Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-01-18

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SIGN C ne Charter asked for-TAe Sord "aAits"
- Tie Cify CA0yter-Aors rights spGxted for tAs
eetored Mes-Th Presidescy-Grant versws
Ch0se-Contest ovsr tAe tsoo misunderstanding
hne-So d<cissem arrived ut.
Last evening q meeting Of this association
was held in the fourth story Of Woodward's
Hall, nearly 200 persons being present q ma
jority Of whom were colored. Among the
whites present We're Register Boswell, Me.srs.
ford, Of the Council; J. Sayles Brown, A. Wat
ron, Major Morse, G. s. Bates, N. H. Miller,
Col. W. A. Cook laid before the meeting the
resignation Of the secretary, Mr.. J. H. Piper,
colored, which WAS read and accepted, and Mr.
w. H. Lewis, colored, Of the First Ward, was
elected to fill the vacancy.
The Chair said that the meeting was ready to
proceed to business and said that he felt little
proud in the age of conflict and "dead locks" of
in .'dead locks He liked to be in a place
where he could do some good. II was because
he believed IN the doctrine Of that good old
apostle Paul, that God had made of one blood
all men, and because here there were
many who did not believe in that doc
trine, that he felt proud of his position and he
felt desire to battle for this principle. He
would not take the presidency of johnson
Club where the members Were all
Of one color, but would rather be
in .as club when when an So.Ors
be harmony, and he would not allow any per-
sonalities. II Fernando Wood so far forgets
himself as to merit the censure of Congress he
trusted that none present would follow in his
footsteps and receive the censure of this Con-
gress 1t was apparent TO him that to carry the
city at the next election it would req uire an ex
uaordLnary effort Last year you elected the
''dead-lock," [applause] but this year il will
require your united efforts to elect Your eandl
dates. Some are attempting TO get an act of con-
solidation passed in order to defeat the Repnbl-
can party. They should act on principle, and
he would rather so act than have all the gold in
chrstendom. and when the principle is estab-
hshed that all men are free and eq nal the mis-
sion OF the Republican party is accomplished
He was not in favor yet of taking rebels bv the
hand and giving them the offices. allowing
them to pollute the marble floors of the Capitol
with their blood-stained feet. He did not agree
on this with some of the Northern and Western
Governors and he did not care for the views of
the biggest Senator in the land: he had his own
opinion They have got to set in the heavens
the star TO guide them, in which these princi.
pies shall be centred. They have the task be.
fore them. and they should work, not depend
ing too much on the aid Of Congress and aid
from elsewhere.
Mr.. J. Sayles Brown said that as many would
wish to speak on the subjects brought up he
would move that the speeches be limited to
only one from member on subject, and Of
Marshall Brown, (colored. ALI except Mr.
Boswell. We would be willing to hear him.
Inc In p Cnair;.Hss dead-locked GIapghter;l
MT Boswell.-Five minutes is long enough.
The Chair put the question on DIR. Boyd's
ihouon-"Au VINO WISH TO speak ten minutes
will RISE" and it was carried amid applause
for the long speech party.
Mr.. +. A. Boswell offered the following,
winch, on motion OF Mr.. Atkinson, were
adopted:
Whereas the Thirty .ninth Congress Of the
United States, in its wisdom, declared that all
men in the District of Columbia, Of the age of
twenty-one and upwards, excepting persons
under guardianship, persons convicted of infa-
nous crimes, persons who paupers. and
persons who had given aid and comic TO the
rebellion. Were citizens Of the United States
and eniItled to the right of suffrage; And where.
as II was clearly demonstrated at the last cleo
ton III June, held in this city, that the newly
enfranchised class of our fellow citizens are
capable of exercising said right with discretion
and patriotism, and by their peaceful demean.
or at the polls hurled back the Democratic
falsehood that if the colOred people were grant
cd the elective franchise that bloodshed and
strife in our city would follow; And whereas
there is class of men In our city whose whole
and sole purpose is speculation, praying Con-
gress TO take away or not to extend our charter.
And whereas il is the desire Of every true Re-
publican that the right of suffrage in its fullest
sense should be allowed all loyal citizens with
out regard tosrace or color, and is the taking
away OF the charter or its non.extension would
declare 10 the people Of the world that colored
suffrage is a failure; therefore,
BE IL resoired, That the Republicans of Wash
lngtoD, II. o., declare that no one who is in
hearty sympathy with the Republican party
and who Is in favor of sustaining the weak and
down-trodden class of our fellow citizens, is
n-ll
Resolr.d further, That we earnestly beg of
Congress now assembled to extend the charter
of our city, with such amendments as they in
thelr wisdom may see hi TO embrace, for the
term OF twenty years.
Resolred further, That the president of this as
ISOLATION be requested to transmit 10 the COM
mittees OF the two Houses Of Congress copies of
these resolutions.
Mr.. Boswell.-I have another.
The Chair.-Then yOu are not dead locked
MI. Boswell offered the following:
hnr have hock .aa., HI
as to whether the late act passed by Congress
striking ont the word white in our city charter
is now legal law, owing to the same having
been pocketed by the Presidents: and whereas
We believe it but impartial justice that the
question OF it being a law or not should be
finally settled: Therefore be it
Reso'red, That we ask of Congress TO again
pass said act, SO as to remove all doubt and APP
prehension upon the subject, and thus certainly
and Immediately place all citizens on the
ground Of equality and justice.
DIR. Boyd suggested that the word s.legal', in
the fourth line be stricken out as superiiuous
which was done.
Mr.. ]. Sayles Brown said that the enemies
OF the Republican party are vigilant, and they
would if they had the power reduce the colored
race TO some such condition as they were before
the emancipation. 1t was to pre- vent this was
that the passage of this act urged They
were ready TO do any thing to accomplish their
end, even 10 giving up their charter, and he
was sorry 10 say that men who have heretofore
worked with the Republican party were in this
forth that we as white and black Republicans
were opposed 10 these measures. at least until
after the rights of the black man have been
fully established.
Mr.. Pau remarked that it was the duty of all
Republicans TO see that this bill was passed as
soon "a possible, and that the colored man had
the full right OF white man. So long as full
rights have not been conferred on them so long
VIII they remain half citizens. They wanted
justice and right, and they wanted TO go in the
jury box just as well as to put their vo es In
the ballot box. The opposition have been
meeting in little office on eth street for months
TO defeat the party by getting up a consolida-
ton movement. and they finding that Congress
was not in favor of the plans have changed
their course slightly, and now propose a five
tailed government, in which all the officers are
TO be appointed by power tar removed from
the people. Some very energetic business men
we've IN this movement, and IL appeared 10 be a
movement Of spectators in real estate and
suburban lots. Some of these had been work
ing with the Republican party, and the politi.
cal life OF these should be terminated.
DIR. Boyd said that he had been reading a re.
port of the proceedings of the Fourth Ward
Democratic club, in which the speakers pitched
into Congress and discussed the proba ilites
OF collision between the Capitol and White
House, declaring that they would not go with
Congress. As il was now, we have able crlmi.
nal Judges, and yet il was almost impossible TO
obtain fair verdict by the jurors, and Jury
would not convict man known to be a rebel
He hoped the resolution would be passed, and
that a law would be passed giving even handed
JUSTICE to all. The opposition say that mercy
hsIl 10 Ehft. h..