passed condemning General Edgar Allen and Judge Waddill tor keeping Mitchell from getting his share of the Republican national committee's barrel and endorsed him and Colonel Lamb.
Chairman Young made another speech and had endorsed over again Bahen, Mitchell. Lamb and Mary Abernathy. He introduced Alderman Bahen at 11:25 o'clock. The Alderman first gave away the anti-Lamb scheme. Then he reviewed his politics career for the past fifteen years and said that he stood as a warrior brandishing his sword, ready for the fight, and felt confident that he should win, but if he did go down it was merely one man, and he would go down with the flag nailed to the flag nailed to the mast, fighting bravely.
Mary Abernathy and child are at the house of Mrs. Betty Graves, on First street, and many Negroes called to see them to-day. Mary will be used as a mascot by the Lamb people to-day and to-night as Pokey Barnes was used at the spring election. Mitchell will have a jollification in honor of her release next week and hopes to have Mary Barnes out of the penitentiary by that time.
The scheme exploded was one of the anti-Lamb faction to control all the delegates from Richmond to the Republican congressional convention, which will meet at Hanover Courthouse on Thursday, and the Lambs were advised to get at the precinct meetings an hour before they opened and remain until they hailed their own delegates and not permit the anti-Lamb people to make up the slates.
Though the Lambs had no band they had the crowd. Upwards of a thousand Negroes attended the meeting. This was not the half of the faithful Lambs in Jackson Ward, said Alderman Bahen. The crowd was several times as large as that at the meeting addressed by Judge Tenny on west Cary street.
The speeches were made from the balcony of Bahen's Hall. Charles W. Young was chairman. He had eloquence to burn and he not only made a speech at the opening of the meeting but sandwiched one in between all the other speeches. He read a telegram from John Mitchell, Jr., dated Lynchburg, announcing that Mary Abernathy had been set free and was on her way to Richmond. This news evoked great and prolonged cheers. Charles scored the anti-Lamb leaders, and said they desired to handcuff the voters of Jackson Ward.
Benjamin Bailey followed Young, but as he did not evoke any enthusiasm he was asked to quit.
Young here made his second speech. He closed by having Alderman Bahen, John Mitchell, Jr, Judge L. L. Lewis and Colonel Lambendorsed. The endorsing fever struck the croud very hard just here. Gov. O'Ferrall was endorsed for sending troops to Lunenburg Courthouse, and Messrs. Wise, Flournoy, Guigon were endorsed for their efforts in behalf of the prisoners. Mary Abernathy was also endorsed.
Bernard Brown made a speech "roasting" the anti-Lamb men and had Judge Lewis, John Mitchell, Colonel Lamb, and McKinley, Hobart protection and sound-money endorsed in his peroration.
Willam Glover followed the third speech of Chairman Young, who had John Mitchell, Jr. and Colonel Lamb endorsed again. Clover made a vigorous gold speech and highly complimented John Mitchell for his efforts in behalf of the Lunenburg women prisoners. He urged all the Negroes in the ward to stick to Mitchell.
Chairman Young spoke again, telling the crowd that John Mitchell, their idol, was coming. He gave way to George Reed. Heed made a protection Mitchell - Abernathy - William Lamb speech. He had everybody endorsed again to show that the crowd was still faithful. He aroused a great deal of enthusiasm. He spoke until Mitchell arrived.
Chairman Young paid a great tribute to the women in introducing Mitchell and had the Editor and Colonel Lamb re-endorsed. John Mitchell dealt with the issues of the day and told his followers in plain way the reasons they should support him in the primaries. At this close of his address a resolution was passed condemning General Edgar Allen and Judge Waddill tor keeping Mitchell from getting his share of the Republican national committee's barrel and endorsed him and Colonel Lamb.
Chairman Young made another speech and had endorsed over again Bahen, Mitchell. Lamb and Mary Abernathy. He introduced Alderman Bahen at 11:25 o'clock. The Alderman first gave away the anti-Lamb scheme. Then he reviewed his politics career for the past fifteen years and said that he stood as a warrior brandishing his sword, ready for the fight, and felt confident that he should win, but if he did go down it was merely one man, and he would go down with the flag nailed to the flag nailed to the mast, fighting bravely.
Mary Abernathy and child are at the house of Mrs. Betty Graves, on First street, and many Negroes called to see them to-day. Mary will be used as a mascot by the Lamb people to-day and to-night as Pokey Barnes was used at the spring election. Mitchell will have a jollification in honor of her release next week and hopes to have Mary Barnes out of the penitentiary by that time.
About this article
Source
Location on Page
Upper Left Quadrant
Topic
Contributed By
Liam Eynan
Citation
“A Big Crowd There,” Black Virginia: The Richmond Planet, 1894-1909, accessed April 24, 2025, https://blackvirginia.richmond.edu/items/show/1659.