The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-05-29
State COlOred Convention.
Report OF tho Business Comm,,ton
n"cALrTf IN ALL RESPECTS CLAIMED,
WELLS AND THE CONSTITUTION.
DIR. HARRIS SPE.iKS.
SECOND DAY.


tcnccs. Baync moved that the minutes
DC adopted after striking out all that nom
sense about wasting ammunition" ." and all
that sort of thing. lie wanted that loft to
sci1rlllouS writers. After the transaction of
olhcr llnlmportant business, Hobson offered
i resolution that the Convention go into
secret session.
Norton and others opposed this. Troy
made speech, in the course of which he
opposed the Walker ticket, and said that
everybody who did not vote the Wells
ticket would he marked
mhe resolution was laid on the table.
The following report Of the Committee on
Bu>inGSS was .Qttsied:
- Nsafseaa5 owing to the fact that the CO.
lorctl, Qessaa,s pfstais State were left without
clothing, without homes, and without cdu-
cation, upon their own resources in com
munity in which public opinion, the wealth,
the influence, and the intelligence of the
arIStocracy have successfully combined in
impeding the material amclioration of our
people therefore
" RcSOtred, That committee composed
Of two from each congressional district, and
one from the State at large, be appointed by
the Chair as ali executive committee, and
central committee of five, three of the
! members of which shall reside in the city of
Richmond, be also appointed by the Chair,
whose duty it shall be to be in regular cor
rcspondcncc with the similar committees ap-
pointed 10y the National Convention of the
colOred men of the nation, held in Wash
ington january last, and to urge capitalists
and other persons devoted to our cause, the
urgent necessity of lending their immediate
influence to secure homes for the homeless
of the South &; and that said committee
he empowered to add to its numbers,
and to act with any organization that
shall desire the furthcrance Of the end con-
templated, and to carry out the objects Of
this convention.
"RcSolued, That we unqualifedly con-
denim the policy which has guided many of
the previous civil appointments in this
State, particularly the effort to crush out
the regular Republican organization, and
the coquettine with the Conservatives in
order to gain their votes; that we believe
that s,lch Il policy will only result in disaster
and defeat; that those whose influence can
only be bought by Office are not worth buy
ing; that while we are willing to receive all
into our ranks who will pledge themselves
to support Republican principles, yet we
are Of the decided opinion that none should
he placed in positions Of trust and honor
until they have proved their devotion to the
principles of liberty, justice, and equality
before the law and we earnestly and re-
Spcctfully request the commanding General
to give To our race representation upon the
benches of our courts, and also in the very
many executive offices of the State, for
which many Of them are Is well, if not
better, qualified than many who have re-
ceived the appointments to such positions.
RcSolred, That we do further request
that the commanding General will issue an
order that whenever a jury Is summoned or
Cmpanclled that no distinctions shall be
made on account Of color.
"WhcrcaS the Constitution has been sub
mittcd TO the people for adoption or rclec-
ton: and whereas we believe it Is highly
necessary for the protection of our rights as
men and citizens of this State and OF the
United States that the Constitution should
bc adopted therefore
"EcSOlced, That we urge upon every Re-
publican voter of this State to vote for the
Constitution framed by the late Constitu-
tional Convention held in the capitol Of this
state.
''Res0lrcd, That we pledge ourselves to
support the regular nominations made at
Petersburg March 10th-namely, His EN-
ccllency II. ii. Wells for Governor and DR..
J. ID. Harris for Licutcnant-G Governor, L.
! II. Bowden for Attorney General, and y. NJ.
Cra nc for Con nCrcSsman at Large.
I "Res0lrCd, That we look upon the right
of suffrage, which we expect soon to see in
the hands of every colored citizen, beyond
all danger of recall, if rightly, intellgcntly,
and fcarlcSsly exercised, as certain to secure
to us and our descendants all the political
. rights and privileges which freemen under
free government are called to exercise and
/ enjoy.
! I" Resolced, That we consider il wise and
! comprehensive system of free schools to lls
at least us impcratively necessary, and that
/ we will regard every colOred man III the
State as recrcant to his race who ncglects tC
| do everything in his power towards the
establishment of such free school system
! RcsOlUed, That we return our heartfelt
! and sincere thanks to the people of the
! North for their many kindnesses towards the
! colored people of Virginia, and especially
! for their benevolence in furnishing means
/ for the education Of our children. But we
, deplore that there should have been any ne,
/ ccSsity for these charitable people TO lurnlSf
! us with the means of education, for the
reason that it should have been Willingly
! furnished by the State or people of Virginia
as we are citizens and taxed to detray the
! expenses of schools and other public lnstl-
| tutions.
! 4" Resolued, That we look to well-directet
! industry and wise legislation combined tc
! raise our State from her present depressed
| condition and to open up every avenue tc
progress and universal prosperity.
| - ReSOtTeI, ndl we tAllSsS otI
| full sympathy with confidence in the present
| National Administration as inaugurating the
dawn of a new era i'll this Republic, IL
| which the rights Of man throughout the
! length and breadth of this land are to be
| nIllv recognized in State and National Go
ycrnmcntS, and that we hail the appoint
ment of General u. j. Canby as mill
tary Commander of this district with JOY
| as sure to hasten the safe and permanent re-
construction of Virginia to the Union, ant
restore to her the proud and exalted stant
she once occupied in the grand galaxy
| States.
Cox moved the adoption of the report
| 4 good deal of squabblinS ensucd, ana th'
report was adopted. .. ,
! Lewis Lindsey was not satlshed WIN Inc
report, because a resolution olierea ny hili
| had not been taken notice Of. lie said NJ
understood all this wire-WorklnS business
| and was intendin Of stoppin it.
DIR. Harris, the candidate for Lieutenant
! Governor on the Wells ticket, i'll accordance
with invitation. then addressed the ConVcn
tion. He is a bright mulatto of respectahlt
auncarance, and his intelligence cannot pt
| drnied. He is not much OF an orator, Du
nosseSses a remarkable aptncss for llltlStra
| lion by anccdote, and is an interesting taiker
His sneech was thoroughly radical, ana III
romselled his hearers to act upon the lIln
rinlc that instinct was more rellapie tilai
reason. and therefore it was better that lnel
relv upon those Of their own race, lsholaii
though they might be, rather Than upol
those who possessed that lntelllSehcc 'I1'
might vet prove dangerous TO then. IA.
told them that they must contend for ever.
r;uht that would make the colored maj
aGunl ms he deserved to be, with the Whlt'
| -, ua told them TO trust no white maj