New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-09-12
The COiOred M en-.
lass Convention In New England.

| 1he SOIOTCu
Mass Convention In New England.
At Boston, on Thursday, the 5th inst,
was held the second mass convention of the
colored citizens of New England. The first,
with Mr.. George Z. Downing, of Newport,
Rhode Island, as presiding officer, assembled
at fremont Temple in 1857 or 1858, to de-
| liberate upon an important matter which was
claiming public attention, viz: "African civ
ilization," so-called. The convention disap-
proved of the project, and pronounced it a
zation, which they protested against.
Wednesday evening representatives in fair
numbers began to arrive from New Bedford,
| Springfield, Worcester, Hartford, and Nor
witch, Connecticut, and Portland, Maine, and
other cities, and Thursday forenoon large
accessions were constantly coming from Sa-
lem, Lynn, and other places near and far.
Some were even from New York. While
some of the delegates stopped at the hotels,
others were entertained at private houses.
Though not regular delegate convention,
many were present with credentials.
| The feature of the affair was the speech Of
Fred. Douglass, who defended his support of
President Grant for reelection. His best
point was in charging that the Democratic
party, although it would not attempt the re-
peal of the constitutional amendments, would
not pass the appropriate legislation neces-
sary to their enforcement.
THE CONVENTION
was called to order at II o'clock by Charles
f. Pindell, Secretary of the Committee of
Arrangements, and Mr.. George l.. Ruffin, a
| cOlOred lawyer, was chosen temporary chair
man. He made brief and eloquent address.
Mr.. Mitchell, for the Committee on Organ
ization, then reported the following list Of
| permanent officers, which was unanimously
adopted:
President-Chas. Lenox Remond, of Bos-
ton.
Vice Presidents-George l.. Downing, of
Newport, Rhode Island U. Crawford, of
PASSPORT, Maine; George l.. Ruffin, of Bos-
ton j. l.. Cambridge, of Hartford, Connec-
ticut; u. Smith, of Boston w. w. Brown,
of Worcester; William G.. Nell, of Boston !;
Walter c. Burr, of Norwich, Connecticut !;
Charles L. Mitchell, of Boston, and seventy
others from different sections.
Observation-Disclosures E. Pindell, of Bos-
ton; Horace j. Gray, of Cambridgeport !;
Manuel Sullivan, of New Bedford; Nathaniel
G.. Cutler, of Lynn; w. Fl. Montague, of
Springfield, and Robert johnson, of Cam
bridge.
| THE RESOLUTIONS.
The following series of resolutions were
then adopted, after discussion:
| Resolred, That we hereby testify of the
Republican party that its origin. its antece-
dents, the head and heart attributes of its
prominent champions, have made valid it's
claim to the title of the party of freedom,
whose mission mainly is to secure equality
before the law for those hitherto outawed.
And we earnestly submit that its brilliant
record of success in these efforts impels US
to the utterance that, potent indeed as are
its claims of respect and gratitude upon col
| ored Americans, common sense itself dictates
to us that the most practical and earliest
method to secure a victorious termination
| OF the struggle for our rights, is to con-
tinue working shoulder to shoulder with
those who have been and still continue help
| ing us.
| RESOLVED, That all candid minds must adj
init that the nations advance, since the DAYS
Of active rebellion, has been constant and
| satisfactory and now, having escaped the
| shoals and quicksands of treason and seces-
sion, and within sight of port, if there are
| those on board who would conspre against
the commanding officers of the ship of State,
| God forbid that any of the mutineers should
be colOred Americans.
Resolred, That we regard the sentiment
now prevalent in the arena of discussion,
"The North and South shaking hands over
| the bloody chasm," coming from whatever
| quarter it may, as premature. Let the rebel
parties first bring forth fruits meet for re-
pentance, and none shall be before us in ex-
| tending forgiveness for past ages of persecu-
ton and oppression heaped Olympus high
upon us and those identified with us by COM
| pleXion and condition; but the virtue of
| magnanimity does not consist in making love
pats upon the tiger who but crouches to
spring at our threats for death embrace.
| ,oJ That n &c a e.
| that the main purposes of those arayed
against the present Administration find ex-
preston in their rallying cry, " Anything to
| beat Grant "-equivalent to determination
| Of placing in power those men who would
reverse the hand upon the dial plate of re-
form, and whose advent would furnish I'M
bounded satisfaction to Jefferson Davis and
his satellites, North and South; and we have
learned that what commends itself to that
class augurs no good to the Republic.
Resolred, That while we tender the hon.
age of grateful hearts to the brilliant galaxy
of freedoms defenders and orators, treasur-
ing the recollection of their many words and
| deeds in our behalf, we trust no charge of
| disparagement will be attributed to us if we
| should on this occasion make significant
alusion to those whom it is no unmeaninr
| term to designate as a glorious trinity.
Resolced, That our anxieties are solaced.
| our hopes encouraged, and our determine
tons strengthened by the assurance that, in
defining our position, we have the God speed
and approval of that veteran pioneer and
persistent advocate of universal emancipa-
ton who, in 1881, declared himself in earn
est, and that he would be heard in oppose
ton to slavery, and whose lifelong devotion
to the cause has triumphantly confirmed his
pledge-William Lloyd Garrison; of another.
whose culture and varied gifts, whose Da.
mascus blade of eloquence, have been a con-
tribution of priceless value, whose white
plume, like that of Henry w, is always seen
at that point where the blows fall thick and
fast in our defense, and whose whole soul.
when advocating humanity's cause, seems
impregnated with celestial fire-Wendell
Phillips of the other, whose standpoint of
experience and observation has rendered
him of potent authority on the various ques-
tons relating to slavery and freedom; whose
long record of service with voice and pen
who, when aspiring leaders among colored men
discouraged their enlistments in the Union
army until, in advance, they were furnished
with officers commissions, with his bucle
blast called to arms recruits from the East
and the West, the North and the South, in
sufficient numbers to insure success against
tho foo whose nOhla dofapSn Of ro,ou,I