The weekly Anglo-African., 1860-05-19
Free Suffrage Convention.

Assembly Rooms, in this city, on Thurs
day morning, 10th inst, at 10 o'clock, and
was called to order by the President,
Stephen Myers. John v. Givens was ap.
pointed Secretary pro tenn. After a pray.
err by Rev Ell. FL. Garnet, the Secretary
read a set of resolutions, which were SUBJ
sequently referred to a committee consisting
of Messrs. VIM. J. Watkins, j. Ell. Town
send and FL. III. Garnet A motion was
then passed that all persons present in
sympathy with the Convention should be
considered members thereof Adjourned
until 3 p. M.
AFTERNOON SEssIoN-The Convention
assembled at the appointed time. The
President in the Chair. Prayer by Rev.
Geo. w. Levere. Delegations from the
following counties were present: Colum-
bia, Duchess, Rensselaer,, Montgomery,
Orange, Monroe, Albany, Kings, Queens,
New York and Richmond After the
reading of the minutes, the Convention
was addressed by the President, who said
we are here for the purpose of discussing
plans whereby we can secure for ourselves
and posterity free suffrage, and hoped that
our efforts to that end would be crowned
with success in November next. He did
not ask either the Republicans, Democrats
nor Abolitionists for free suffrage, but ask
ed of the whole people of this State with
out regard to their politics.
Rev: VIM. j. Hodges fully endorsed the
sentiments of the President, and complain
ed of the apathy of the colored people.
He thought that much could be accom-
plished if we would all go to work in ear
nest, and with Bill Seward, believed that
the conflict would 60 on until the last YES
tige of slavery was removed.
VIM. j. Watkins, Chairman of the COM
mittee on resolutions, reported the follow
ing, which were adopted:
Resolred, That the colored people of the State
of New York, in laboring for the abolition of
property qualification imposed upon us in the
constitution as requisite for the exercise of the
elective franchise, base our claim upon the prin-
ciples of human freedom and equality set forth in
| the Declaration of American Independence-that
instrument of which Americans are Justly proud.
RESOLVED, That, as descendants of the Revolu-
tonary dead, citizens of this State, as citizens
of the United States, we appeal to every voter in
the Empire State TO give the world practical
recognition which the government processes to
be based upon, by voting at the November cleo
ton to strike out from the State constitution that
unjust, antiChristian and anti-republican qualif-
cation clause which now disgraces it.
Resolped, That we call upon all public speakers,
and editors especially, and. upon the pec~ie gem
orally, to use the phrase Property Qualification
or "No Property Qualification whenever they
discuss the issue to be presented to the people at
the November election.
ResOlrsd, That all p amphlets, tracts, handbills,
de-, relating to the subject should be headed
Property Qualification" or mo Property Quail
ifcation."
Resolred, That in this important crisis it be-
comes all eolored men, for the time at least, to
lay aside all prejudices and differences among
them, and to rally in force and effect to the great
work of disseminating light and informant IN among
all classes of people
Rev. B. N. G. Worrick presented creden-
tials from the Young Mems Elective Fran
chise Club of Williamsburg.
Mr. VIM. j. Watkins arose, and said
that one blast from the bugle-horn of John
Brown, one such movement as that in Vir-
ginia, is worth more than all our speaking;
that he wants a Capitalization of all their
works, and that the words that have been
said by gentlemen to be stereotyped into
deeds; aye, acts; and that only. Will the
colored people carry out the resolutions ne
has offered ? If they do not intend to do
it, they might better stay at home That
they cannot assemble in convention with
out impelling ourselves to elevation or de-
graduation. True, the object of our enc
mics is to steep us deeper and deeper in
our degradation, and that they are demon
strating that they are perfectly content in
their chains. We have been depending
upon the Abolitionists of this State, and now
upon the Republicans; but no men but
ourselves can do our work for us. We
must otdepend wholly upon the eloquence,
logic and knowledge of Phillips, Garrison
and others, and unless we take measures
ourselves to help them, they can do moth
ing. (Applause.) He said that he does
not believe that we should have the white
people think we were doing nothing for
our brethren in bondage. He wants the
people of the United States to go hand in
hand in this anti-slavery movement, and
that the colored men should form
clubs to assist them. He says that they