Civil War Washington

EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE.

ACCEPTED ORDER OF BROTHERS AND SISTERS OF LOVE
AND CHARITY.

The first celebration and entertainment of
Grand Tabernacle, No. 2, of the above named
Order came off in Israel church (of which the
Rev. H. M. Turner, is pastor), on the evening
of the 15th inst​.

Having received a very polite invitation to
be present from the "General Grand Worthy
Superior," W. H. Thomas, we repaired to the
house at an early hour, and although the wea-
ther​ was quite stormy, the place was soon
crowded by well-dressed ladies and gentle-
men​.

The Order, clothed in full regalia, turned out
in great numbers, filling almost all the pews
in the body of the church.

The first on the programme was remarks by
Mr. Hughes which were very short, indeed the
people could scarcely entertain the idea that a
gentleman would come all the way from Phila-
delphia​ to speak only ten minutes.

The choir of the church, under Messrs. Tin-
ney​ and Wilkinson gave us some fine music,
which partly compensated for a disappoint-
ment​. What Mr. Hughes said was very good,
but only served to whet the appetite, hence we
were very sorry when the gentleman took his
seat, for we could not help coming to the
conclusion that the audience would say that
they had been humbugged.

The speech of Mr. Thomas was much more
lengthy, and afforded great satisfaction to the
audience. His remarks were impromptu, but
in some parts were really brilliant, although
he made an apology for not being prepared to
speak at length on the occasion. Mr. T. is an
easy and graceful speaker, and had he had an
opportunity to an education would have been
one of the first men of the nation.

The entertainment given in the lecture room
was a very splendid affair. Washington was
out in all its beauty and fashion—and many of
its ladies are beautiful, and the gentlemen vied
with each other in urbanity of manners. The
large room was densely crowded, yet no unkind
word did we hear. The viands prepared by
the Sisters for the occasion were of the choicest
kind, and in the greatest profusion; and every
body retired about 3 o'clock, well satisfied
with the evening's enjoyment.

A VISIT TO THE SECOND REGIMENT U. S. COLORED
TROOPS AT CAMP CHASE, VA.

Under the guidance of Mr. Clark and in his
coach, on the 27th inst.​, in company with the
Rev. H. M. Turner, Mr. Thos. H. C. Hinton and
Madame C. W. Groves, we paid a visit to this
regiment.

The camp is about four miles from the Long
Bridge, and is situated on Arlington Heights
not very far from the late residence of the far-
famed​ rebel Gen. Lee.

The day was quite cold and blustering, mak-
ing​ a camp-fire necessary, and the soldiers had
builded many of them, and were erecting small
brick chimneys in the rear of their tents, as
though they were preparing for a long stay;
but we were informed by Capt. L. V. Dewy—to
whom we return thanks for civilities kindly
shown us—that they expected that the regi-
ment​ might move in about two weeks, but to
what point they would be sent, of course, he
did not know.

Much trouble has been experienced in camp,
because the men have not received the full pay
of United States soldiers, and many of them
complain that they cannot get even the seven
dollars which the government is now paying its
colored troops.

The complaint is a just one, in regard to the
amount paid, and will doubtless be remedied at
the next session of Congress, as the President
and Cabinet, with many members of both
Houses, have pledged themselves to use their
influence for that purpose, so our boys must
have a little patience; this they will have
when they recollect that the circumstances
surrounding the last Congress were such, that
the securement of any pay at all for colored
troops—or even their enlistment—was looked
upon at that time, as a great triumph in the
right direction.

This journal has done what it could to get
these men in the field, and of course will
spread their grievances before the authori-
ties​, until full justice is done them; but we
cannot close our eyes to the fact, that the
government is doing all it lawfully can to ame-
liorate​ their condition.

Soldiers! You did not enter the service to
fight for money, for many of you would turn up
your nose at $13 dollars per month if offered to
you in civil service; and many of you never in
all your life, got one cent of pay for your ser-
vices​; can you not therefore have a little
patience? Shall our enemies and the enemies
of the country, say that even you are fighting
for money? God forbid. Let not the smell of
this taint be found on your garments. Enter
protests like men, but do your duty like sol-
diers​, and all will yet be well. Your country
will the sooner acknowledge your magnanimity
and render that justice which is pre-eminently
your due.

Col. Fellows, who had charge of the camp,
is one of the finest looking men that we ever
saw; and is a perfect gentleman. We are
very confident that no such language will
ever fall from his lips, as that uttered by that
mean and contemptible ruffian, Col. Jim Mont-
gomery​, to the heroes of our glorious 54th
Massachusetts Regiment. It is the greatest
wonder that some one of them did not put a
a ball through his heart, and thus rid the ser-
vice​ of such a brute.

Is it not a great pity that such a fellow is
permitted, even for a moment, to command
colored men? The colored people of the United
States must solicit from the proper authorities
his instantaneous removal, and knowing the
honorable Secretary of War, and the President
as we do now, we cannot doubt that that remo-
val​ will be effected.

Col. Fellows turned a portion of the regi-
ment​ out at 2 o'clock for drill, and our heart
swelled with unalloyed pride and joy at the
great perfection which these our long oppressed
brethren have arrived at.

We were happy to find that faithful friend of
humanity, Rev. Jos. P. Thompson, D. D., of the
Broadway Tabernacle, New York city, in camp.
He was paying a visit to his son who is an
officer in the regiment.

When the drilling exercises were about half
through with Col. Fellows threw the men into
a hollow square, and then kindly invited us to
say a word.

We opened "the meeting" by singing the
song "Freedom reigns to-day," into the chorus
of which the soldiers joined with much spirit,
and we detected the fact, that many of them
are excellent singers.

The Rev. H. M. Turner, was then introduced
and entertained the soldiers with some practi-
cal​ remarks. He particularly dwelt upon the
bad habit of swearing, which is generally
contracted in camp, and urged those of his
hearers, who were addicted to it, to cease, and
warned them that if they fell on the field of
battle with this sin upon them, God would
not save them, even though they fell gallantly
fighting for liberty.

The Rev. Dr. Thompson then made some very
eloquent and witty remarks. He congratulated
the soldiers on their altered condition; and ex-
horted​ them to remember that God brought all
these blessings to them, and that praise and
adoration are supremely His due. He referred
in eloquent terms to the fact that the Goddess
of Liberty has not yet been raised on the dome
of the capitol; and trusted that when she was,
she would be able to look out upon a country
everywhere free.

Mr. Thomas H. C. Hinton, whose capabilities
our readers all know, then made one of his
characteristic speeches, to which all listened
with deep interest, and portions of which was
greeted with shouts of laughter. He entreated
the men to be patient, faithful and obedient to
their officers, stating his belief that the coming
Congress would wipe out the disgraceful enact-
ment​ whereby they only receive ten dollars for
doing that for which white men get thirteen
dollars. His remarks were greatly applauded
and we have been told since, produced a very
good effect in camp.

The soldiers were then taken in hand by
their commander, and put through various
manœuvers, which were deeply interesting,
and very perfect.

After a brief visit to the quarters of a few
families of freedmen, which are situated a
short distance from the camp; we wended our
way to Washington, highly delighted with our
visit to the 2d United States Regiment of
Colored Troops.

ALEXANDRIA, VA.

This town is now a deeply interesting field
of labor, and the necessity for laborers will be
best understood, when we state the fact, that
the Rev. Messrs. Parker and Robinson not only
teach a very large number of scholars in Gen.
Washington's old school-house in the day time,
but they both preach and teach at night and on
the Sabbath.

Mr. J. H. Hill has also an interesting school,
but his accommodations for it are entirely inade-
quate​. The very best of order is kept in the
school, and the children show much proficiency.

Miss H. E. Mitchel is the assistant in this
school.

Misses R. Lyals and R. Lancaster also keep
school there, but we did not have time to
visit it.

The Rev. M. F. Sluby, Pastor of Bethel, has
also opened a school, as has a gentleman by
the name of Harris. As we are under engage-
ment​ to return to Alexandria, we shall then
be able to give some account of their opera-
tions​.

COLORED CHURCHES.

How many churches our people have in Alex-
andria​ we cannot say, as one week's account
will not answer for the next, but we only
visited, and held meetings in two, the Bethel
A. M. E. church and the Baptist church, of
which the Rev. Sampson White is now pastor.

The trustees of both these churches very
kindly granted us the use of their houses
gratis, and we have no doubt but that Mt. Zion
(old side) would have been granted on the same
terms, had not the house been undergoing re-
pairs​ at the time. The trustees of the two
churches above named will please receive our
most grateful thanks for their liberality.

THE FREEDMEN AND THEIR SUPERINTENDENT.

We paid a long visit to the superintendent
and hence were obliged to pay a short one to
the quarters, but that visit reminded us very
much of a Northerner's visit to the plantations
of the South, a good while with the master,
but a short time with the slave, and that short
time spent in the presence of the master.

The Rev. Mr. Gladwin was very kind to us
and took a great deal of trouble to show Mr.
Hinton and ourself his books and also his com-
mission​ from government, which gave him full
police charge of all the freedmen in Alexandria.
He also conducted us through the school and
quarters, but notwithstanding all this a very
disagreeable suspicion hung about us that all
was not right. We had heard and have since
heard many disagreeable things about his
management, and seeing, by his commission,
that he had unlimited power as a magistrate,
and also that a portion of his salary, which is
$1,200 per annum, comes out of the rent which
the freedmen pay, we could not help thinking
that the magistrate might be induced at some
time or another to turn the screws on the
tenants for the benefit of the landlord. Know-
ing​ mankind as well as we do, we earnestly
protest against such power being put into the
hands of anybody, be he who he may.

Beneficial societies are quite numerous in
Alexandria, and we are pleased to say that it
is not without its Masonic and Odd Fellows
Lodges.