Weekly commercial herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1884-18??, 1885-10-16
Special to the Enquirer.

Special to the Enquirer.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 7.-Rosier d
Beckley as president, and John S
Syphax as secretary Of the late Colored
Mems Convention in Virginia, have is.
sued an address ito our colored breth'
rem and voters in Ohio" in which
they say:
Your colored brethren have by no
means sought to influence your action
In the coming election in your State
They address you now only in defense
OF their own good name against SIAN
ders tho grossest and most hideous
now being circulated through the par
tisan newspapers of Ohio respecting
the motives and behavior Of the late
Colored State Convention which met
in Lynchburg, Va, a few days ago.
Senator Malone, 'Ex-C Confederate
Brigadier, ex-slave-holder and Ex-
Bourbon Democrat, now sole owner
and controller of the Republican
organization Of this State, has been
CHARTERED at his home in Petersburg,
Va, for several weeks past, a corps Of
Northern and Western correspondents,
whose business has been to give the
widest PRONUNCIATION to a certain
peculiar manufacture Of forged and
groundless facts designed for special
use and effect upon your election now
about to occur. This polluted
merchandise is being regularly shipped
in large quantities into your State,
where, with its painted notices and
labels it is daily displayed in the
columns of your partisan journals,
notably in those of the Cincinnati Com
mercial Gazette. The design seems to
be to stir the feelings of Republican
voters in Ohio over falsely alleged
grievances Of our race in Virginia.
ITO these far-off tales Of blood
thirsty Bourbons,' the shrieks and
groans Of their oppressed and bleeding
victims, SC, but little attention is
needed. Stories sucn as are sent for
political effect in Ohio are now printed
for circulation among us in Virginia.
But in the exigencies and desperation
of the campaign, as led by the usurp-
ing and slave-driving bosses of the
Republican party, it has come to pass
that we, your colored brethren of
Virginia, have been cruelty and
pitilessly assailed throughout the State
Of Ohio by the men now in
control Of the Republican organ
ization in u State, and great pains
taken to inform the voters in your
midst that our late State Convention
at which, with scarcely a dissenting
voice, that great representative body
of the best men of our race in this
Commonwealth declared that in the
future they should think, speak, vote
and act for themselves on all political,
as well as other questions, regardless
of any assumed ownership owe their
franchises and liberties-was both a
failure in it's influence and a disgrace
to those participating in its delibera-
tions.
"Mark you, our convention mtrely
cast from the necks Of the colored
voters of our State the yoke Of a blind
and slavish obedience to the selfish and
cruel behests of their would-be drivers
and masters. We simply declared our
selves free from any and all mortgages
or bills of sale, such as Senator Ma
hone and his assistant managers would
like to hold on our voices and votes in
the coming and all other elections.
For this we have, at the hand Of Sena-
tor Malone, operating through the Or
CANS of Senator Sherman, been writ
ten down as a gang Of colored traders,
believing for Doodle, and banded TO-
gether for the sole object Of barter
and spoils. And now, brethren Of
Ohio, with a full n Of responsible
ity to our God and country, we declare
the following truths:
IL. The late Colored State Conven-
ton was not only not bribed nor
bought, as charged by Senator Malone,
but was so poor that nearly n hun
dred of its delegates living at remote
points from the place Of meeting were
left without the means to attend its
deliberations.
20. No more orderly, upright, patri-
otto body of men ever assembled in
one State.
IS. In the intelligence and pecuniary
and moral worth of its members it
stands pre-elninent among colored
political gatherings in the Southern
States. Lawyers, editors, ministers Of
the gospel, merchants, farmers, me
chanics, ETC., were among its members.
81. The authority by which it was
convened was and is Republican in
national affairs.
IS. Its entire membership gave their
hearty support to Blaine and Logan in
the presidential election of last year"
The address then proceeds to give a
review Of politics in Virginia and the
reasons which constrain the colored
voters to vote the Democratic ticket.
Shock of an Earthquake at Lynch
burg.