Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-01-01
The National Cspve.,i.n Of C.lsrea Mea.

The National Csnven,isn Of Cslsred Mea.
mass nlsTISe LAST NIsHr-LIvsLY TINE.
Lat evening mass meeting Of the celorsd
residents OF the District Of Columbia was held
In the bas, ment Of the 18TH street Presbyterian
| Church. for the purpose Of selecting delegates
| to the National Con vention to be held here on
| the 18th instant, which Is called to take mea-
surrs to secure an extension Of the right Of
suffrage There ws err not over 100 persons :,
nelius CLARK called the meeting 20 order, and
| moved that Robert Thompson take the chair,
which was agreed to. Rev. H. N. Turner was
called on, and offered . fsrvent prayer. Mr.:
Chas. II. Peteu was elected secretary, and
stated the obYeeF the meeting as above.
MT Ambush wed that the meeting proceed
Mr.W. H. Bell, Of the First Ward, offered a. a
| substitute for the notion q preamble setting
forth that " in view Of the approaching Ma
tion.i Convention to Be held in this city on
the 18Th OF January, 1883, and in consideration
| Of its important nature, we deem 1t advisable
TO leave the nomination and election OF dele
! gates to the people," With a resolution calling
nominate and elect two delegates from each
/ the people"
meeting proceed to elect delegates 70 the Border
State Con ventIon, and said he was opposed TO
| electing two from each ward.
Mr.. George T. Downing remarked that he
had heard that feeling would be manifested
which he would be sorry for. He noticed the
manner IN which the meeting
Mr.. Brooks raised the point that the gentle.
man was not citizen Of the District of Co.
| lumbi'.
Considerable confusion here prevailed, some
! claiming that MIR. Downing was citizen uad
| should be heard, and others that this was
citiZens' meeting, and non residents should not
participate. A motion was made that Mr.
Downing be allowed to proceed, when some
ooIec'ed that the motion was adding insult to
| injury.
The Chair urged thar Mr. ID. was a citizen of
| the United States, and might be heard.
Mr.. Brooks said that he would like to define
| his position, that he had no objection to MT
Downing speaking If this was general meet
| lug:
efforts TO elevate the race. Would they put the
paddock to his lips
Mr. Brooks said that when he (D) identified
himself with the citizens of the District OF Co.
lumbia he would De willing 10 hear him.
More comm0tion pnsued. during which the
Chair said that he (Mr. d. was a little OFF the
track, but he wanted to hear him.
Mr.. Ambush rose 10 point Of order, that
the discussion should be confined to the reso.
luton.
Mr. Hatton asked if Mr. Downing was not
man, and II so why this trouble
Mr.. Downing proceeded to state that hewas
a deniZen of the District of Columbia, and
entitled to the rights and protection of such.
| A voice-"l ou are an ad interim.'] Laugh
teri Mr.. ID. proceeded to state that 1t had been
proposed that there should be nine delegates
elected-two from the city Of Georgetown. He
had no individual ends TO serve, and would not
60 there to represent the District, but he would
be there as a delegate.
Mr.. Brooks.-That's Just what has brought
on this trouble. He says that he will not be
delegate from the District, but Is going there to
repre- sent his State, and he would submit that
he had no business to take part in the dis
cussion.
The CHAIR stated that he was sorry that such
an expression had been made, and he thought
that Mr.. ID. should not have made 1t; but as the
meeting had agreed to hear him, he should be
allowed TO proceed.
Considerable confusion again prevailed, some
saying that the house had not gwen him 3D.
the privilege claimed, others that it had, and
some saying that the Chair had '.chawed his
words"
Alderman ]. f. Cook urged that the meeting
hear Mr.. Downing, and intimated that the
Of order tina, Mr. .S Tas
long as Mr.. ID. More commotion ensued, when
Mr.. Brooks demanded the right OF
plying TO an attack made upon HIM
Mr. Downing insisted that he (Brooks) could
not trample on his (D's.) rights. After further
discussion the question was put as to allo wing
Mr.. Downing to proceed, and II was carried,
and he went on state the object OF the eonven-
ton and to discuss the resolution, urging that
the delegates be elected tonight.
Mr.. Clark rose to call Mr.. DIS. attention TO a
remark made by him, when he stated that he
had said something which was offensive, and
he desired to take 1t back.
Mr.. Joseph Brooks desired to make a per-
u
Voice.-When you oppose the freedom OF
speech 1 oppose you'll Here much confusion
took place, but order was restored and he was
allowed to proceed. He was, it was true, n
new conner, and in respect to the gentleman OF
the Board Of Aldermen he would say that his
vote would weigh as much as his, and he
would be- ready to meet him al any time He
was opposed to people foisting themselves on
the District OF Columbia especially one who
was a mere solourner who came here to taxe
an office in the nations capital.
ia Pfar SfQ ri ran r kad hnr thar
olution was one Of vital importance; that Ii
was not perfect
MIR. Bell said if any one had not comprehen-
sion enough to comprehend the resolution,
VIII ch he thought was comprehensive, he must
be very dull. indeed.
Mr.. Stewart proceeded TO urge that the reso-
luton was not proper; that this meeting could
not properly elect the representatives from the
county. There were disabilities to be removed
here; the colored people should have the privi-
Mr.. Bell warmly advocated the adoption of
the resolution, and il they thought two from
each ward was too many, he would insert one.
Dr. Purvis objected to the resolution because
il was not full enough, and he proposed to offer
a set OF resolutions as q substitute, and asked
that Mr.. Downing read them. Here confusion
again occurred, points OF order, motions to
the table, and calls for the previous question
follow ing each other so rapidly that for q time
the Chairman (who by the way was very cool,)
seemed totally al loss how TO proceed. Finally
Mr.. Downing arose to read the resolutions.
Rev. Anthony Bowen suggested If there were
any present who could not be managed, they
should be Bent to the Seventh Ward, where
they could be managed. Some one ans wrred
~ on have not managed the canal YETI
MI Downing read the resolutions approving
the cali for the Convention; that the citizens
will give the delegates a hearty and generous
welcomes that the meeting will appoint dele
gates; that the delegates be requested to take
such action as shall facilitate the adoption OF
an amendment 10 the constitution making the
elective franchise uniform throughout the
States and not affected by race, coier or reli-
gous belief; that in Grant and Colfax thew
have two honest personages who will exercise
their utmost influence, so far as they may
consistently, TO place all American citizens.
without regard TO their complexion, ON an
equal political base; that the original abolition
lists have a large and abiding share of graft ude:
that the Republican party gave the colored
people their rights, and no other party can
ALLEVIATE them from that party except by out
stripping il in consistency and in honest
advocacy Of genuine democratic principles:
recognizing the potentical agencies which have
contributed TO their present position; paying q
tribute TO the memory of the great Commoner,
Thaddeus Stevens, and closing as follows.
Whereas, we do not desire the blood Of our
brother; and whereas. no good would now
come from the hanging OF JEFFERSON Davis: and
whereas, sall is well that ends WE'LL" 1.-THE
country having been relieved Of the curse OF
slayery:l and whereas, we believed that it
would BE- a saving OF the public funds; we the
colored cirizens Of this District stood ready TO
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