The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1879-05-10
of the yIckshurE Labor O""T
VeMttOn.

nj, pppsIDENT Your commlttee o
os S beg leave respectfully to report
bet thew have inquired into the causes
abicb have given rise to the recent eAouu' u
e INV colored population, as far as possl, u
~, thin the limited time allowed, anu
mia these causes are difficult to ascertain,
WIG 70 the exceptional cases OF al kin a,
,rouoht TO their attention, they believe tle G
following to include those which may ~
considered prominent: ~, or
lat The low price of cotton ana inc pai- 9
tial failure of the crop of the past year;
ID The irrational system OF planning
odonted in some sections, whereby laovi
was deprived of intelligence to direct ~!
and the presence of economy 10 MAKE ~
p al The vicious system of credit fosters
ed by laws permitting laborers ana tenants lns
to mortgage crops before they were grown
or even planted. H. ,,ort If
4th. The apprehension on the par1 "
many colored people, produced by ins ahat
ous reports circulated among them, .na'
their civil and political rights are eh'"iis'A'
ed, or are likely to be. All
9th. The hurtful and false rumors UNI
gently disseminated, that by emlgra'lhS "
Kansas, the colored people would op.nlu
lands, mules and money from the govern
ment without cost to themselves anu W.
come independent forever ,,r
1t is a matter of astonlsnmeht W 9ou.
vour committee that the colored peoPlo
could be induced to credit the loie SlutlGs
circulated of promised land Where .n9t1
wants would be supplied, and their inoe-
pendence secured, without exertioi On .no,.
part. 1t was going to the extent OF lgno at
apce and credulity to credit them; anu you
evidence of an undoubted character was
furnished your committee as TO THIS nla'. t
II is one of the factors in movement inc
ard of which we cannot now forecaste.
There are in the State of Mississippi alone
five million five hundred thousanu acre. VI
land belonging to the United states no"
snbiact 70 homestead entries. Any thrifty
colored man in the South can pre-empt one
hundred and sixty acres of this land at the
moderate cost of about eighteen dollars
Lands in Kansas cannot be acquired 1or
loss Tn no part of the civilized world can
nnskilled labor secure larger return, by
honest toll. than among us, but idleness
accompanied by extravagaoce produces SUI
fa,ino and want here as elsewhere.
Yo1r committee believe that the leglsla-
t;on of orr States should be shaped so as
TO foster habits of industry among the col,
ored neople. elevate the standard OF social
morals. and improve and preserve our COM
mon school system. .. h.
Diverse views have been expressed ny
narties equally DESTROYS of reaching the
same conclusion: To ascertain grievances
and annlv AS far as it can be done by us,
the nroper redress. If the single purpose
of all was to accomplish this result, WITH
ont the influences which our past eXperi>
, encas have engendered to expect 1t, this
n,iobt he done: but it could only be done
With full knowledge of all the facts Iha'
errors have been committed by the WHITES
ond blacks alike as each in turn have con
trolled the government of the States mere
renresented, may be safely admitted. DIS
ra6ordinq the past, burying its dead VIII
! II standing upon the living present, ano
looking hopefully to the future which
{; before us. your committee think their duty
+ accomplished when they have adopted ano
: reported these resolutions: 49,,
! Res0lye6 That the interest OF pianterS
and laborers. landlords and tenants, are
;dontical. and that they must prosper OF
= suffer together; and that it is the duty OF
! tbe PLANTERS and landlords of the State mere
ra,,resented to devise and adopt some con
a trant eystem with laborers and tenants py
: which both parties will receive the full Den
e aft of labor governed by intelligence an'
II economy. aoos az
Pes0Zged. That this convention does al
n fr,, tbot the colored race has been place
If i,v tbe Constitution of the United otate
% and the States here represented. ana III
AZ LIS thereof, on plan of absolute leei
a(nalfty with the white race; and does az
.a e,ars that the colored race shall pe accoI'
q, ~ .he practical enjoyment of all right
to vii and political guaranteed by the Sal
Mt constitution aud laws. .,o
Res01ood, That TO this end, the memDe
of this convention pledge themselves to u
ID whatever of power and influence they po
snss TO protect the colored race against
DANGERS in respect to the fair expression
80 their wills at the pools, which they apr
VA bend NAV result from fraud, intlmidatl'
'n or stbull. DOING" on the part of the Whltf
~ And as there can be no liberty OF acu
gu without freedom of thought, they demal
az that oil elections shall be fair and free, n
~ Nv that no repressive measures shall DC u
u ployed by the colored people TO aepr'
enn their own race in part of the tullest Ilt
r W. dom in the exercise of the highest right
for citizenship. ,
l9a Resoloea, That the unrestricted cre
, , system pervading the States here repres'
an ted; based upon liens or mortgages
W. stock and crops to be grown IN inc lu'u
", followed by failure of that crop, mas p
.o5 voked distrust, created unrest, ana
,bo turbed their entire laborlng populatl'
ms All laws authorizing liens on crops tor
in, yances constituted of articles otler I'll
Nj those of primo necessity ~ mouer
Nv profits, whether such advances are made
los. ON 11nTnhnnt
~ discontinued and repealed.
ny, PoeolgeI That this convention call NJ
inu fine colored people here present to cont
ne nHi dict the Ease reports circulated among
'iii- ;mnressed upon the more ignorant
.. credulous: to instruct them that no la
o ~ nor mules nor money await them in Il
, 'ny On. or elsewhere without labor or price
'oi' 70 renort to the civil authorities all pers
,oo ENGAGED in disseminating any such
and ports. ;. :. IT, oorst;trt;r
,-od right of the colored people, to emlg
'0 where they please, and, to whatever s
r thew NAV select for their residence; but
r,o convention urges them, to proceed on q
.;os movements towards emigration as reasc
son, BILE human beings, providing in advai
a. bv economy and effective labor, the me
Cny for transportation and settlement, and
' UHn tanning their reputation for honesty
w war fair dealing, by preserving intact,
''i completion, the contracts for labor
leasing, which they have made. If, W
tbey have done this, they still desire
leave. all obstacles to their departure sht
be removed; all practicable assistance
, of be afforded to them, and their places wi
,nb- supplied with other and contented Labor
re- Your committee believe that if the Vi
in employed in the foregoing resolutions,
his practically carried out by the people
,aint both races, in good faith, the disquie
son our people will subside. We appeal to
told people of both races, in the states here
,eni~ resented, to aid Us in carrying these res
ever tons into effect, and to report to the
hout thorities all violations OF the laws anu
Torth interference with private rights
W. L. NUGENT,
0bairma