The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1873-09-06
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.

WAsHISGToS, u. C., August 30, 1873.
EDlToR CHIEF.
The recent action of the coloret
people in various parts of the acoun
try in holding conventions and mas
meetings and in forming leagues fo
the purpose Of obtaining further rec
ognition Of their rights seems to hay,
considerable political significance
and it's Importance has perhaps beer
under estimated. The country is al
ready familiar with the history of the
convention lately held at Chillicothe
Ohio. The existence Of the "Equa
Rights League in this city has been
duly mentioned in the papers pub
lished here and by correspondents
writing from here, Now, We are in
formed that the colored people Of
Baltimore, Maryland, are also moving,
and it seems as if the movement is
to be somewhat general.
From the published accounts of the
proceedings at Chillicothe we learn
that there is disatfection among the
colored voters on account of an alleged
inequality in the distribution of fed
eral patronage, and that u resolution
endorsing the administration and ex-
pressing continued attachment to the
Republican party was promptly ia
bled. To offset this, however, the
colored people of Cincinnati held a
meeting and repudiated the action of
the Chillicothe convention, Thus We
see that the disaffection is not by any
means universal in that State, and we
are led to inquire to what extent it
does really exist and among what
classes Of colored people we are to
lind the mal-contents. Of this we are
informed, but reasoning from the facts
before us and upon our past exper-
fence with such movements among
white men we are led to infer that
the disaffection is confined mostly to
disappointed ofiice-seekers, their
friends, and those among them who
are most easily influenced by prating
demagDgues. However, we should not
condemn these people too readily.
Their grievances should be heard and
if they have any good reason for com
planning there should be change Of
policy. The colored population Of
Ohio bears but small proportion to
the white population of that State. |
and in fair distribution Of patronage
but very few offices would fall to |
the colorel people. They can not
Justly ask, under any circumstances, |
that the number Of offices given them
should he proportionately greater than
the number Of voters.
The existence Of secret association
u colored men in this city known as
he Equal Rights League seems to
20 clearly established. 1t was not
generally known, and not very gen.
rally suspected even, until within
ne last week that such an organiza-
ION had been formed, and when it's
Existence was first asserted in one of
ne morning papers it was denied by
many prominent colorcd politicians,
'ut the evidence is now quite conclu-
i've and there can be no doubt that
ONE sort OF a secret association has
cen formed among our colored peo- {
'e with political objects in view. The .
'sue to be raised here is not SO much
nat OF the distribution of patronage,
II in this the colorea people of Wash ,
'gton have but little to complain Of.
he question of "mixel schools, is
10 ground upon which they propose l
, make their priscipal fight, but /
lti'out hope Of success, for the pres
1t at least. OF thirty-fye thousand O
'ters in the District of Columbia. r
n thousand seven hundred are col !
ed, and not all of them are in favor y
mixed schools. | think it wonld a
quite safe to assert that there are ;
ore colored people who are opposed =
than white people who are in favor 4
mixed schools, and a still larger =
|mber of colored people who are :,
Indifferent on the subject NJ
'e number who are actively inter- Ct
ed IN favor Of mixed schools is hit :,
small proportion Of the total num- 9,
OF voters, The merits of the co
RI