National Republican., 1873-12-13
COLORED CONVENTION.
ITS ADDRESS TO THE PEOPLE or
THE UNITED STATES.

SPEECH OF MR.. PINCHBACK-A nlsro-
RiCAL AND STATISTICAL SOCIETY PRO-
posED-soME NOISE AND CONFUSION
FINAL ADJOURNMENT.
The fourth days session OF the Equal Rights
convention was held yesterday, nt Legislative
hall, Hon. r. h. 8. Pinchback presiding. Prayer
was offered by Rev. Charles +. Herbert, ofKy.
Tho president stated that he was compelled to
withdraw from the convention TO attend . session
ofthe Committee on Elections OF the Senate, 10
deliver an argument In his case, and fcltvcr con-
adont that In few days he would be admitted to
the Senate, He was deeply Interested In the oh.
jeet for which the convention assembled. To
enjoy . right for n time aud then he deprived ot
Il. ls the greatest prvatcn known to man; Tor him
deep interest In their proceedings, he hoped that
they would do Nothing TO- rctatd the success ni
their cause. What they desired was an earnest,
sorious iensnd to the RepubiicAn party for that
jrsllcc laid down In the party platform.
There was no need of hava,lo to attain this
thought this was an ausricious time to make the
demand, and he believed that the AtnrrIesn pco-
70 ,se e coIoreI race. Hr % bcilsvS hat he Demo
cratic party would hail with 10y the hour that
would IN This spr9s,rlp,on rom lleir sh?sli.rs
this city, II was more than proh.tle cto night he
would hayn been a corpse. While not abatinp
should not forxet all ihs, had ccn zalnel In the
past. lIynlor OF courage we're required 70 push
Inward their cause tt was not NdtIlNg lh inbte
qualities hut he hoped Tho paper thc convention
put forth would he characterized by t"spect,
slrnlghttorwarlncs, and hrnncss 10 IT. demands.
He 4, sired to say few word cunC' rning himself
MBuy wuuii remember that while rn official IN
New Nflrnhs tha ''riG"craur pres, aid"'l by the
l.nctnl II s,mbli,hhs RrG sriur Ul the Republican
pnrrrs ns ven. hah htsGilCG his personal charnc
ter and rndcavor-'! To.
wRrEuin Down.
This Appeared 70 he their chosen and special
sbIcci. is stu the same with some of them to-
dax And ha nth "a li.u t,aI.
ts very sig.lAcant, lie did not know the cause Of
this action toward him unless It was because llo
had been so earnest In lnbOrng to elevate his
down.tro,lhen people. or gentlemen On their side
would Ike To have placed some iavoritc In his
place 10 the Senate o. ihs United states: lie had
anrr intended to use the frst yloi. The action Of
the convention In .clectng him for their permanent
presiding oficet he accepted as an acknOwl lcdR
mtnt that they Inlorsed his past political action
and the efforts made in behalf Of his race. He
ANNA ana I'M II had ~" slNaYS bcep H. Sessure to to
know that he WIS working for them, and they
would become part Of the great future; in the
act Nj, night after night studying until his hairs
were gray that no might ut himself for any posi.
ton that comes within the reach Of an American
Ifthis country was greater and erandcr than
any other, II was because every eltren, from the
most prominent to the humblest, took to himself
a bccornlng pride and satisfaction In knowing that
he eligible to any ofhco within the gin Of his
ssps sss Rsa Ssa hGH & Sus WS 10 Be-
gone over he would make /, Just what II had
Been. He was proud Of the fact that ho sprung
Mi. Pinchback then retired, and the Convention
unanimously passed a vote OF thanks to him for
the able and impartial manner In which &c had
discharged tho duties Of presiding officer.
The convention then took a reccss for one hour
TO allow the members to pay their respects to
VISIT TO THE EXECUTIVE.
The delegates then proceeded In body to tho
Executive Mansion, 10 pay their respects to the
President. They were received In the bue-room
by Ills Exoelloncy, Gnd AIR. q. =. Downing, hrst
vice president Of the convention, behalf OF the
delegation, addressed him as follows;
"PRxsIpESr GRANT; The convention Of colorcd
men re representing every State In the Union has
been IN session IN this city for few days presided
ever BY Mr.. Pinehbaek, who regret Is unable to
have been deputlrcd by the members TO tender to
you the kind feeling Of the members, who express
the entire sentiment Of the colorcd people Of the
land, for the valuable services you have rendered
ready been done We begin to fcOl that Ike country
has ncarly arrived at that state designed by our
iorcfathef., that all men are created nee and
easa Ihs s.nysGtloP hs,sne.eS e express
given ' aSy BY WI In Your nHasatS Sfdrcss Nc FsTc
no doubt that such relief will meet your approval
mthc nswe efthc colored race thank you for
such expressaa:2. = = y. - =, -,
giad to receive the convention and listen to your
remarks. i have always believed that enirar
en.sneipation. Thesc rights should have followed
without Legislation. It's unfortunate that any
enactment Is necessary to secure such rights, tu
existing prejudice seems to have rendered It
necessary. hope the present Congress will give
Mr.. Doagass then said: II thank you. Mr.
President Tor the full expression yeu have made
and tho senliments you entertain
Each delegate then advanced and was presented
TO tho President, and after this reception, they
rutnrnpd 10 The convention and resumed the con-
AderatiCn ofbaslncss.
After the recess the convention rcasseDbleL
with Mr.. George 7. Downing Ia the chair, and
after some routine business 0T an unlmlsortayi
latarc, the a'.ircss to the American People wis
read as f'll"w'' .-..-..s.
Dst stLARArroS OF PRINCIPLES,
The committee on address 10 Corur,ss anal TSe
.AmeF.eah pseIis lag9e Eeperi. W hLsh Mr.. Down.
" W. regret the necessity which cOmpeIs us to
auain come before you and say we are aggrieved.
Congress and to the psb whom Il reprgsgnts th;t
there are nearly Ave millons Of American sltl.
x,ns who are shamefaliy outraged, who arc thus
within a Nw year iesbceiing, in part, our rights
make =: VAC h fsl sSniS! IS sa. 0t t,nSI, .GS rsss ssj
Sss ,ie wltShSling Of these fnakcs the srivanets
even mere intolcrgblc. Our grievances are many;
cur ,s spE9 ,r !Gs SE SsTS 10 hose Sb rFSi Eat
NAV be affected through the aeiion Of Congress
by statutes forhIddinR them under pcneltesi
we shall take u t'r granted that action Will he
had by Congress, protecting us from invidious
distinctions III the enjoymeht OF common carriers,
hotels aud other public places OF convenience aud
~ S" a PSSS there NJ ay pe soe obcs
tion n. tie tn Federal action against discrimnR.
tion aSto race and color in the manpgement OF
public instruction, and In cmpaunelng Iurlesi tic
Objections alleging that II IS uneoDst,ntOnal i0r
t,ongrlss 10 i.g,slatc to effect these cases. We
propose to no,leo these objections briefly: They
ings have tlcsu thoughts circumscrihCd by thrll
training aud habits. We do not feet bound ~ .
matter inyolviug rights TO be r'rrnmscribc'
thereby. I.angungc should he used "h"ucyCr Il
may without outraging It to bes, sgh'ef'e
EQUITY AND JUSTICE
A decision Of the supreme judiciary is bnlin:
aud irrcvurahle as affecting the particular cas
adjudIcaird, hut Is to he regarded only as a l,gh
which may he used, nay, should he, In any Othc
ease before that judiciary, 10 assist In nndlng
binding force on any Suhscguent case. The fore
Of recorded decisions as to the powers Of tOrgrCs
are some hat impni ircd bccnusc they were rel
dcrcd under blas or influence varying from III
present. The interest Of slavery, . state insi!tt
lion. was SO great and oycIsh.dowlng a. TO sullt
gate church us well as State; the morality AZ We
as the law Of the land. Decisions were rcndcTc
in Its interest. II was ever keen, active rcsoin''
extremely Suspicious. The State right ihCuTi
one essential to slavery, was persstentIy urged
how II was adhered to may he seen In It's producin
the late rebellion, It's grave yard;
Therefore the bearings Of legal minds. throur
decisions and opinions made popular By this Stkt
rights theory, must not be permitted TO have IN
controlling sway sumo lhWNtlr NlslNfNH
give them. Hence we are enbUlicncd to take O.
ception to the theory that Congress may not into
ierc, except In the United states courts TO sccui
to a citizen au Impartial Jury. We aihrm there
no prOhihitory clause OF the Constitution dcnyh'
these rights on the other hand We aiiirm that
ranges ITSELF among the powers delegated tOl
grcss at lohst by implication. that II Is pOw'
Inherent from lis character and supported by IL
pTncipics ol common law 1t Is IN maintcnant
vf a national right. We arc ut o loss to Ind II
part OF the Constitution which admits Ctngrc
To w as tar as Il has gone IN protecting the civ
rights ct citizens In the several States, asTcntC
70 by objceting senators hut which iurhids
guing FAR enough 10 efectua lly protect tic civ
tights ~ citizen wherever the Stars and STRIPE
hare sway. II cOngre.: may throw the
- ~ rRoTHeriNG ARM or THE LAW
AROUND any citizen Of the tnitcd states in ~
Iitate So as to forbid any denial " dit TlWin
iInua ln hotels and In public cOnyeyahctf Oh
c,,uut Oi race or color; II ccrtntnly may 10 so
ing him from invldiuus rules, impairil
ii,e right u property. 1t may say tho '1mm
school, paid lUr and owned by all citizens In co
mon, shalt not bc made 10 serve to tho degrad
tion and humiliation VI any class thereof; that
brunch of the Government maintained TO tra
the cbid as Ia hts proper relation TO MS d0d q