The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1866-10-11
Chairman Business Committee.

Address Of the F1'eedmae's's Convention TO the
White and COlored citizens of North
Carolina.
FELLow-CITIzENs We, the colored Peo-
pie of North Carolina, in Convention assem-
bled at Raleigh, on the end, Sd, 4th and
9Th days of Oct. 1866, viewing the complex
condition of affairs and of public sentiment
in our State, deem it our duty to present to
you our grievances, our sufferings and the
outrages heaped upon us, because of our
helpless and disqualified position for self
defence, resulting, as we think we can prove,
from no greater cause than our long and I'M
just political Acknowledgement
We ask you, in the spirit of meekness, is
taxation soitt0ut representation just History
and conscience answer no!
We do not come to you in spirit of re-
proach or denunciation, neither do we feel
in pleading for equal rights without regard
to compleXional differences, that we are in
the least degree selfish. Nor do we in any
respect seek to lower the standard of refine
ment, intellige nee or honor among the great
and loyal people of the commonwealth of
North-C Carolina, by urging these questions
upon your consideration at this time. We
would view if possible the brightest side of
the picture, which we have to present, and
give to our beloved State all the honor and
credit deserved for the rapid strides which
this great Nation has been taking in the di-
rection of universal emancipation and equal
ity before the law.
You Will acquiesce when we say that we
can boast little of our loyalty to the general
government, in the bloody struggle though
which we have Just passed Our fathers
fought shoulder to shoulder with the white
man in the Revolutionary war, and in the
war of 1912. They did their duty and did
it we'll In the one just ended, our fathers,
brothers and sons barred their breasts to the
fiery storm to save the Union.
Low-CITIzENs You have taught us
one good thing, which we cannot forget. 1t
is this: That all men are born free and
equal and that they are endowed by their
Creator with inalienable rights. That among
these are life, liberty and the pursuit of hap
piness. That to secure these rights, govern
ments are instituted among men, deriving
their just powers from the consent of the
governed" &c.
FEILow-C CITIZENS: Can we look to you
for protection or not, to shield US from the
thy blush Our defenceless wives and
fathers, sons and brothers, are
beaten with clubs, robbed, shot and killed,
in various localities, and the authorities re-
gard it not. We beg you as white men in
a authority to shield our defenceless heads,
and guard our little homes. We appeal to
your religion and humanity. We claim by
merit the right of suffrage, and ask it at your
hands. We believe the day has come, when
black men have rights which white men are
bound to respect. We intend to live and
die on the soil which gave us birth. Oh,
North-C Carolina, the land of our birth, with
all thy faults we love thee still. Will you,
oh will you treat as human beings, with
all our rights? 1t is all we ask
Your humble servants, in behalf of the
States Equal Rights League,
GEO. A. RUE, Chairman.
j. T. ScHENcK, H. LocKET, j. A. SYKES.