The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1883-10-06
THE COLORED POPULATION.

: THE COLORED POPULATION.
/. The National Convention OF the colOrcC
c people at Louisville last week was attended,
- 10y 243 regularly accredited delegates, rep
e rescntlng most of The states IN the Union
? The convention met IN Llederkranz Hall
one of the largest in the city, which wa.
crowded with spectators both white and
colorcd The Rev. a. NJ Green, of Louis
t lana, was made temporary chairman, who
of course made his appointment the cx-
cuse tor long speech, after which COM
: mcnced wrangic over the permanent or
ganizatlon in which no further progress
was made the first day than the selection
OF Fred Douglas as permanent President
Fred occupied the half of next day in
making his presidential speech, which Is
;, described as having been logical often
humorous, and always interesting. He
was frequently sarcastlCally severe on the
publican party. He told his brethren, now
that they were free, the only thing was TO
take the relns into their own hands and
compel the world to receive them as
equals At present. he said, of we come
as cart drivers or servants, we are re-
ceived; but if we come as scholars and
statemen, the color line IS drawn. We
must organize for our rights and the
redress of our wrongs-we must work up
ward. We have learned how to talk; let
US learn how to act. Our equality will
never be established until one Of our num-
Der Is elevated to the vice presidency or a
seat in the cabinet" The speech pleased
the convention so well that they adopted
1t as their platform.
The balance of'the proceedings, which
spread over four days, consisted of little
else than speech making and wrangllng.
Resolutions both to endorse President
Arthur and expressing the steady adher-
ence of the colored people to the Republi.
can party were bitterly assailed and finally
suppressed by being referred to the com
mittee on resolutions The outcome of
the four days wrangle was the adoption of
declaration or address to the public coy
ering eleven points, as embracing their
views and sentiments. These may be
epitomized as follows:
|, Gratitude for the emancipation Of the
colored race 20 years ago; 2, Gratitude tor
the 18th and l4th amendments and civil
rights bills OF congress; 3, Complaint that
these measures to secure their rights are a
dead letter, particularly in the south; 4,
Claiming that the present labor system of
the south should be recast and especially
the plantation credits and mortgage sys-
tenn abolished; ), the establishment of a
broad and comprehensive system OF educa.
ton with national aid; 6, the reimburse.
ment to the deposltors by tao government
of the losses by the failure of Freedmen's
Savings Bank; 7, Doing away with the
distraction between white and coiored
troops in the army; s, That the states shall
treat the negroes fairly In local Ieglslallon;
0, sympathy for Ireland in the struggle toI
gam her rights; 10, Opposition 10 the
chain gang system of letting pcnltentlary
labor; and II, That the negroes, IN all the
states, be secured the same right with the
whites to enter trades or employment IN
the higher walks of lite.
The convention was manly notable for
the number of colored men it brought into
view OF advanced education, and especially
noteworthy for their speaking talent, and
equally so tor their crude, visionary and
impractlcable ideas. AS Fred Douglas re-
minded them, they had learned to talk
hut in the matter Of action they were yet
children.