Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-03-07

colored people Of the city were in attendance
at Franklin Hall last evening TO listen TO the
representations Of Mr.. /. d. Harris, agent Of
the Hayden Government, touching the eligi-
bility of the Island Of 81. Domingo as a
place Of emigration for the colored people of
the United States.
Mr.. Peter II. Clark addressed the audience
in respect TO the disturbance of a previous
evening, by which the delivery Of an an.
nounced lecture Of Mr.. Harris was prevented.
He spoke in strong terms Of ceDsure Of the
conduct Of those who would prevent free
dom of speech; ascribed the acts of those who
interrupted il to prejudice and party spirit;
and appealed TO those who were present to
set their white brethren a good example of
decorum, and listen with indulgence if they
could not believe. After a few remarks re.
garding the tendency of current political
events toward the Emancipation and eleya-
ton Of the colored race, he introduced the
the lecturer.
Mr.. Harris commenced by saying that the
thing most to be desired for the colored
people Of America is a country where, by
the establishment of national Institutions
exclusively their own, they can place them.
selves upon ar equality with the other
peoples of the world. The attempts of the
negro to elevate himself have been, so far,
failures; because he p~erpetually insists upon
beginning at the wrong end. He calls a
Convention. Then the great question is,
who shall be President, Vice-P President and
Secretaries. That settled, he lanches into
a sea Of languages-resolves that mountains
are mole. hills, and that we know every
thing and the rest of the world knows moth
ing. Then the business ends until another
Convention is called, togo through with
the same performance.
Among the many plans devised for the
elevation of the colored race, a ~favorite one
with some has been to do away with the
products of slave labor. This is merely
Pickwickian philanthropy. 1t is folly to
merely rant at existing evils without pro-
viding a proper remedy. To refuse to con-
sumo the products of slave labor is a remedy
for nothing. To turn the produce into q
mere indolent vagabond is no benefit to him
nor to mankind.
What the negro wants in order to his
elevation, is that he be respected. In order
to be respected, he must become respectable.
In order to responsibility, he must be indie
pendent. Unity and independence is the
great want of the colored race. In union
there is strength. An independent, self
sustaining colony of thirty colored families,
situated, say, in Iowa, would command the
respect of all who knew them. Divided,
without economical adhesion or collective
influence, we have no character; so that if
one negro commits an o~ffense, it affects the
standing of the whole; for the expression is,
"All niggers are alike"
Independent colonies devoted TO indus
trial pursuits, naturally become producers
of a surplus; and wherever in the world
there is any thing to sell, there will be some.
body to buy. Commerce will find its way
to places where there is industry in the line
reproduction but so long as we devote our
selves to shaving for sixpence, cleaning out
spittoons, and sweeping out Offices, we shall
never get forward in the world.
What we want is this In order to be re-
spectacle, we must be independent; and in
order TO be independent, we must be pro-
ducers; and in order to produce, we must
find the most suitable place for our industry.
We must escape prejudice, for prejudice is
not amenable to law and however much our
legal disabilities are removed, if the preju.
dice of race remains, we can never come upon
an equality with the white man.
Mr.. Harris then presented Hayti, as a land
where all the requisites were to be found of
freedom and independence to the colored
race. He gave a brief sketch of the island,
its history, geography, soil and productions;
gave a taking picture of the ease with which
the necessaries of life may be procured,
and of the Incidence which is compatible
with providing for ones existence. He
represented the rewards of industry and
thrift to be ample. Hayti, with an area no
larger than Ireland, is capable of supporting
a population four times as great. Its great
staple is sugar. 1t produces, however, the
best of Sea-island cotton, and tobacco equal
to that of Cuba.
Hayti is, in respect to commerce, the ninth
country in the world. 1t consumes several
times as much of the products of the United
States-pork, beef, flour, and cotton goods
as Cuba, and is even now one Of the best
customers we have, in clothing, provisions,
and many articles of manufacture.
The Haytien Government pays the passage
from Boston for persons DESTROYS to emf
CRATE, conditioned Upon their remaining in
the country three years from their arrival.
Mr.. Harris proceeded to give advice as to
their conduct and movements to persons
DESTROYS to ~emigrate, and closed with some
eloquent remarks upon the probable destiny
of the colored race in America.
Mr.. Peter H. Clark added a few remarks
by way of enforcing the views of Mr.. Harris,
II AL ,.oaF;n0 oIocad .. NJ"