National Republican., 1884-05-13
coLonEp MEN nEpREsENrEp.
Space and Money To he Given to Them
by tho Cotton Exposition.

~ ahAV SOhhOh 0A poNthhNhs
A well attended meeting Of the colored
people of both sexes was held last evening
at the Asbury A. NJ. E. church. 1t was
called by the Louisiana residents In Washing
ton, in the interest of the New Orleans Inter
national Exposition. Hon. John w. Pierce,
Liberian consul at New Orleans, and collector
of African exhibits was chosen president of
the meeting, A. p, Albert, secretary, and the
following vice presidents: Hon. J. Il. OHara
North Carolina; Hon. Robert Smalls South
Carolina; Hon. J. NJ. Langston, Washington,
ID. O.; John r. Lynch, Frederick Douglass,
Prof. II. II. Greencr, Hon. p. b.
Washington, d. C c. c. A. Astwood, Col. W.
a. Pledger, Georgia; j. Haralson, j. NJ. Daans
Florida; Il. X. Bruce, Washington. There
were also present Maj. Il. A. Burke director
general OF the exposition; Col. William Nor
rell, of Louisiana, and the Colored National
Associated Press. The meeting was opened
with prayer by Rev. r. A. Reed.
Mr.. Pierce said the object Of the meeting
was to elicit tho interest and sympathy of the
colored people with the Now Orleans expo
sition.
Major Burke said that the managers Of the
exposition had appropriated $4,000 toward
the colorod exhibit at the exposition Within
the last decade the colored men had much
improved in the mechanical arts, and the
exposition would show to the country what
they had done and what II was possible for
them to do. The exposition would prove,
especially to the colored race, a school of in
struction. He said that 40 per cont. of the
mechanics employed in New Orleans were
colored men.
Rev. A. NJ. Green. Of New Orleans, who
came over from the Baltimore conference,
said that the movement had his heartiest
support and appreciation.
Paster Reed also made few remarks.
| A lettor was read from Frederick Douglass
rogretting that II long-standing engagement
would prevent his attendance at the meeting,
| but pledging his earnest sympathy and sup
port toward all measures tending to the
success of tho movement for which the meeting
had been called.
A letter from Senator Blair was read in
which he said that while he considered this
movement of great consequence to the whole
country, it was manifestly tho initial point
of a new era of development in tho vast
region which during the present generation
had passed through great war. He closed
with tribute to the moral, intellectual, and
social development made by the colored race
during tho past twenty years. The meeting
closed with the adoption Of the following
resolutions:
Whereas the great Worlds Cotton Centennial
| Exposition has determined that there shall be- nc
| invidious distinction between white aud colored
| citizens either in exhibiting the results OF theii
skill or in competing for premiumsj therefore
| be IL
Resoued, That we, the citizens Of the gulf states
resident in Washington, desiring to publicly cx
| press our appreciation of the broad nationa
| grounds taken by the board of managers, dc
hereby respectfully solicit the attention and co.
operation of the colored citizens throughout thC
| Uniel States.
Resoued, That we recommend tho immodiat,
| appointment of county commissioners in the sew
eru states and territories TO collect exhibits from
the colored citizens of said counties, and repor
| the same to the director general in order thai
space may be obtained ut the said exposition.
| ReSOlUsd That we respectfully recommend L
| his excellency Chester A. Arthur, President oi
the United States, the appointment OF two colored
general commissioners TO receive the exhibit
| from 100000 of colored citizens of the United
States, that they may be properly placed on eX
| hibition at the Worlds Centennial Cotton E&posi
| tion, to be opened at New Orleans, La, the frs
Monday in December, 1884.
ResOlUed, That a copy OF these resolutions b,
| furnished to the President OF the United States
the board of managers of the exposition, and tht
| public press for publication.