Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-04-18
BLACK MEN FALLING in.
TWO COLORED DELEGATIONS
CALL ON CLEVELAND.

One from Virginia Asks that the Ohiees
in their State be Not Given to Pro-
fessiOnal POliticlans-Delegates from
the Conference Express their Satisfao-
tiOn.
WASHINGTON, April IA delegation
of colored men from Virginia called upon
the President to-day to present a petition
asking him to appoint to positions in their
State men who would not use their offices
for political purposes. The President re-
ceived them cordially, and in reply to
their representations said:
| have listened with much interest to the
words in which you haye addressed me, and l
am glad to learn that YOU are determined to
claim only the rights and privileges of citi-
zens by proper performance OF your duties
as such citizens IL has heen SAID that eternal
vigilance is the price of liberty. / desire to
remind you of this, and to say that the vigil
ance To which | refer is based upon that in
teligent and thoughtful consideration
which induces you to see aud ap-
prehend things that pertain to your
interests as citizens and to gain a knowledge
OF these things IN your own way and without
| being blindly led or cunningy deceived, and
when this is fully accomplished the day will
come which | for one, will be glad to see,
when something better than race or color will
divide the political action of those who are
ClllLbnS OF lnc Onlleu NldLcSs
CALLERS FROM THE CONFERENCE.
The delegates to the African Methodist
Zion Conference, which has been in ses-
sion in this city, called upon President
Cleveland to-day. They were cordially
received by the President and Prof. How
ard Day delivered an address on behalf of
the delegates, in which he said that they
were not politicians or seekers of official
place, but men interested i'm whatever
concerns men, and especially desirous
that in this country there may be good
government for even the poorest and most
depressed of its citizens. He said that as
religious teachers they realized the i'm
pOrtance Of their people seeking by well
ordered lives to meet the expectations of
their friends, and he added that they are
striving in their church and school work
to carry out this idea.
CONCENTRATING CLEVELAND.
lie referred to the extent of the Metho-
dist church and school work among the
colored people in the United States, Can
ada, and the West Indies and Africa, and
said: "Ths extended working church
comes TODAY to congratulate the Presi-
dent upon his election. Some Of our men
voted for him, but voting for or against
him, we recognize the fact that he is
President, not OF a party merely, but of
the nation. For the first time in many
years we cheerully paw our respects to a
President who is a Democrat. We believe
him to be a Democrat in the true
sense Of that term, We trust
the President, and we have asked and
| will ask our people to trust him." Con.
| tinuing, he said that the Democracy OF
| the present was of that character (which
asks nothing but what it comedies and
nothing but what it demands" which ls
! destructive only to despOtism and the
! sole cOnserVatOr OF liberty, labor and
| property, the law of equal rights and OBJ
legations. To such, at present, he said,
"we pledge our support and earnest pray
ers, that his life may be preserved and his
heart strengthened to maintain his earn
est purposes"
CLEYELAND's REPLY.
The President responded substantially
as follows:
BishoD DaV an6 Gentlemen of the CoaJor-
ence: / am very much pleased TO see you
here and am exceedingly gratilied with the
address which has just been delivered. l am
glad to know that this gOOdly number repre-
sents such large portion Of my fellow citi-
zens belonging To particular race. As re-
hgi0us teachers your mission is a most i'm .
pOrtant one, and one which cannot be ignored
and should not be under estimated by the
Chief Magistrate of the nation, nor by any
Other person hoiQlng Olhclal place. IN the
church and in the Sunday school are taught
religion. good morals. honesty and proper re-
gard for the established authority, all Of
which are exceedingly necessary to good
citizenship.
DEMOCRACY's PRINCIPLES.
You have seen 1t TO refer TO the Democratic
party. TO which 1 belong. My conception OF
Democratic principles embraces equal rights
and privileges TO all who are citizens Of
the United states, and ! am glad to know
that in the endeavOr to enforce such princi-
pies shall have your confidence and support.
! am pleased TO greet you, and take you by the
hand"