The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1880-02-17

west ItAhs, conFenru w wv wy HNll ypef'F'
day nj | | o. lock,
The attendance represented only Dollaaand
adjoining counties, but large delegations aro
expected to-day by the trains,
The convention was called 10 order by tho
selection Of A, Il, Groggs, Of Dallas, Chair
man M II. r. Smoihen, Of the same county,
as Secretary.
Tho following address Of welcome WIS de-
llyerod BY Rev, $, II, SmothoS, which was
frequently interrupted with rounds of mp
plause'
nioTrERs SPEECH.
Gonlomen--l feel most deeply tho re-
sponsbilily of this hour and occasion. For
fifteen years our moo In this country has
been ON trial, and II may be said that We have
been continually In the balance, To-day the
eyes of the people of the groat State Of
Texas are upon this body The press, TINT
swft-winged messenger carries the report Of
our actions aud our words all over the land
Hence | would counsel calmncss and discro.
ton In all that We may do and shy. We en-
not afford TO mako enemies by abusing my.
body, nor BY making uul,nd ihrusN NJ those
who differ with rs IN opinion, Appnus
The exodus movement Is not, IN my Opin-
ion, novel Orpoculnr one, It's but the
natural outgrowth of tho changed cOndi-
ON of our people IN these Unltol States
Before emNnC ntion we were among the
Amer can people but not of thcmi since
reconstruction we cnn, and do proudly
claim to DO of the American people, This Is
cosmopolitan mat on. Nearly all the race,
of man are here, W Nh thor peculor race
characteristics, and vet We nrc one nation;
and MI are equally interested in hoprospcrty
of our common country, Hence, whatever
affects our white fellow citizen, affects Us;
whatever agimtes them agitNtcs u',
In this migration movement our people
ARE but initiating the ample OF the whites,
We nrc acting in the main from the saWc
noble motives that inspired them, and ARE
uitating that heroic enterprise which has
made them the leading race Of the world,
Westward the star Of empire taxes its way
As the old States, both North and South,
become over.populNted, their soil OK austed,
and their industries crippled, the luboring
whites are leaving them by thousands aud
hundreds of thousands annually, 10 seek
homes in the cheap and fertile lands Of the
West Is il not natural that when those
white emigrants write back TO their friends
aud neghbors, tol ing of the great advant-
ages to be found in the West, that the col
orod people should be moved and inspired to
initiate them and thus better their own con-
dition' Applause,
Only few weeks ago, in n conversation
with colored immigrant from Georgia,
asked him why he left that State and came to
Texas. He replied great many Of his
white neighbors were moving to Texas, and
no thought that whatever was good for them
would be good Tor him. | hold that the
same arguments which are usually advanced
in favor of white emigration from the
old States are equally applicable
to our people in those
States. But those arguments do not apply
to North Texas, and hence the convention
has been called in the interest of colored inn
migration and colonization, and not for the
encouragement of emigration from the State.
Kansas and other sections Of the northwest
may be good countries, and doubtless are far
better than tho old States, but they are not
equal to North Toxas, nor do they offer the
same advantages to colored immigrants. The
quarters" system, both in the old States and
in the southern part ofthis State, ought to be
broken up. It's a relic ofslayary and is de-
grading in its tendencies and effects upon the
people who live in that condition. Scores of
families all huddled together IN dirty
and miserable little shanties can have very
little idea of refinement, or even decency.
But our race should not be encouraged in vi
olating their contracts, but, on the contrary,
advised to fulfil their contracts before at
tempting to leave. If they have made hard
bargains they should live the closer to them.
Applause.
Much has been said in regard to wrongs
and expressions of which our people com.
plain. While, doubtless thereis some ground
for their complaint, their hardships, in my
opinion, are more the result of their lllitcrate
condition than all things else If n
class of white laborers were as
ilitorate as our people, they would be equally
oppressed rs are the Irish tenants to-day.
Capitalists look out for their owR interest
and will, if they can, Cypress one man, be his
color what it may, rs soon as another. We
should remember that knowledge is power
and ignorance is weakness The protection
which we most need is the power which edu-
cation and property give. For my own part
vii | ask of any man is an equal chance, and
then if he can outstrip me in the race OF life
let him do it
Gentlemen, have we not an equal chance
in Texas. Do not the excellent laws
of our great State protect MI alike!
Are not the doors of our public school,
houses open alike to ali? Do not our broad
and fertile prarles yield their abundant pro-
ducts to the black farmer the same as to the
white husbandman? Then why should we
leave this beautiful land, which is destined to
be the Empire State of the Union? No. gem
tlemen, let us remain in Texas and invite our
brethren from other States to come and settle
among us, and let us and them cooperate
with our white fellow-citizens in settling up
and improving our vast unoccupied domain,
until our great State shall be all dotted over
with prosperous communities of both races
who shall be owners of the soil on which they
live, and all alike interested in the institutions
they labor to support. [Applause.l
APPOINTMENT OF COMMITTEES.
On motion the following Committee on
Or dentials was appointed by the chair: I.
V. b. Davis, j. 9, Caesar, G. Brown, b A
Jackson.
On motion the chair appointed the follow W.
ing Committee on Resolution: 5. n.
Smoihers, T. V. B. Davis, Glenn Pierce, w
II. Carson, John Q. Ceaesr.
The following Committee on Permanent
Organization was named by the Chairman:
& II Suorhara ~ Y Davis X