Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1883-05-19
Our washingten Letter.
WASHINGTON, D. C., May II, 's3.

being met with from unexpected
quarters. Prof. r. T. Greener,
whose name was attached to the
Committee on Call, has withdrawn
and is now using all efforts to de-
feat the Convention. On Monday
night company Of gentlemen as
sembled at Simm's Hall and issued
a protest against it. And thus
strenuous efforts are in operation to
crystalize a sentiment against what
will prove an event incomparably
grand in conception and results to
the colored race. Those who OPP
pose the Convention say that the
callers are not representative men,
and therefore ought not to have is
sued the call, that it is not an op-
perfume time, that Washington is
an undesirable place TO convene, etc.
Take an impartial and candid analy-
sis of the objections.
In the first place it is evidently
absurd to deny Mr.. Douglass and
the rest the right of call. Such
spirit and course are contrary to
those democratic and catholic prin-
ciples which form the very mudsill
of our social and political structure.
Any man has the right to call
convention. That is one of the
unalienable rights which constitute
the common stock of our citizen
ship. In democratic America it
sounds little short of the autocrat,
the ignoramus or the zealot for any
man or set of men to deny other
men this right and then to arrogate
unto themselves the same sacred
right. 1t makes no essential differ
ence who calls the convention. We
should be and are concerned about
the convention, not the call. The
interests are too varied and numer-
GUS, the issues too pressing and the
time too opportuue to kill out a
convention, where we might voice
the sentiments and determinations
of the race, in the petty attempt to
oppose the callers. Again, are the
members of that committee rep
resentative men? The Hon. Fred
erick Douglass is the typical rep
resentatiye of the Negro-American.
A halfcentury of sacrifice and toll
as the champion of human rights in
America ought surely to justify him
in the issue of a call, the ultimate
end of which is to secure more fully
those rights for the attainment of
which he has said and done more
than any man in this country. Prof
James M. Gregory is the most sue
cessful colored scholar in America.
The former is President of the Com
mittee on Calls, the latter Secretary.
The members of the committee are
too many to be taken up in detail,
but they are all representative men,
in some sphere, and with rarely an
exception hail from the different
States. Any discussion as to this
point, however, seems 10 me entire
ly Improbable, for l repeat, We
want the convention, not the call,
and with 288 representatives from
the different States we need enter
tain no fears as to the results.
Is the time opportune As was
stated in the 9th resolution of the
call that we are on the eve of a
great political revolution, and race
interests should be determined and
regulated in some measuae before
this great revolution is over. Aside
from the political phase of this
movement, our civil rights are yet
infringed upon, and will be in direct
proportion to our Indifference
Whoever thinks the time inoppor-
tune, however, shoulc read the reso-
lutions which accompany the call.
As to the place of holding this
convention, 1--WE all differ" OF
course, sectional pride comes in for
large share of the favor. 1t can
not be denied that Washington is
decidedly unpopular and unfavora-
BILE as place for holding a conven-
ton where independency is to be
asserted and tolerated. The Com
mittee is willing to designate any
place for holding the convention
provided that it meet with the pre-
ponderance of favor, otherwise
Washington will stand as determin-
ed upon.
There is one fact in connection
with this call which has been entire