The state journal., 1884-03-29
THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
News Gathered by Our Spe-
cial Correspondents.
The Needs of the People the Duty
of the Hour
Pittsburgh.

MARCH 27.-Amidst the whirl. Of
political excitement which is agitat-
ing the minds of the various adhe
rents Of the aspirants for Presidential
honors one of the greatest wrongs
ever perpetrated upon free citizens in
any nation or cline seems to have
been forgotten, namely, the abroga-
ton Of our civil rights, by which acts
all federal protection within the States
are denied to us, and we are told that
we must depend upon the magma
nimity and sense of justice Of the
dominant parties in the several States,
especially the southern ones. where
nine tenths Of these violations of law
and equity have been committed under
the liberal decision Of the supreme
court. A truce has been declared
and the southern wolves have be-
come the guardians Of the sheep, and
under their benign influence there
shall be peace and silence. Such 81
lence as is found within the silent
halls of death. Whist parody this
is upon the constitution Of a Repub-
lie which declares all men are free
and equal in this land Of the free
and home Of the brave, and that no
discrimination shall be made on ao
count of color, race or previous con
Y dition and yet with full knowledge
Of these outrages perpetrated upon
our rights and the heritage we should
bequeath unto our posterity, we the
descendants Of those mighty warriors
who drove back the victorious legions
of Rome and land seige to the eter-
nal city are quietly submitting to this
degradation which is a disgrace to
our manhood and to the civilization
Of the age in which we live. 1t is an
axiom Of the British freeman that
they who would be free themselves
must strike the blow, if we would
secure liberty and equality before
the law let us be up and doing, let
us realize that
Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,
Is our destined end or way,
But to act that each tomorrow
Finds us farther than to-day
Let us send memorials and petit
tions from every State, county, city,
village and hamlet in the land to the
National convention at Chicago, de-
manding a civil and political rights
plank in the platform that cannot be
misinterpreted and dare not be de-
MED. Let those delegates who shall
assemble at Chicago have no excuse
to say that the 100000 of citizens
who are denied those privileges which
an allwise Providence has designed
for all of his rational human beings
are contented with the ostracism and
degradation which has been forced
upon them. Stripped Of our civilrights,
our political rights are as empty bub-
bles that are occasionally forced to
the surface and lost in the great tide
that forever rushes on to the great
unknown. We should take no step
backward towards our former condi-
ton of slavery and degradation. This
is the age Of progress, and should be
the age of brotherhood and humani
ty. "Human progress none may
stay, all who make the vain endeavor
shall like chaf be swept away" The
age wants heroes-heroes who shall
dare to struggle in the solid ranks Of
truth to clutch the monster errer by
the throat, to bear opinion to q loflier
seat, to blot the era of oppression out
and lead universal freedom. This
Is the mission that remains for some
party to carry to its full fruition; this
is the mission that alone can perpetu
ate true freedom, and the party that
shall right the wrongs inflicted upon
our race shall find their reward in the
thanks Of grateful people, end the
perpetation Of their political power
by the free citizens of this great Re-
public.
The members of the Wylie Ave
nue. Literary Society on last Tuesday
evening discussed the question, Re
sotved, That the colored National
convention will not benefit the race.
Messrs. G. w. Massey, w. I. Banks,
WIN. Ask, Matthew Jones and Chas.
"A. Jones. After debating it for some
time the society adjourned without
giving decision. 4 y. q.
FRENCH DESIGNS on CHINA.
BY Associated Press.