Huntsville gazette., 1883-05-12
The National COlored Convention.

ored men was issued on Saturday by com
mittee OF Negroes fairly entitled to repre-
sent the race. among the signers are
Fr. de rick Douglass. tie Hon. George W.
Williams. author ef tue 'History If the
Negro Race in America, and Prof. Rich
ard T. Gfeener. The Convention is to tie
neld i'll September re1t at Washington ~
Tie basis Of representation is one delegate
to every 5000. Of colured population, 5
delegates for every State where there are
aot less thar IL, eco Negroes, end one dele
gate lcr every Other State. BY this Ian OF
apportisnment the Convention would con-
sist OF nearly 800 members.
Here is the interesting thing about the
proposed Convention: 1t is Intended to be
an organized expression of discomfort with
the political and social treatment of the
coiored people by their fellow citizens. -
lamentable fact that the pr-seut condition
of the race is Insecure, and ths future still
more alarming" aud they bring against
the white majority distinct and specific
charges We condense the SO veral COM
plants:
Negro labor At ths South is not fairly re-
munerated. The Southern Negro is not pro
tected by law in the collection Of money due
him.
2-In most parts OF the country the Negro
does not have fair show in the putiic schools.
3-The Negro is not protected in his civil
rights, notwithstanding tie laws passed by
C--~.-
His political rights are ignoIed Six and
halt millions Of people are Wi thout represen-
tation In Congress.
5-The Negro does not get his share of Ex-
ecutive protection and encouragement.
No fair minded man, black or white,
will deny that if these allegati ons are true
1t is time for united action on the part OF
he Negroes Of tho SO States. They form
about one-eighth Of tho entire population
Of the country. Equal rights are guaran.
teed them by the Constitution. The Law.
are sufficient for the purpose. If these
laws are systematically ignored or evaded,
and the Negroes kept out of full citizen
ship by a conspiracy of white oEice-hold-
ers. it is none too soon for au organized
movement to secure just treatment. The
colored people have million and a quar-
ter Of votes; that fact lies behind any pro-
test which they make.
The conclusion Of the sizners of this
call is interesting:
According to the signs O. the times, the
country is on the eve OF a great polite, Il re y
olution, and 1t behooves Us, as 3 race. to make
orr interest paramount 10 those Of auv party
or scot; that is cur duty to unite and strike out
some bold policy and line OF action which will
bring Us nearer to the estate Of full citizen
ship snd power when this great revolution is
over.
1t strikes us that the boldest policy and
mos: promising line of action open at this
time to the colored voters of the United
States is to cut the thongs which have
bound them so long to the wheels of the
Republican party. The Republican party
has fattered the Negro and bamboozled
him; it has wept over and plundsred him,
1t has claimed him as its own, and swim
died him without compunctioD; it has made
use of him and flung him aside.
Negroes in several of the States are be-
ginning to find this out. aud to act for
themselves. If the Washington Conven,
ton is a representative body. sincere in its
purpose and ipdependspt ia its action. it
can do 4 great deal for the race