Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-05-18
THE AMERICAN FREEDMENS AND
UNION COMMISSION.
Preliminary NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. of
ConstituII0n-TriumPhant c
of the Convention.

The Commission met according to ad-
tournament, the President, Judge Bond, in
the chair. After the usual preliminary
business the report of the committee ap-
pointed to prepare a plan for the greater
harmony, unity and efficiency of all the
organizations acting in behalf of the freed
men was called for.
The question having arisen as to whether
the body was acting in the capacity of the
Commission or as a convention, the Chair
decided that by the action of the previous
session it had resolved into a convention
for the consideration of the plans which
might be laid before it, and the recon-
~mendation of such action as should be
deemed proper.
Mr.. Peck, the Secretary of the Com
mittee, then submitted the preliminary
resolutions which were intended TO be the
foundation of all subsequent action. The
oommitte said: We respectfully ask the
action of the meeting upon these resolu-
tons before making any further report.
Should these resolutions be adopted, they
are of the opinion that all the true interests
of the several organizations viii be main.
tanned without the sacrifice of any valuable
principle and incalculable good will result
from the labors of this meeting"
The first was unanimously adopted and
reads as follows:
LIST. PesolUed, That the principles of the
East and West are essentially the same
namely, that the Freedmen should be edu'
Gated and otherwise aided as men, and NO
upon the basis of color.
ResoLred. That no person shall be exclud,
ed from the schools Of the Commission OF
account Of color.
The second was in reference to the mans
of the new organization aud elected mucf
discussion. Many were strongly opposed t.
changing the title of what was throughout
regarded as the parent society, The Ameri
can Freedmen's Union Commission, but al
equally strong party as s~trenuOusly favored
a change, and the morning session was con
samed in discussion and attempts to recon
Gle the conflicting interests.
When the Convention had re-assemble,
the committee offered a substitute for tn
second resolution as originally adopted
which was cordially accepted. 1t reads a
follows:
Rcsolro9, That we propose as the name G
the organization "The American Freed
mems Union Commission"
The third resolution was waived for tn
time and was finally suppressed.
The Convention hen proceeded to tn
consideration of the proposed mOdiicatiO.
of the constitution. The plan of the com
mittee is brify stated in their report.
Your committee respectfully recommen
the following modification to the c~onstitu
ton, to receive advisory consideration here
and to be submitted 10 the Commission an
all the branches, West and East, and whe,
fully completed and ratified by the partie
concerned, the said constitution shall b
the fundamental law of the COmmissio
and be deemed in got 1 faith, the final ad
iustment of the general questions OF polio
and administration heretofore raised.
The constitution was submitted article b
article and every imp RANT alteration wa
thoroughly discussed IN all its bearings.
The second section secured especial al
t%ention. On this, however, all agreed. viz
That the primary object of the CommissiO
was the relief and elevation OF the Freed
men. Articles sixth, tenth and twelfth wer
essentially modified.
The constitution as accepted and recon
mended for the adoption of the new organ
ization is as follows: