The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1871-11-11
ADDRESS
III the Southern Golored Convention t
the People Of the United States.

people of the Southern States, begun
10 be holden in the City of Columbia,
South Carolina, on Wednesday, the
eighteenth day of October, 1871, the
following was submitted by the Com
gnittce on Address:
70 the People of the United States
Of america
FELLOW CITIZENS The colored
people of the States of Alabama,
ARKANSAS, Delaware, Florida, Georgia,
Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mis-
sissippi, North Carolina, South Caro-
ina, Tennessee, Texas and the Dis
trict of Columbia, have delegated to
rs, their representatives, assembled
in Convention, authority to give ex-
preston to their purposes, desires and
ceilings, in view: of the relation they
bear to the Government and the peo
pie of fhe United States, under the
course of events that has arisen since,
md as a consequence of the war OF
rebellion.
We owe to the Almighty God and
he spirit of liberty and humanity
hat animates the great body of the
people of this country, the personal
liberty and rights of citizenship that
We enjoy, and shall, under the prompt
inss of duty, labor for the permanence
md perfection of the institutions that
nave served 'assthe great instrument
pf concentrating this act of justice.
In seeking more perfect recognition
rs me1abers of the great political fam
lily to which the interests of humanity
nave 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
ahem imbued with,a national spirit
with confidence in and devotion to
The principles of representative popu-
lar government, and with ideas of
policy that embrace every individual
and interest of our common country.
The fruits of the great legal meas
2lres that were intended to establish our
rights and interests on a common foot
ing with als other citizens of the
nation, have, to some extent, and in
particular locations, been withheld
from ue by the prejudices and pas
.sions Of the hearts of a portion of Ollr
fellGw-citiZens as remnant Of former
ideas and associations. We need
your aid and sympathy TO complete
She great work begun and carried on
IN our behalf. We desire to lay
before you the facts of our case in a
brief, but truthful statement. We
have not at command the all-inanort-
mt instrument of local public press,
as the medium of communication with
Won the press of the South, with a
few exceptions, being in the hands OF
those interested to lower us in youl
esteem. We have deemed a conven-
aion of our representatives as the
most efficient means of laying before
you the true state of our condition
and feeling.
Since the close Of the war, a settled
policy has controlled the public and
private action of the great body OF
the white people of the South towards
as, They have sought to hold us in a
condition of modified servitude, SO
that we should not be able to COM
pete with the industry of the country.
They have not been contented TO
employ the advantages of that eapi-
ial and experience in public and pri-
waite affairs confer, but resorted to
compulsory means, unsanctioned by
che laws of the country, the spirit
of American institutions, and the
practice of civilized nations.
The first great effort to carry into
effect this line of policy, was, perhaps
most conspicuously displayed in the
adoption of the code of laws, com.
monty known as the Black Code
passed by the provisional government
of South Carolina, IN the year of 1865
and followed by other States. It i
unnecessary to give in detail thu
features of this system. 1t established
easte of the Oriental type. 1t furn
ished courts for the trial of questions
of caste. II provided for legal com
pulsion, as means of procuring on
labor, and fixing the rates of compen
.sation and rules of performance
1t provided separate laws civil ant
criminal secured separate conrti
for their enforcement. Finally, i
allowed us no voice in the passing o
tie laws that were to govern us
or hand in disposing of the proceed
of oar labor taken from us as take
for the support of the government o
our respective States.
Tie action of the military author
dies, followed by that Of Congress
and. finally, the amendments to TIN
Constitution of the United States
took from the hands of those seekin!
to establish system of slavery scarce
Nv less Objectionable than that whicl
had Just been overthown, the mean
accomplishing their purpose through
the forms of law.
The next resort was 30 subsidize AM
oontrol, through the motives of f.ivo
and fear, the political and civil pow
ers conferred by the liberality of tn
Government. On the one hand, tn
friendship and patronage OF TIE whit
1itizens were offered as the condition