Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1867-12-06
Kentucky Convention Of Freedmen.

Kentucky Convention OF freedmen
The first State Convention Of oolored
people ever. held in Kentucky has just
been held at Lexington in that State
The assemblage was in many respects
remarkable, and not the least import
ant feature was the manifestation by
the delegates of an average talent
scarcely surpassed by that Of nine
tenths Of the Democratic Conventions
of that State. Rev. ". F. Butler, Of
Louisville, was chosen Chairman, and
on taking the Chair addressed the Com
vention in an able speech from which
we make the following extracts
GENTLEMEN OF THE CONVENTION:
thank you for the honor conferred upon
me in calling me to preside over your
deliberations. 1t is quite unexpected to
me, and though do not feel my own
ability for the task, yet with your as
sistance 4 viii do my best to conduct
the proceedings properly and expedi-
I consider this one of the most Inn
portaut Conventions ever before held IN
the State of kentucky. 1t is composed
of men truly representing no party, and
hut recently disenthralled and snan-
Z look over this assembly, I see some
who, by the marks on their brOws, show
that they have passed the period Of
three score wears and ten. and who,
during the days Of their bondage, suf-
fered grievously; and many, also, Of
those i see here to-day, have had THEN
backs lacerated, and the blood stream
down their limbs, who have cried unto
/ God, ffHoW loug2' never expecting to
see this hour. But thanks be unto God
who has given US the victory.
We are enabled to cOuns together
here, in the city of Lexington the old
est city in the State, TO deliberate, tc
/ bring forth measures for the welfare oi
/ our people. Here are the old, and here
are the young; and hope all our de.
/ libsrati0ns VIII be marked by that
spirit Of fairness and harmony that viii
/ evidences to our traducers that though
/ lust disenthralled we are capable Of leg
1 islating for our own good. I hope the
young will listen to the old, and be
cOunseled by them. sold men fol
/ counsel, and young men for war" ]
/ hope the Young men Of the Convention
/ will listen to the counsel Of their elders.
/ And though some of us may be filled
with a little more fire than the rest Of
/ you, and more than is advisable, you
/ must attribute it to our youth, and re
/ member that you viii soon pass away,
and we as rapidly advance in maturity
to ill your places.
! I tell you there is a bright day com
/ ing. We catch the glimmer Of the
stars, and over the hill tops is the sun
/ soon it viii reach the meridian, and We
/ viii bask in its genial warmth.
The progress of the black man in thii
i country, the progress Of the race, re-
/ deemed and born in q day, has aston.
I ished not only our enemies, but it hal
I Bstonished the world Of mankind. Ever
/ from Europe comes the word: "Ihii
I people have acted nobly." NOtWith'
standing our enemies said everything
4 they could, and still continue to say it
! I challenge the wOrld-nOt only tht
I American people, but the whole world
/ to show a race, redeemed as we have
/ been redeemed, that have acted with
/ such a spirit Of moderation as we have
! in the few years that we have been q
/ free. people. The IsrRntes, when they
/ came out OF bondage, went to fighting
and every one that came in their way
they wiped out with their swords. We
/ have not done that yet. We have
/ walked along quietly, proving to the
world that we were able TO take care Ol
! ourselves, though they said we could
not do this thing, that and the other
/ First, the negro would not light
/ rLaughter.1 He would run at the sight
4 Of the face OF his master; but when the
/ trumpet was sounded, and the black
] man buCkled on his armor, and the or
/ der to charge was given, be went right
up to the canuon's mouth. A voice,
/ "And reloaded and charged again.'' n
/ Yes, while white officers sometimes len
] them in the iurch, black sergeants raj
/ lied them, and carried them triumph
andy through. After that they said,
/ If we emancIpste the negro he will
starve to death. LLaughter.l We don't
look much like it to-day. [Renewed
/ laughter.] And after what the brother
over there has said about the good din
ners awaiting Us, don't think there IS
u any danger Of our starving IN LeXlng-
/ ton. think that was the most absurd
u thing Of all for we had not only been
] supporting ourselves but supporting al
so their families, O great many OF whom
/ have themselves starved since they lost
their main props. Having found we
I will not starve, they now say, If we Jet
i the niggers vote they viii vote with
their old masters, because they are so
in the habit of going and coming at
| their beck and call. Have we done at ]
Did the black men so vote On Tennes-
see, in Louisiana, in Virginia, In Ala
I bamaf [Cries Of no, mol NO, they
know q traitor from loyal man. They
| say they know black people by their
SMELL but we can smell a traitor rs far
as they can smell as. The black men
/ walked right up to the polls, and voted
as he had shoti he voted right, and We
are going TO keep on voting right 4
don't pretend 20 say be viii always vote
with the Republican party. hope not.
II iE now the only party that's attempt
ing 10 do anything for us, ana 10 lsright
| we should help them. But when party
lines ere obliterated, in regard % what
is due the negro, black men win hnd
two sides to questions, and divide on
them Just as white people do. lf Z
thought this would NOT be 50, 4 would
not urge the right Of suffrage for our
1 people.
But finding out that the black men