Rensselaer Republican, Volume 16, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 October 1883 — COLORED CONVENTION. [ARTICLE]

COLORED CONVENTION.

~ ■■ ) —*- ’ v The Black Race Holds a National Convention. ■ —__- And Issue an Address to the People of the Country. The National Convention of the colored people convened In the large hall of the Ltederkranz building, at Louisville, Ky.. and was in session three days The convention was called to order by M. N. Holland, bt Washington, D. C. A Ml Green, of Louish ana, was made temporary Chairman. In accepting the chair he exhorted the delegates to stand by the principles eet down in the call, and refrain from all discussions of political questions. J. N. Gregory, of Washington, was made temporary Secretary. There was a wrangle over the permanent Chairmanship, and some disorder marked the proceedings. Too many delegates want ed to speak at once The Eastern men charged the West and South with a desire to dominate the convention, and considerable feeling was worked .up. The vexed question as to who should preside was finally settled by the cuoics fading upon Frederick Douglass, Who entertained the convention with a two hours' speech. Ho urged the people of his rnc: to move toward the goal of prosper ty and education, and to compel tiie world to receive them as e-;ua a He thought it time t .at outrageous iynchings bo stopped, and that college-, the’professions anti trades-union e welcomed the negro. Th i speaker tplit his beams that the colored race would never be proper.v recognized until one of its class was eleraAd to the'Mce Tresidency, or to u position in the Cabinet A resolution Was adopted that bis address I e sent to Congress as the sentiment of the convention. A good deal of time was spent in wrangling over the minor details ol the permanent organization, which was finally comp eted, and Committees on Civil light '. Education, lioils, and Address were appointed. Numerous resolutions intended to be sent to Congress asking for back pay, for money lost to depositors in the Freedin m s Savin '8 Bank, for Federal appropilations for the education of the colored people, etc., were referied teethe Committee on llesoluti ns. The follow.ng resolution was iut oduced by a delegate: Whereas, The administration of President C. A, Arthur is in harmony -with the prmt-tph-s of the grand old Republican party: thereto.e be it Resolved, That this Nztlunal Convention of Colored Men assembled give to the administra*tion their heartiest support. This caused the wildest uproar, and th« convention was on its feet The South and West pressed the resolution, while only a few irom the North and East appeared to favor it Personal violence was offered in one instance, and bedlam followed, but finally the resolution,-on motion of Herbert, of Louisiana, went to the Commitiee on Resolutions, from which it was never reported. A Kentucky delegate moved the following, which also made a great uproar: Resolved, That the colored peode of the United States in convention assembled do affirm our devotion anew to the Republican party, and will use our utmost endeavors for the continued ascendency and control of the National Government, believing it to be for the best interests of the whole people. The convention refused to adopt the resolution. Many protested against bringing politics into the deliberations of the body, and onlv the wise decision of the chair in sending the question to the Coramitee on Resolutions saved the convention from a split. “ ~: " The convention adopted the following address, after which it adjourned:

The National Convention of Colored Men respectfully present the following a< embracing and representing their view* and sentiments: 1. That we are grateful for, and rejoice in the miraculous emancipation that came to our race twenty years ago. The *hock of embattled arms was the lullaby of the nation born iu a day. We don’t, we can’t, forget the great sacrifice of the women and the heroic men who made possible the struggle in which treason and slavery were consigned to a common sepulcher. If we did we would be unmindful of the measure of devotion and patriotism that the IS6 white and seven colored soWiers rendered the nation. 2. We are not insens-ble to the fact that the Congress of ihe United States has spread upon the statute books many laws calculated to make us secure in or.r righi s as c itizens, nor would we b; forgetful of the magnificent amendments to the constitution Intended to render forever im possible the crime of human slavery. 3. We do not ask any more class legislation. We have had enongh of this;.hut we do.believe tha t many of the laws intended to secure us our rights as American citizens are nothing more than dead letters. In the Southern States almost without exception the colored people are denied toe fruit of their honest labor, defrauded of their political rights at the baliot-box.shut out from learning trades, cheated ont of their civil rights bv Innkeepers and common-carrier companies, and left by States to an inadequate opportunity for education and general improvement. 4. We regard labor on the question of education and moral training as" paramount to all other questions. We believe that, the question, especially in the South, needs recasting and that plantation credits and the mortgage system should be abolished. Honest labor shonld be remunerated. The landholders of the South should recognize that this qnestion is to be solved by encouraging the negroes to industry, frugality, and business habits, by inciting them to habits of thrift, bv assisting them to acquire an imerest in the soil, by paying them honest wages, for honest work, and by making tnem contented and happy in the land of their nativity. 'ihe white men and owners of the soil of the South can settle the question of labor and capital between white and bla k. We believe, in a broad and compr hensive system, looking toward the educa.ion of voung colored girls so that they may »ecorae iHtbeiligent*n*l.faitiilul women, and that young colored boys' may "learri" fradeST and' be-"' come u-efcl men andjfood citizens The religious and moral training of the yonth of our race should not be neglected. The hope, of every jjeople 1b adherence to sound social and ethical principles. The moral elem-: nt in the character is ot greater value than wealth of education, and this must be fostered by the family and encouraged by the pulpit. 5. The failure of the Freedman’s Savings Bank and Trust Company, established to receive the earnings of persons heretofore held in bondage and the descendants of such persons, was marvelous. It was established by the Government and was thought solvent. In changing the charter the Trustees transcended their au-thority-and thereby made themselvts liable. The Government, in appointing special machinery to close the insolvent Institution, violated the United States statutes on bankruptcy, and should therefore reimburse the creditors of the bank. v 6. The distinction made between white and colored troops in the regular army is urrg stefuL The white men can enter any branch of the service, while the colored men are confin' d to the cavalry and infantry serrt e, and in the appointment of civilians to the regular Brmy we ; believe it the duty of th; President ol the j United States to consider the * laims of the colored men. This distinction is carried into the navy as well. 7. It is not our province to dictate the policy for the government of our fellow-citizens In toe 1 several Slates. If is a matter that circumstances and patriotism should shape. 8. Asa race struggling and contending for our political rights, we are net unmindful or the i efforts of Ireland to gain her lights: and we extend to our Irish friends our ’profound sympa- ! thv and best wishes. We earnestly de»ire the 1 abolition of the chvin-gsng convict system and the admission to trades-unions of men of cur 'race, and employments in commercial pursuit*. 9. In nearly every State in the union, both f North and South, people of our race are not allowed to enter freely into trades or to gain emI ploynient in the higher walks of life. This,is unworthy of our Institutions and hurtful to the ; reputation of our country at home and abroad.