The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-03-17
THE OrHrR SIDE.
Address 60 the People Or Sirgi"I" ny
ths Antu:1la hone Members OF the
rsetersburw COIOreti Convention.
IRON the Ind x-appesLI

u From the Ind x-AppesLI
TO the People Of Virginia
We were sent by our people from the va
rious townships in several counties 10 tne
Peters burg Convention 10 calmly, quietly,
and deliberately discuss our present conai-
| ton. and, if,possibIe, to arrive at some con-
clusion upon which we could act ior the
amelIoratOn OF our condition.
But in the incipicncy OF the Convention
we found on the part OF the self'consiituted
and self elected committee disposition 10
carry out a certain prescribed plan vi ac-
ton, irrespective OF discussion or the opln-
| ions of any number OF persons in the Con-
yeDtion.
We believed, however, that our duty was
TO bear the wrongs, the insults, and Sights
which had been given US, trusting that the
sober, sound, and returning Judgment OF
those men would make II possible for The
Convention 10 harmonic, and all parties
agree 10 proceed fairly and fix upon some
plan which would allow us TO lea, e the Con-
yention In harmony. But the gag law was
applied vigorously, and the most unprece-
dented parliamentary rulings ever heard Of
were INDUCED TO such an extent that II be-
came impossible for any one who was not in
| full sympathy with the seIi-conslliuted COM
mtee to be heard. We stood even all this
until the Mayor OF the city, with coterte OF
policemen, appeared upon the stage aud
virtually replaced 1t in charge OF the COM
mittee after il had been received from them
| by the Convention.
| We even allowed patience to retain Us IN
The Convention after this insult, though we
could not be heard by the powers that be.
| We then withdrew from said Convention,
and prepared the following protest, which
| "A ant
I ave, the undersigned, delegates OF the
cities and counties OF Virginia to this Con-
yention, finding it impossible To do any,
thing in this Convention, or even 10 be re-
| specially heard as TO the desire Of the peo-
pe who sent them, and finding that the SELF
| constituted committee have u-urped unllW-
| fully the control OF this body, we respect
| fully submit that this Is not carrying the
| State in the interest OF any party; therefore
we enter our most earnest protest against
the proceedings OF this Convention, and de-
sire to say that we are in nowi>e connected
with the results OF lis proceedings, and will
appeal to The people 10 sustain or action.
| One hundred delegates names viii appear
| in our address, which will soon appear in
an address TO be issued TO the people"
Now, inasmuch rs we did not have an OPP
poltunity to express ourselves 10 said Con-
yention, and Il. said Convention has done
nothing fur her than merely recommend that
the coored people continue their allegiance
to party that has no platform OF prlncl-
| pies, &c:
Therefore we submit that the people OF
| the various districts and counties, where
they have not mai0riies meet and support
such persons as will Join upon favorable
terms with them-this action 10 be taken
after the respective State Conventions have
met And we also recommend that the
colortd people agree to support no man
who Will not agree TO vote for the abolition
OF the whipping.post. the prepayment Of
the clpitation tax, ard the maintenance OF
the free schools.
TSignedl J. T. Wilson, Norfolk city; W.
| u. Lucas, Louisa county; y. W. Harris,
W. ii. Whiting, John ScrOegiDs, II. l..
Harris, j. W. Jones, Alexandra; ). ii.
Ferguson, Goodman Brown, Surry c0un-
ty; W. NJ Reed, Portsmouth; W. \.
Bright, Norfolk; Littletcn Gowens, Irwin
Griffin, and NJ. Freeman, Princess Anne
county; &. W. Tinsley, Petersburg; I.
T.. Paige, Jr., c. II. L. Harris, &. l.. Saun-
ders. j. +. Delk, Franklin Kemp, Norfolk
X. Bundy Clarke, +. ID. Bland, W. +. Hill,
Prince George; J. Dickerson, Albemarle;
j. w. Cromwell, Portsmouth; NJ. b.
Thomas, Z. W. Wilson, ii. Lee, Frank
Beckett, John Aycritt, \. L. Hutchinson,
Anthony King, Richard Brook, John W.
Jackson, W. II. Plea,anis, James Cope
land, NJ. Walker, J. W. POindcXter Hen
rs Wilson. I. W. Nettes, James Good.
win, j. Nichols, Rufus s. Jones, William
ii. Lester, VI. ID. J. Wright, and sixty
others. JOSEPH L. WILSON
President Of the Conference.
". +. Lucas, Secretary.