The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-08-29
TIE BASEST OF INFAMIES.
THE TRUE STORY or now TIE
FREEDMEN WE'RE ROBBED

"a. acrd.Bnrued Wages Of Dolores Men
s,oIsn and squandered bv tbeir Pretended
ys,.nds-Ths nard.Barned Money Of the
nspo.,tors Lent On worthless escuritie~
< A largo and enthusiastic meeting OF the
IT ward T,ldep and Hendricks Club was
{Tift, ..o,, room, 10 the uensel House AZ
beld IN sullivan streets, last evening In
Blee'ke' Anu .ubers Of the club and many
timer friends from '"' VIII, .u w $500,
- ,h. meeting vas 81 enueu W uees%
a.. adv in number, from the A'eer@ N'uo's
.olo,ed soclal organization WIN
n sullivan street 1hs meeting was opeueu ~
.hs camnaigu Gle. Club With ssons written iof
,sstoccaslon b, one Of its members and set
A music Of Hold the Fort" The Presi-
s.n, Of The club. Gel Truman A. Merriman,
Iben introduced The speaker Of the evening,
Col. Frederick A. Conkhns, who was received
Nth three cheers and prolonged applause.
with briei preface In regard to Mr.. Tilden's
gubernatorL career Col. Conklins spoke ~
follower
Its pr..encs OF 90 large q number Of our col
,red CITIZENS reminds the to refer briefly 70 the
bistory Il TIE Freedman's Swings and trust
Eomn.nv. My own connection with the West
bde savings d nk, as It's President from the
3ate Of is .oteaniza,ion, VIII pernap: iusSify
few pre- ininHry remarks upon tue osture OF 10
citations OF THIS character.
Inc consideration which 10 pfshumcd 70 40,
mate the MANAGERS OF savings oenk 10 WY, %,
sbarity-one Of the highest and houest motives
Of human action. II any trust mas peeu,m
sancuty aud should be exercised WIN u ore ore
than ordinary vigilance. 1t Is that OF euon en W.
stitutlon Other moneyed corporations are es-
tabllshed ny and for men who are snpposeu 70
b. abundantly able I. protect theiI own 10.
terests. The sharshoiders in such companies
slect the officers charged with their ~ mage
nent and can displsos them II found incOm
natent or unfaithful Not 80 with a savings
banE, 10 which the owners OF the funds have no
voice no vote, no power whatever The dep9s
tors must comply implicitly WITH tue regula
Nous witch the trustees prescribe aud must In.
Eust their means 30 he custody Of those over
phom thsv 49, pyseudss tom sxsroiains snv
Wunired, Of tiin.., ~ estufdsy uignu. na,e
4 observed the persons coming into the bank
tIth which am connected to make their litle
Deposits. Among them are men. young aud old,
n every nationality aud shade OF com plexiun,
pho have been paid % for the week, and who
lave resolved to Ia, M something against
hiuy day." or perhaps to purch sc thture
home MiOslins with these are children Of both
eIes whose eager aud hopeful faces prescott
marked contrast with tue sober aud oftenumes
pfewotn EXPRESSION uf their seniors. But 20
Mass " deposltors snlists INV evupathes Ike
NE women, many ~ them scantiy cl, ID, pale
Ind anxious. with infants Ia their arms u 10
pasy 70 see that they nave deutod themselves
proper food and clothing that they might lay
iside nifty cent stamp, ~ even naiief sum-
ea provision against a tia Of stlll more fear
hl destituuOn, or else ~ provit. little sum
Hainst the hour when that Guild, deprived VI
mothers care, shall need Il. These deposits
vhch. to our westhiet population, look 50 In
SIGNIFICANT arc to their owners IS 50 much
hfe blood They represent wasting toll aud
pt,sti0u 81 which, perhaps. only mothers
E,e l. eapanis Can a b,-er crime be imsgiued
thAn Tor men Of high position to betray the con-
tdtnce u tue cl ss whom have described and
60 appropriate to their own use, or otherwise y
pisappIy the funds committed to their charge
BIT ~ Ue wondered al that tue curse Of the
widow and the Oruhtu, ~ that the veugeanes "
lust God. pufsues such men to tins gfavef IL
r. perhaps worthy u ark that have never
tuo~. al instance where the fruit Of such ac-
quisitlous did uOt turn to dust aud ashes Oh the
Bps Of the 'w-"' -" '9hhsd the o"o ana me
fstherlesa
ainistration Ia the hstrfyal Of the trust assumed
By the incorporation u the treedmau's savings
and Trust Company. wuiie We dsnounce tue
Frauds. s"ind IS, eKtotilgns. aud petJuriss OF
HE numeious Kings At Washington ana else
where, whlcn have reduced million Of our pso
pie to idleness, poverty, and despair, we must
not overlook tnis NE iusst # all the Outrases OF
which they have beeu guilty Here was rob.
berry OF ten.iolj structy-a robbery Of the most
helpless class of all our population--s robbery
OF those wu1, Tor Dnuy fshsons. bad the high
s,eaim upon the JUSTICE, not TO say the sen
Tue Organization VI this Institution was
WomUted 10y tue modest Of incentives. While
tbs intention Of ITS founders was adhered TO, its
management reflected the highest honor on all
ko1cernei Its charter was reported In the
Euited Sta es senate by Charles sumner. on the
Ith 81 fenrnary, lshl, AMI Il was approved oY
Abraham Lincolr,And thus became law, On ne
o' Maen Ion1 ,' 49,. nov MN me taI va
ner had consecrated bis Dutire public career to
Me promotion Of the test iuts esls oi his fellow
men, irrespective OF color creed, OF lineage
He had never swetvsd 10 MS fidelity TN he wac
stricken down, 1t tue post Ot duty, oI tue viudlc-
1--we tools " Grhntr administration. ne other
lbe Great EmaucipatOr, wien ne pat mis- haud 10
lhe procanaton which strue. the shacAies
hon the limbs Of four millions u men, appre-
slated fuly their needs, aud accepted them as
lie wards Of Tue nation Had either Of iness
peu foresern tue base uses to which this iusii-
hton was TO be put. II Is safe 10 say that tts
smarter would never have seen the ilgOt
Many tuous.ud Of the ne wi -em aucipatea
slaves had been recruited IA our armies. Once
sIad IA toe unii orm u tue United ate-, there
was no more loyal no drawer soldier IL Ma
hsf n pI r.ta Il Ipr tef IA a.
W that animated him, but al uu-peak bic sense
Of gratitude aud Of new born yatri ,tsm Wv
tbs negro, too. had country aud he was 6 iger
" peril his lilo IN its defence. Tue oatte de ID
Of the south everywhere attest his Or.Nery
Always amen .bs To discipline. he never hed In
Eowardly terror from the presence OF Toe Toe
His devotion to duty, tis earnestness to act Vel
The humble part assigned to MIN. mis- cOnddlus
guUmissveness, ext rted the highest praise even
from those whO had looked cody upon bis en-
fraucuiseInent. His blood, anu u need'be, hl;
HE, was freely given for tue country that had
confer. ed upon his race the priceless boon n
freedom. | may add thai during my own term
OF srlvice IN the army, had freq cent op, or.
tunitles Of observing the 0attalions Of colored
neu. nd accordingly speaH wDat do Ano"
md testify that have seen.
Among the lessons which tny freedman had
y learn Vas tue necessity OF re'ylns upon
bs own eIertlons for suo. ist"nse Com
his eyes were dazzled WITH the refugenI
h.ht Of liberty. Never having taken Thought
for the morrow, sud consequently having no
IDEA VI tue care u property. no waS easily 10.
fuCed to waste his possessions
would necessarily be discussed for the pay ami
bOuuues 81 the oulOTed soldiers. IL WAS fore
leeu tuat this would be the signal for an on
l.ugut upJn these meD Oy horde = spscu-
lAtO.s aud aageu. urrrs, Intent upOn deepening
then VI theif money. Uuder these cIrcum'
tldn 'es' the illust1Ous statesman VINO, a. We
baVr seen, reported the Gu rter OF the Freed
mau's S,Niugs aud trust Company, conceived
the phlautur pc parpuse of providing a de-
posliofy ~brtr tuelr blood ulIgut funds could
bereceiNsd aud Invested fYr tuvlT Dsue1t. By
tbe act Of incorpOl auOu, nft, VI tue most emit
pent citizeus, ~ ali sections II tho repuuhc, in-
Guiding .uch names 40 Peter Cooper ilIian
Cullen BN ant, Gtf,lt smith, Mlluain Ciann
tud ElwAd AtAinslu, were Rpp ,lu. ed t4e nrs.
Trustees OF tAo corporation, Ihe attn sect. On
Of tue act pruYdedi " That the zen nal iu- /.
bess aud object Of the corporation hereby ere.
btei shall be- 10 receive on deposit such sums
OF money as may from time to time be
pnered therefor by on beaAf " prrsous
heeofore held IN slavery In the United states
81 thelf dsacru 4ni >, and investing tue same In
VIC stocks oOhls, Treasury notes, OF uthrI
ieeurties Of the Uuted States" BY tuis means
H"- fuhdiy bDged and believed that the freed
neh would be eucour ged t. the exercise II IN
eestri, no that tueS mlght acquire property
And % tho ,ractlc- Of tuguuty, 20 luat thel
nlsnt husband their resources, IL Is uOt to,
nucL 60 ar,n that no similar instltuNun hA,
ever existed which would ioT a moment com
par MItu tins Ia tue benenceut wOlk wuicu, i
prnperl, administered. u Va salou -tod ~ per
lofB