New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1873-12-04
G A IL
National Convention
TO RI HELD
December 9, 1873,
WASHINGTON. ID. C..
G A IL
WASHINGTON. ID. C..

At the Ninth Annual Meeting Of the Penn.
sylvania State Equal Rights League, held at
Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania, the 18th and 2Otb
ot August a resolution was unanimously adoptcd
instrucling the President to call a National
Convention at Washington, ID. G., at IL O'Clock
M, on the second Tuesday, 9th day of Decem
Der, 1873, for the special purpose Of impressing
on Congress the absolute necessity Of passing a
Civil Rights Bill.
TO Tie Cotored Psopie othe LnitgJ Siat,g
BROTHERS: 1t is true all citizens al. now
equal before the law; all equal with the ballot
all equal in responsibility to the Government.
The Constitution of the United Stairg la.
been amended, and every human being mad,
free within its jurisdiction These great acbiayq.
ments the handiwork Of the Republican
party, and through them it has attained n gran.
deur and sublimity Of character the world might
envy.
Brothers, though all these things be true. vet
III dehnance of the law now constituted Tho
cohorts OF tyranny, the yotaries Of coiOr.prriu.
dice, insult, degrade, and outrage thousand.
with seeming impunity. Men and women c.t,-
Gems Of the United States, are denied the cnng..
nlence OF the common carriers, denied equal
accommodations on rail cars, steamboats, and
stages, refused entertainment AZ hotel. refused
equal education in public schools for their chill.
dren, and the Inequalities and ciyities of ciy,.
lied communities 10 a great extent denied 10
them.
These are facts, common 10 nearly all section.
Of the country, and the strong arm Of na,iona!
law IL needed to correct them The evil /, IA.
iional the remedy must also be national
We want Congress 70 give Us II ''ciyll right,
bill, with such penalties will teach kumanit,
to the imbruted, and compel the tyraut To l0,s.
his hold on the poor. Men and citizens. come
from every State. Come in force from evcry
State. Come determined on a purpose Come
resolved that freedom shall not be only ia name,
but that the practical exercise of the irecrnen'.
right shall not be limited to the white man, who
pays no more taxes bears no more respou.ilIi.
ties, endures no more hardships, runs no greater
risks, and is no more patriotic and brave thar,
the black. Let every State send a delegation
that will press On Congress the passage o, such
law AS will silence forever these tyraunic a..
SYMPTOMS based on color. Our grca, Presileut,
great leader, great solder, great patriot, Gen
l.. ). Grant, has announced b. the world a.
pledge to use his influence 10 accomplish
this end. He will most surely do hi. duty.
Brothers, let rally. Let "a speak a. with
one voice, that our lawmakers may feel that
nothing but this just and proper remedy will
bring peace 10 this land, once rent by slavery,
whose poison is still shown By those continued
outrsges on the nations colored citizens
Let US rally in the hope that this united eiiOr
may prove 50 efficient tha; the necessity for a
distinctive movement may never again exist.
The time for holding this convention d, fixed
10 accommodate the Southern people. The
basis of representation, TO be IN strict justice u
a common feeling, has been limited 10 twcaty
delegates from each State or Territory.
WILLIAM NkSBIT,
Altoona. Pennsylvania, President Of the Penn.
sylgania State Equal Rights League"
All Communications must be addressed 70 the
Corresponding Secretary,
WILLIAM d. fORTES,
No. $50 Lombard street, Philadelphia, Pa
LrIcrE RooNs, Philadelphia, Pa, Augg,,
25th 1873. ocJu