Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1883-07-26
COLORED MEN IN COUNCIL.
THE MEETING OF THEIR STATE CONFEN-
TION IN COLUMBIA.
Charleston News and Courier

THE MEETING OF THEIR STATE CONTEN
TION IN COLUMBIA.
Charleston News and Courier.
Seventy-three delegates assembled in the
A. NJ. f. Church, in Columbia, and were
called to order by H. l.. Shrewsbury, al
half past 10 P. NJ, on Wednesday, the 18th
instant. Shrewsbury addressed the Conven
ton and read the call which had been made
for it. The following specific charges are
made in the call
1st. Negro labor at the South is not fairly re-
munerated. The Southern negro is not protect
| ed by law in the collection of money due him
I'd. In most parts of the country the negro does
not have fair show in the public schools.
Sd. The negro is not protected in his civil rights
notwithstanding the laws passed by Congress-
4th. His political rights are ignored; six and &
half millions of people are without representa-
| ton in Congress-
5th. The negro does not get his share of Exec
utive protection and encouragement.
Several nominations were made when H
| l.. Shrewsbury was elected temporary
chairman, and j. NJ. Freeman secretary.
On motion the roll of the several counties
was called, the following delegates answer
| ing to their names:
LIST OF DELEGATES.
Aiken-S. L. Smith, f. j. Dickson, L. w
Jones' Rev. w. H. Heard.
Barnwell-Fred Nix, Jack Hankerson, p. B.
Mcknight, Ben Meyers.
Beaufort-T. E. Miller, Robt Smalls, Thomas
| Hamilton.
Berkelev-D. r. Middleton, r. H. Jenkins, w
]. Bowen, r. l.. Smith, Frank Bull $. b. Thomp-
son.
Charleston-W. H. Birney, John NJ. Freeman
II. w. Purvis, B. c. Brownell. S: W. Mckinley
NJ. c. Carter, G: o. Marshall, G. o. Parker: T. A
McLain, R. w. Brown w. D. Crum, J. 4. Wragg
Chesterfield ld-H. L. Shrewsbury, J. f. Hardy
Clarendon-W. P. Valley.
| Colleton-W. F. Myers, j. H: Blodgett, c. r.
Bailey, W. Paul, J. J. Thomas, w. \. Chisholm
Darlington-Z w. Wines.
| Edgetield-L Cain, Davis Harris, Jr., David
Graham, w. A. Raiford, August Glover.
Georgetown-G f. Herriott, B. w. Williams
Kershaw-C. Levy, A. W. Powell, j. II
Johnson.
Marion-W. A. Haines, A. H. Howard, Giles
F. White, Aaron Fryer.
Marlboro-E. j. Sawyer, S. d. Beverly.
| Newberry-N. II. Whitmore, Arthur Lame.
Orangeburg-A. d. Dantzler, T. X. Desports
RichIandWDr. j. G. Waters, S. Startling, 4. NJ
Curtis R. 4. Steward James Wells.
Spartanburg.-O. c. Bowmer, J. P. Boyden, B.
| +. Means, j. w. Jones.
Union-J. S. Mobley, J. Cohen, F. Brown.
Williamsburg-Wm Scott, H. II. Mouzon.
A committee on credentials was appointed
and retired.
J. F. Lopez was appointed sergeant-at:
arms, and Prof. D. J. Straker was requested
to address the Convention. He was intro
duced by the temporary chairman and spoke
at some length, dwelling upon the course ol
the negro through freedom and then through
citizenship. He denied that the Republi.
can party gave the negro freedom; it was
the advancement of American ideas that
freed them. He thought the convention
ought to have been held in Charleston OF
some other place where the negro element
was strongest-not at Louisville, but was
reconciled with the fact that it was to be
held at all. The unitication of the races
was the great problem in America, and
that could be done only by the indepen.
dence of the negro himself, in politics and
everything else. The South would never
prosper until the negro was properly ac-
knoWledged. He wanted the convention to
say something that would be remembered
for years to come. The class of people who
kept the negro from rising were not In the
South alone they are in the North also.
These people must be taught better, that no
one place in America belongs to any one
man. When there is National Conven-
ton Mr.. Carl Schurz marshals his German
friends and he goes into the department OF
the interior. The negro too must have
recognition as a race. He hoped the Con-
vention would elect such delegates as would
do honor to South Carolina and well repre-
sent her.
The committee on credentials at this point
returned and reported that all delegates
were possessed of proper credentials, except
Richland, which came with contesting
delegation.
A motion was made that the delegation
headed by A. w. Curtis be seated. This
brought June Mobley to his feet, who said
he opposed that delegation because it was
the choice of revenue ring. The colored
churches were opened for the colored people
to hold their meetings in, but he had heard
of no call and no meetings. He didn't in
tend to be governed by these revenue rings.
These revenue men had no more business
here than horse. There was in the Con-
yention a set of ringsters and demagogues
who had no business here, and if these
clerks 90 up to Louisville they cannot rep.
resent the ills and wrongs of the colored
people, but will do the bidding Of those
who sent them there.
Mobley was interrupted dozen or more
times by different delegates, but he could
not be suppressed until finally he was ruled
out of order by the Chair.
A motion was made to give both sides ten
minutes each in which to present their
side of the question.
E. w. Elder, (black, y in behalf of the last
elected, or the "Engine delegation" as it is
called, charged that the other delegation
was postotfice and revenue ring crowd,
and he wouldn't stand it.
Scipio Startling and Andrew Curtis of the
other delegation defended their cause: -.
A motion was made to seat the Curtis
Il ,1,bi inl, yyoS COR rriod
Shrewsbury vacated the chair and took
the floor, and placed in nomination for per-
manent chairman R. L. Smith, the editor
of the Palmetto Press of Charleston.
Purvis made speech, seconding the nom"
nation.
Smith took the floor and in a long speech
declined the nomination.
The temporary organization was finally
declared permanent. Upon assuming the
permanent craftsmanship Shrewsbury IN q.
few remarks thanked the Convention for
the honor conferred.
On motion the Rev. f. NJ. Pinckney
opened the permanent Convention with
prayer.
On motion of T. B. Miller, committee Of
seven, on platform, was then appointed.
Miller also made d motion that the rules
guiding the House of Representatives be
used in the Convention, which was adopted.
The following resolution was read and
passed, and committee of seven was ap-
pointed to call upon the Governor and ask
his aid in doing away with the system:
Whereas, it is known that the most brutal and
inhuman outrages have been perpetrated upon
the penitentiary convicts hired out to parties to
work under contract, by the State; and, whereas,
even the press of the State, from all sections,
have, time and again, denounced the atrocities
committed to no effect and without result and.
whereas it is proven conclusivelY that the sys"