The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1879-05-15
THE EXODUS.
THE ADDRRss OF THE LOUISIANA Col
oRKD CONVENTION.

THE ADDRRSS OF THE LOUISIANA COL
oRKD CONVENTION.
The convention of colored citizens of
Louisiana which met in New Orleans
last week to consider the emigration
movement, adopted the following ad-
dress:
1--WE, the representatives of the col
ored people Of African descent in Louis
lana, in convention. assembled, solemnly
and truly declare before God and the
country, that we are denied the freedom
of the ballot and equality before the
law, and that in the unholy prosecutions
visited upon Us for our political opin-
ions, the utmost limit Of endurance has
been reached.
Our grievances, which we have patti
emily borne, have been numerous and
cruel.
We have suffered ostracism in viola-
tion Of divine precepts.
We have been denied our civil rights
in utter disregard of the laws Of the
commonwealth.
The courts Aave aggravated our
wrongs by mocking our appeals for re-
dress.
Our schoolhouses, churches and homes
have been reduced to ashes with impu-
nifty.
We have been systematically cheated
and plundered by planters and country
merchants, until starvation stares rs in
the face.
By Q wicked combination we are
forced to rent land at $40 an acre per
year, which could not be sold in fcesim-
pie for IS per acre.
Our representative men have been
driven from their homes and forced to
abandon their property and household
goods, because Of their Republicanism.
Our people have been whipped, MUIR
dered and outraged when they would
not be seduced and could not be coerced
from the party which emancipated them.
Our cry in terror for help, for protec-
tion and against political assassinations
has been shamefully ndiculed by our
guilty enemies as the waving Of the
"bloody shirt, I" without any foundation.
We have been astounded at the holy
horror Of the whites over the presence
of the soldiers of the republic to protect
American citizens in their rights, while
they were organizing and equipping ma
rauding military bands to perpetusse
our wrongs. We have seen the coward
IL mupder of John Ga;r and dozen 9TH
or prominent men of African descent
sanctioned by the press; the terrible
massacre in Grant parish approved by
tho pulpit, assassination of 1000 Of our
people in Louisiana justified by public
sentiment because Of our loyalty to the
government during the rebellion, and
our fealty to the party which preserved
the Union.
II We are illiterate, 1t Is because white
men made it q crime to teach rs to read
the Bible.
II we are poor, 1t Is because we have
been denied the right of property, life,
liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Our past in the South has been an ex-
istence Of sorrow, tears and blood. and
under the unchristian and despotic SEN
timent, the future is without ray of
hope.
We have almost been driven to dcsper-
stion through the combined calamities
st the same time of yellow fever, the
Southern policy and political massacres.
4 For these and other reasons, which
are matter of record, We appeal for
material aid to the official and moral in.
huences of the President Of the United
States, for whom many persons Of Afri-
can descent, rather than be false to prin-
ciple, willingly sacrificed their lives.
We appeal to Congress for fsvora-
able consideration in behalf of the suf.
fering, hunted, persecuted and starving
exiles.
We appeal in our necessities, to the
Republican party, to which we have
conscientiously and faithfully adhered,
and for which We have been scourged
End massacred.
We appeal to the liberality Of good
men in the Democratic party who are
opposed TO the wicked method practiced
upon . defenceless people for political
opinions.
We appeal to the hearts Of the Chris
tian public; to the churches and all 9TH
o. organizations who have observed our
patience and endurance under the reign
Of tenor.
We appeal with confidence to the 10y.