The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-07-07


may expect it at all hazards. We are on the
very verge Of perhaps the greatest events of the
age.
The Negro NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Of Com
ventions.
A convention of negroes and gentlemen Of
color assembled yesterday at Rochester, for the
purpose of taking into consideration the state
of tie country, and the condition Of the worlds
prospects in general. Suggestions and counsels
of the highest practical value will doubtless
emanate from the deliberations of SO august
body. We may fairly expect that most of the
vexed questions Of our internal politics will be
definitely settled by the assembled councillors,
that the various platforms Of the democratic,
wing, and freesol parties will be thoroughly
sifted. and new light shed on many points which
have hitherto bafaed the eyes Of our statesmen.
But the wisdom of the black convention
will not probably be pent up in SO narrow
field as that Of American politics. Europe,
Asia and Africa have claim on their atten-
ton. If the President of Liberia will await the
result Of their proceedings with anxious soli-
citude we may feel tolerably sure that the Earl
of Carlisle and Lord Shaftesbury are not indif:
ferent to the vote OF those in whose cause they
are spending their eloquence, their money, and
their time. Who knows but even the Gear, as
the first slave owner in Europe, is at this mo-
ment trembling on his throne. lest tho news
papers should bring him tidings of a direct CEN
sure from the convention which met yesterday?
Napoleon, standing on Egyptian soil, and
dreaming of destiny not second to that Of any
conqueror Of ancient times raised the mar
tial yalor Of his troops to boiling pitch
with the simple words, SOLDIERS, from
the summit of those pyramids forty centuries
are looking down upon youw With equal
apropos, and possibly with equal success, may
we say to the dusky orators and committee
men, who meet in solemn conclave at Roches-
ter, Negroes, from every hill and every val
ley, in every quarter of the globe, forty-two
centuries are watching you, and listening ca
gerly for the revelation Of the plan which is to
reverse the curse of Canaan, and raise the sons
Of Ham to an equality with the descendants of
skem and Japhethl If any Of you have aught
to say. to remove from us and from you, the in
conveniences of our relative position, in Gods
name let him say it out. and the whole civilized
world will lend him their ears"
1t is not for US to PREJUDICE the convention,
and decide whether anything will really be
said from which either the negroes or ourselves
will derive practical benefit A few days pa
thence will enable us TO solve the problem with
more certainty, and less chance of injustice.
Meanwhile. it will suffice to Observe that the
mere fact of a convention of negroes being pub
licly announced and held in one of the most
populous cities Of these Northern States is no
evidence Of increased tenacity Of purpose, or
maturity Of design on their part. The bare fact
is not as some might suppose, Indicative of any
change in the views or condition Of free ne roes,
and cannot be regarded as the prognostc Of
any movement on which it would behoove us to
keep watch.
There was time. indeed, when convention
of delegates from the various sections of a
country was momentous and signifcative
event. 1t resembled the dark clouds which
gather from the horizon to the zenith before q
thunderstorm. People watched the minutes of
proceedings, in mute expectation of the thun-
derclap which was to announce the first burst
of the tempest. Then all was dismay among
the people. Rulers banched on their seats,
lest demagogueism should prevail Men of
property quailed as the CONFUSION drew nigh.
Those whose worldly goods were comprised
within the cavity Of their skull chafed at the
hardness of the leaders, and steeled their hearts
and braced their nerves for the coming encoun-
ter. Such were the conventions which at va
rious times decided the fate of England. Such
was the memorable convention which inaugu-
rated its first sitting by proclaimng the abolition
Of monarchy in France, on 2lst September
1902. Such in fine. was the glorious conven-
tion which left US as legacy that declaration
to which we owe the foundation Of our liberty,
our power and our prosperity.
This class OF conventions must now be num-
bered with the past. Tie once terrible name
has been usurped and profaned familiarity
with its sound has engendered indifference and
contempt Parties Of every hue and shade,
schisms Of every stripe, sects of every com
plexion and hercsiarchs ofeyery character, have
held conventions, and under cover Of the name
have sought vainly enough, in most cases, to
raise themselves to an Importance to which
they could not otherwise have pretended
Within the past few weeks we have had at least
a dozen such. Free democratic State conven-
tons have becn held in Illinois, Wisconsin, and
Indiana, and doubtless much good has resulted
theyehen 10 the people Of those States, and the