Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1868-01-31
The Mississippi Convention.


A Jackson (AGiss. correspondent of
the Cincinnati Commercial describes as
follows his impressions. Of the Recon
struetion Convention now in session at
that place
At 10 O'Clock the Chairman's gaveI
fell. About eighty-fve delegates an
swered to rol1-calI. Of course I was in
tent in studying the fifteen cOlored del
egases who were in their seats, for
though the Convention does not IN any
way recognize a distinction of color, the
spectator Invariably does, and studies
the blacks with curious interest. The
majority Of them are mulattOes, whose
faces are marked with uumistakable
character and intelligence. Of the full
bloOded Africans but two or three can
be classed as common looking niggers.'
One of the n1ulatsOes Mr.. Stringer) is
a square-buiIb man Of middle age, pos
sessing mind of strong practical quail
tiles, and bearing the impress of good
intelligence and excellent common
sense. Another, quite young man,
Mr.. Fitzhugb) has head OF remarkR-
bly, strong development, and but for his
thick lips, might be taken for choice
specimen of the Moorish race. His long,
straight hair sweeps back from his fore
head in torrent, and his deep-set eyes
often flash with glints of brilliant mem
tai energy.
A third muIatto has a sharp, almost
acquiline visage, and a we'll developed
head. One Of the fu4-blOoded blacks
exactly nils my conception OF Uncle
Tom, and another intensely black, with
an electric shock Of wool, looks like
many a coloIed preacher I have seen
North. One of the most ebony, is a big,
round rOllicking specimen, walking
with q generous roll hOurlShing a cane,
and wearing considera bic Watch-chain.
7raf rnf
with the popular arts. For the rest,
nearly all are decently dressed, we'll
behaved intelligent and serious look
ing, very watchful of the proceedings, \
always voting and seldom speaking
One of the negroes, however, I am
bound to say, is by no means comely
specimen of his race. He looks Like a
a hack-driver, though he has Roman
nose, and may be a great deal smarter
than he seems, for all that 1 knoW-I
have not learned his name. nor heard
aught Of his capacity.
The seventy white delegates are most
ly men of middle age. "A few very young
men appear among them, and few
whose hair is Of unsprinkled gray. AS
a body, they do nOtsuffer in comparison
with any like assemblage ever saw
The proportion of strongly marked faces ]
is unusually large and their strongest
facial salient Of all is determined look
that grows upon a man when he has to
fight his way III a course. which he
deems right amid obIOquy, detraction,
disdain, insult ard persecution. They
are men who have been brought to the
surface by q most radical revolution,
and who, surrounded by a hostile rebel
population that holds its nose, and cries I
.'pole-cat," keep steadily on their
course. 5H
If headIong at times, they are in the
main fearless and honest always. It
IN 7esfi1 raf 4
South that it is more easily sWayed by ]
a sneer or an epithet than by reason or /
argument. They call this Convention /
the 'fPole-cat Convention, y the black |
and-tan," and thousands unquestion- /
ably believe it to be composed Of the |
vilest wretches, the scum Of society, the |
miniOns of oppression and robbery
Instead of which, so far as can discern, |
il is q well conducted de1fb6ratIVe body /
with some zealots who say violent |
convention of one hundred persons
without its zealots and fuIminators of |
buucomb?
The New York World sent a cor
respondent 10 these Southern ConYen- /
tfons, with instructions to draw them
in charcoal, 90 rfdicu1e their diction, !
magnify their errors, throw an at |
mosphere of absurdity over their dis |
putes, and, in fine, to treat them as ex- |
trayaganZa in which the actors were
all mISeraDlY poor low comedians, As |
a consequence, the correspondent wrote |
q series cf short burlesques that made !
people laugh. If delegate had q Pc
culiarity of nose, jaw or limb, it was
stated with many humorous descriptive /
touches. He made extensive capital
out of a bushy' beard, a baggy syeIid, a /
bulbous nose, or nasal tWang. This
system of abuse has its strong points, /
but IL has also its weak spots.
Persons who expect to find in these
conventions menagerie of drO1 nom
descripts, suffer reaction when they
look in upon them and find them COM
posed of earnest, intelligent men, who
may err in carrying their measures too /
far in advance of national sentiment, !
but who evince an unfaltering deter
nlination to redeem their States from
the taints of slavery and treason. They
are in session in accordance with the
laws of the country, and the man who
tradUces and ridicules them is not one
who loves his flag and wishes good to
his felloW-men.
I expected to be shocked on seeing
the negro delegates-but wasn't. They
looked intelligent, and what little they
said was characterized by good sense.