The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-08-26
THE CoLoRED RACE
To Rear Rich Shafts to the Memory of Their
Deliyerers-- Prosperous Freedmen.


Deliyerers-Pr Prosperous Freedmen.
Philadelphia Correspondence Pittsburg Dispatch.
committee of coored men, consisting of
Chairman Arthur n Harris and. George TAYLOR,
Of Philadelphia; George Thompson and Willis
j. Jones, of Portland Me-, and George S. Bisby,
of Boston, has just issued call for national
convention of colored men to meet in this city
in October next for the purpose of carrying into
effect project which the colored race of the
United States has had in mind for
ton in Washington of monuments to
John Brown, President Lincoln, William
Lloyd Garrison, Charles Sumner and Wendell
Phillips. These monuments it is proposed to
place in a national park which will be laid off
In flower beds and circles, the latter to be named
after the States that took part in the early abo-
lition movement. The total outlay for the monu-
ments alone is to be about 81, 000,0 In addi-
ton to this is to be raised the sum for the pur-
chase of the ground for the proposed park. The
committee named has been in Washington dur
ing the past week looking after several sites in
order to be able to report to the convention as to
the various prices and prospects.
The colored Odd fellows of the country are 70
meet in convention in this city in October and it
| is intended to hold the monument convention
Immediately after the Oddfeows convention
adlourns. This movement is nc suddenly under
taken project, but well considered plan, that
has been in the minds of the leaders of the race
for some years. They think the time Is now
ripe for concerted action.
Said member of the committee to-day
"There have been many remarks among our
leading colored men to the effect that the white
race would think people so lately In slavery and
poverty little short of crazy to undertake ex
tensive a project. But glance at the facts will
prove, to the satisfaction of both them and the
white people OF the country that our race is am
ply able to make the necessary expenditure. The
only thing really now to be done is to convince
our people that they can. and ought to, make the
effort The facts are, the colored race has been
| making enormous strides in the way of money
getting during the past ten years. Why, in the
city of Washington to-day city in which the
Emancipation Proclamation OF twenty-three
years ago found less than a dozen free blacks,
there are 104 colored men who pay
taxes on. above $4,000 each The
the African race in America is worth $40 600
Hon. Frederick Douglass has $500, 900 Boston
has colored merchant tailor who clothes the
Beacon Hill aristocracy, and does business OF
$3.50, 900 year. He was a slave and fol-
lowed Sherman and his troops on their march to
| the When he reached Charlestown his
worldly possessions were suit of very ragged
clothes and wenty-eight cents. The present
tax collector of the District of Columbia, him
self a colored man, pays taxes on $3.50. 900. New
York had colored druggist who died recently,
leaving 81 900. 600 and sou.in-law worth $780,
600. The ex- United States minister to Haytihas
$40, 900. Less than one hundred men in this
city pay taxes on a com ned property valuation
of So, $780, 00
Cincinnati has colored furniture dealer
whose check is good any day for 100000.
Twenty three years ago. he was Kentucky
slave. The late Robert Gordon owned more
than score of four-story residences at the time
of his death. One day he entered Cincinnati
bank and asked for government bonds. The
cashier did not know him. and when he handed
out his check for $l5, 900 he appealed to the
president of the bank. Get him the bonds
said the latter, he can draw his check for ten
times that sum- Buffalo has nine, New Orleans
forty eight, Philadelphia sixty-four, Chicago
twenty-five. Louisville eight Charleston twelve.
Atlanta four, and Pttsburg has eleven colored
men who pay taxes on more than 100000 zach,
and never think of attending the sittings of the
court of tax appeals Up TO the fnlure of the
Freedmen's Savings Bank the coored people of
| the South had deposited therein $53 900. coo.
| This sum is in addition to the amounts deposited
| by them in other banking institutions The
| colored residents of New York city are as
seseed for over 100000 Coored men
| own property Long Island to the value of
| So 800 000 In South Carolina, Georgia Florida,
| Alabama and Mississippi the colored people
| buying for themselves small farms, and, what is
better. they are paying for them. Yes, am of
| the opinion that the colored in America is
able to build to the men who did so much for 1T,
| suitable monuments that shall tell, standing as
| they will at the capital of the Nation. to all
| future generations that the African race is not
| ungrateful, unmindful of the service of the
Lincolns and the Garrisons in its behalf"
| The proposed national convention of repre-
sentative colored men, which is called to meet
/ in this CITY in October. is to be composed of five
/ delegates from each State and Territory in the
Union. The committee say they have no doubt
of the generous reception of the movement by
/ the colored people. and that the convention will
be largely attended. 1t is proposed to raise the
necessary funds for the monuments by small
/ subscriptions popular movement In every re-
| spect.