The Rock Island daily Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1872-1873, 1873-08-26
colored Men Expected TO Vote the Republican
Ticket till Every White Man in the
Party Has an Office.
THE CONVENTION DECLARES THAT ITS
MEMBERS ARE TIRED OF VOTING
FOR SUCH A PARTY.
Colored Mems State Convention at Chilli.
Gothic, Ohio


Gothic, Ohio.
CmLIcoTHE, O.. Aug. 22.-At the
State Convention of colored men here TO
DAY, Mr.. Peter H. Clarke of Cincinnati,
the most prominent ColDred politician IN
Ohio, made the following speech:
IL desire To state ut the outset. that IN
what | have done, or in what | shall say
in connection with this Convention, | do
not confess 10 represent anybody but my
self douot profess 10 represent anybody
but myself | do not profess to control any
vote hutmy own. lmakc this statemeuttor
the benefit of those who profess 20 be uu
easy as 20 my purpose those anxious
gentlemen who assert that am selling the
colored vote 10 the Democratic party, /
simply came here to-day to exercise one Of
my rights ~ an American citizen. Being
dissatisfied with the treatment accorded To-
col0red men in this State both by the
State and national authorities, aud feeling
that the managers of the Republican
party do not accord % cUlured men that
amount Of consideration due them as
members of the same great political or
ganZatlOu, | am free 20 express that dis
satisfaction. Further, ! propose 10 name
the things which give rise 10 that diSsatis-
faction, and IN urge the men of this and
other audiences which | may address 70
unite with me in protesting against the
wrongs inflicted on Us. and ~ use such
means as lie in our power for correcting
the evil There is much talk too. Of u-
gratitude 10 the Republican party, which
we, who propose an independent course ot
action, are said 10 be manitesting We
deny that any foundation for the charge
exists That the policy of that party in the
past has Injured to our benefit, we cheer
fully acknowledge that through the work
iugs Of that party We are free and partially
eutranchised but we deny that these
things were done from any original impulse
prompting them 10 benefit Us They were
merely the steps needed to carry ont
the great central purpose Of the party. the
preservation Of the MON. Nor do these
things bind rs to vote with it until every
white member shall have obtained an of
fee Abraham Lincoln. whose Nmemory
We all revere, declared that it by main
tanning slavery he could preserve the
mon. then he would maintain slavery
and he fairly expressed the motive of the
party of which he was the ilustriOu- head
Abraham Lincoln issued his famous Proc
lamatlun ct Emancipation. ba-iug IT, ~ he
declared i'm the document itself upon mill
tlry necessity | do not recall. this tn
arouse any ill-teeling in the breasts OF col
Ored men against their white ieIlOw-cti
zcns In asking for justice, | also adyo
cate peace | put them forward as an an
>wcr o. the sentimental whine which de-
clare- the C0lDrcd people lacking in graft
tudc II they refuse a. vote with the Re.
publican party ! am sorry that the motive
which prompted the gift of freedom had
not more of kindly feeling toward the me-.
gro in II, but, having the gift and cher
i~hng IL highly, ! am prepared with Fred
crick Douglass, Ia welcome the boil,
whether from heaven or from hell. thai
shattered the accurscd institutions slavery
In this spirit J take It, the true friends oI
the colored man gave him the power {.
vote. Our first duty l. to vote 50 a. Q.
preserve the integrity Of the National com
pact % keep the iewe, Of freedom in the
American family. Toprc-eryc aud cularr,
our own privileges, we should cast ON
votes for the Republican party So long %.
It continues IN the line of progression fol-
lowed since lsj5 When Il depart, from
that line It l. not only our risht. but uu
duty, to vote against it. The platform
adopted az Philadelphia, IN l-52 declare.
that complete liberty and exact equality In
the enjoyment Of all civil. political, and
public rights shall be established and cf
tectually maintained throughout the tui1n
by efficient aud appropriate State and Fed
eral legislation. Neither the law nor il.
administration should admit Of any dis
elimination in respect OF citizens by reason
of race. creed, color, or previous condition
of servitudo. The recent amendments t
the National Constitution should be- cor
daily sustained because they are right
not merely tolerated because they are law
ard should be carried out according u their
spirit by appropriate legislation In these
paragraphs are found an admirable state.
ment Of our demands. aud II they be- car.
ried out in good faith, then We have M
cause Of complaint More than ayear ha.
elapsed since the adoption OF this platform,
and il has been indorscd by an immense
majority of the people. Every depart
mcut Of the Federal Government is in the
hands Of the Republicans President
Congress and all,-yut the rplored PEG
ple Of the nited States are daily subject
ed To the most fragrant violation, Of theit
rights, violations which would be prevent
ed by the appropriate legislation spoken %
in the second paragraph OF the platform
Daily, on steamboats,, railroads, and a
public houses, the accommodations grant
Ell 20 respectfully dressed and acting whit
men are denied 10 Us because Of our color
however respectfully we may dress or act
In the bestowal VI offices by the Fedora
authorities in all the Northwest colore
men are ignored, aud, with one exception
no cOlored man has received an appoint
ment to an office. Make tour with me q
the State of Ohio, visiting the towns an
counties controlled by the Republican party
You willfnd miles OF road aud street maxim
repairing miles Of sewers being made an
pipes being laid, acres of bridges bein
built, yet in all this work there is no rOoI
for thecolored laborer Except in ToledC
there are no policemen, nor have Their
been any. No colored man has attaine
to the dignity of a Deputy Sheriff, Deput
Auditor, Deputy Recorder, or Deput
Clerk. In Hamilton county we had on
young man employed in the Sheriff ofiiC
who was ranked and paid as janitor, bt
assigned to duty as a Deputy. In Gree
County a white man desiring the nomin,
ton for Sheriff was defeated in a Republ
can convention so soon as it was know
that he had promised a deputy's positio
to young colored man who was ever
way competent 10 fill the office. Visit gu
state House and inspect every office in tn
building, that of Governor, Secretar,
Treasurer, Commissioner, and so on, an
in not one does the shadow Of a colore
clerk fall upon the several white wall
The single thing 10 remind you of the Gu
nred man Is the nrintnh lie hnnn;r,., r., ~