Semi-weekly Louisianian. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1871-1872, 1871-10-29
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n ~ IL IL II - -
In the Convention of the Colored
People of the Southern States,
begun to be holden in the City Of
Columbia, South Carolina, on
Wednesday, the eighteenth day OF
October, 1871:
REPORT:
The Committee on Address, to
whom were referred the subject of
preparing an address to be issued
by this Convention to the American
people, beg leave most respectfully
to report that they have carefully
and diligently considered the same
and recommend the adoption of the
following address to the people of
the United States of America.
r. B. ELLIOTT,
Chairman of Committee.
To the People Of the United States of America:
FELLOW CITIZENS: The colored peo-
pie of the States of Alabama, Ar
kansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia,
Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland,
Mississippi, North Carolina, South
Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and
the District of Columbia, have dele
gated to us, their representatives,
assembled in Convention, authority
to give expression to their purposes,
desires and feelings, in view of the
relation they sustain to the Gov
ernment and people Of the United
States, under the course of events
that has arisen since, and as a con-
sequence of, the war of rebellion.
We owe to Almighty God and the
spirit of liberty and humanity that
animates the great body of the peo-
pie of this country the personal
liberty and the rights of citizenship
that we enjoy, and shall, under the
promptings of duty, labor for the
permanence and perfection of the
institutions that have served as the
great instrument of consumating
this act of justice.
In seeking more perfect recogni-
ton as members of the great polit-
ical family to which the interests
of humanity have been peculiarly
committed, we desire to recognize
our obligations and responsibilities
as members of this great family,
and to assure the American people
that we stand among them imbued
with a national spirit-with con-
fidence in and devotion to the prin-
ciples of representative popular
government, and with ideas of policy
that embrace every individual and
interest OF our common country.
The fruits of the great legal
measures that were intended to es-
tablish our rights and interests on
a common footing with all other
citizens of the nation, have, to some
extent and in particular locations,
been withheld from us by the pre-
judices and passions left in the
hearts of portion of our fellow
citizens as remnant of former
ideas and associations. We need
your aid and sympathy to complete
the great work begun and carried |
on in our behalf. We desire to Law |
before you the facts of our case in a
brief but truthful statement. We
have not at command the all-im-
portant instrument of local public |
press, as the medium of communi-
eating with you; the press of the
South, with few exceptions, being
in the hands Of those interested to |
lower rs in your esteem. We have
deemed a convention of our repre-
sentatives as the most efficient |
means OF laying before you the true
state of our condition and feeling. |
Since the close ofthe war a settled
policy has controlled the public and !
private action Of the great body of
the white people of the South to-
wards us, They have sought to bold
us in q condition Of modified SER
so that we should not be
able to complete with the industry
of the country. They have not been
to employ the advantages
that capital and experience in pub |