The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1883-10-20
THE COLORED BROTHER.

ture and bullied through both houses HI
} famous enactment which made it Grim
) for negro to put his foot on the "sacre'
e soil" OF Illinois, and serious Ottense TO
a resident OF this state to harbor or evel
give bite of bread or cup OF cold waite
|. to perishing negro who had the temerit.
n to cross over state lines. We remembe
very well how the FREE TRADER was cen
snred at the time by some of our arden
political Associates for sharply arralgnin!
the Logan enactment, as we had arraignet
the constitutional provision to which l
claimed to give effect.
At that time the negro population o
Illinois, gathered manly In few sparse
settlements IN southern Illinois, consisted
of less than three thousand souls, sur
rounded with white population AS hos
tile as il they were SO many free niggers'
located in some back county of South
Carolina.
Times have changed indeed. The ne
groes are now tree, and John A. Logan
instead of being their prosecutor, has
become their champion pr excellence
Their popuatlou in the state, instead of a
meager three thousand, has increased to
thirty or forty thousand And they have
become voters, and their votes count, so
that In many close contests they can make
and unmake Legislators, congressman and
presidents!
Theo were the cOlored men and brothers
of today who are Logau's pets, not the
squalid "niggers" of thirty years ago,
whom he prosecuted, that held conyen-
tioD at the beginning of the present week
IN Springfield. The object of the conven-
ton was announced to be the same as that
OF the late convention at Loulsvllle-to
promote the national and social welfare of
the colored race; "to provide avenues for
the honorable and intelligent employment
Of their girls and boys and to battle with
the lnvidiOus distinction made by men in
position against citizens on account of
color" The convention was attended by
less than hundred delegates from all
parts of the states, the delegations from
Cook and Sangamon counties outnumber-
Ing all the rest. Like the national gathering
at Louisville, this at Springfield soon de.
veloped various angry elements of discord
one section aiming chiefly to open up hon
orab!e avenues of employment for their
offspring, and another being mainly intent
on securing political advantages. But
another element overshadowed even these,
arising out of what may be called the
"colOr line" one division being the dark
skins, who maintain their loyalty to the
republican party, and tho other the light
skins, who are called the "k,ckers" or
Independents. The convention divided
itself sharply on this line at the very out
start in the selection of ITS officers, the
dark skins presenting the Hon. j. w. E.
Thomas, of Cook for temporary chairman,
and the lightsklns, who were led by
Major l.. &, Wheeler, of Cook, put forward
j. G. Jones, and the vote being put showed
that the latter had captured the conven-
ton, Mr., Jones being elected. On the
selectian of permanent officers, however,
the dark.sklns rallied, and secured the
election OF j. Il. w. Thomas as president
over Wheeler, the leader of the llghtskins.
Jones was 80 disguised with the result that
be put on his hat and went home
Then followed two days of stormy
in which the members fully
justified the remark OF Fred Douglass at
Louisville, that the negroes had learned
now to talk, but not how to act la the
course Of the squabbing resolutions were
adopted condemnlng the action of local
authorities in providing separate schools
or colored children, critcislng congress
or organizing junketlng committees and
quandering money in Improving fish
ponds, tavoring the passage of compul-
orv education law, complaining of the
ION employment of colored men in re
ponsible positions Under the state admin
stration, asking trades unions to open
heir doors to colored men, and ndorsing
fred Douglass Louisville speech and
efusing to vote tor men for office who do
lot properly recognize the colored race.
The wrangIing, however, came to a sud
len pause, and the members seemed stun
led and dumiounded on receipt OF the
Jews, in the midst of their wrangling. of
he decision of the Supreme Court of the
United States that the civil rights bill OF
$50 was unconstitutional. 1t was mainly
D insist upon and enforce their rights
nder that enactment that the convention
ad assembled. Now that bulwark was
azed to the ground. What was left tor
hem? The convention came to the
risest resolve OF the whole session. They
esolved that they must henceiorth lean on q
emselves-become educated, adopts in
rades and trading, and make money. I,
Deeds 10 lands" they resolved, "mechan-