New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-06-13
Colored Men at the PhiIadeIpllia
Convention.

The following are the first speeches ever
made by colored men in the National Con-
vention Of a great and triumphant political
party in this nation:
Loud calls were made for Gray, and VIM.
II. Gray, of Arkansas, a medium-sized< dark
skinned colored man, Of genteel appearance
and good manners, came to the platform and
said:
GENTLEMEN OF THE CONVENTION: For
the first time probably in the history of the
American people, there stands before you in
q National Convention assembled, repre-
sentative Of that oppressed race that has
lived among you for two hundred and fifty
years, lifted by the magnanimity Of this great
nation, the power of God, and the laws of
war, from the degradation of slavery to the
proud position of American citizenship.
tGreat applause.] Words fail me on this oc-
casion to thank you for this evidence Of your
grand progress in civilization, where a peo-
Pile Of such magnitude, the grandest and
greatest nation upon the earth, not only in
the recognition of the merit Of the glory of
the war which her noble sons waged so sue
cessfully, have in convention assembled will
lingly, and listened not only to the greatest
Of her orators, but to the humblest citizens
of this great Republic. lGreat applause.] !
scarcely know where to begin upon an occa-
sion like this. If raise the curtain of the
past, then 1 open the door of the sarcopha-
gus from which we have just emerged. If
20 back to the primary history of our race on
this continent, would open up, perhaps, the
discussion of things and circumstances that
would make us blush, and the blood upon
our cheeks to tingle in view Of the evidence
of the condition Of our race such as the Amer
lean people have never thought of in it's de-
4 IL II. 4 49, l. 4.
ton from which we have just emerged. But
this is scarcely necessary. We are ready to
say
"Let the dead past bury its dead"
While we remember these errors, while We
remember all these degradations, there is nc
vengeance, thank God, found in our hearts no
revengeful feelings no desire for retaliation
but God has given us q heart to thank the
American people for the position in which we
stand to-day, and we are willing, as | sand
before, to
Let the dead past bury its dead"
and 90 on in our progress and fit ourselves to
American citizens in deed and In fact. ZAP.
plause.l It is the wonder of the world-the
miracle of the nineteenth century--that in
this great struggle, which rocked this country
from centre to circumference-thata amid the
debris of $50 years a living people were found
by this great nation, and lifted from that de
graduation, as it were, by the strong arm O
power, and at once and without forethough
placed, as have before remarked. upon the
broad plane of American citizenship. five
have failed somewhat in the sanguine expec
tations Of our friends, yet upon the whole
think we have fairly worked out the problem
30 far as we have gone. To-day, for the frs
time, God has pleased me with sight of thai
grand, noble, and good old man, Geri
Smith, Applause, j who stood by us and fol
10 when we could not stand for ourselves
Tremendous applause.] The sight of hin
repays me for all the toll, all the suffering
Ill tho pain Of years. The sight Of him re
news my faith in that humanity which nd