Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-10-18
JANUARY THE FIRST.
HIS DAY SELECTED FOR THE COL
oRsD PEOPLES CELEBRATION.
ktormy Proceedings Consume Much Time.
Speeches by Ex-Minister smyth
and Several Others

New-Year's day will hereafter be OBJ
t,rged by the negroes Of this country in
honor OF their emancipation.
II was on the lst day of January that
Lincoln issued the proclamation, and
tbe convention yesterday after stormy
! sesQon Of more than SIX hours de-
cided 10y an almost unanimous vote to
celebrate this day III memory of tbeii
freedom.
This was the last Of the three days OF
the celebration. and in point Of numbers
the observance did not compare with that
OF Thursday. -
On to noon not more than 300 or 400
PERSONS were on tho Exposition-Grounds.
These. with bat few exceptions, were
tie delegates appointed hy the various
counties. cities. and States to the con
yeIrion which was 10 fix a day which
shall in future be observed for the cele-
bration Of the emancipation procisrna-
tion.
CHAIRMAN OR NOT.
Ten o'clock in the morning in the
Exposition Hall WAS the time and place
| set for the assembling OF the convention
II was I1:25 when Rev j. Anderson
Taylor called the body to order. A
committee on credentials was appointed
nnd at once retired.
Rev. TAYLOR was proceeding 10 explain
the purpose of the convention when the
mont was raised that he was not author
,1ed to act as chairman. 1t was shown
fiat TAYLOR had been requested 10 act
4 bv the Executive Committee, ana hter
some little debate q motion was made
1 and adopted that he be continued III the
4 chair until some one else was elected TO
fill that position.
/. Under the call there was no fixed basis
Of represc ntation. Every community
ues entitled TO as many delegates as II
chose to send. This caused some little
Ji.-ofisf,ctlon. but the chairman dis
rluptcpanccd this. 1he delegates were
nll colored people, and every one OF them
,ni,ysd the benefit OF the emancipation
exclamation. The t.Jublc was that the
rolore5 men we're used 10 attending po-
Itical conventions where every delegate
made "a difference. so far rs no was con
cerned he would Ike to see hity deiega-
] fons from each place instead OF one.
Concluding his remarks, Taylor SAID
the colored people were under great OBJ
legations to the local papers, especially
the DisDatch, not only Tor so kindly re-
porting the proceedings Of the celebra'
iion. but for helping them IN advance to
cot the call of the convention before the
people. ...
Tho Chairman announced that while
waiting for the committee to report the
day's exercises would be proceeded
with -,
The entire convention then sang 81
Need Thee Every Hour."
Rev. W. ". Brown, president OF the
W True Reformers' Savings Bank, was the
Ed rst sneaker. lie said that they need
|{&x not think that because he had been quiet
HAT he had not been working. The
river who sat silent on the box OF the
|.S5# carriage knew more about the journey
'# than the horses who did the pulling. 1t
,yas matter Of no importance TO him
Whether no was called negro or AFRO
~ American. All that he wanted was that
NJ when the table was set for all other ma
n tionalitics that he should not be left out
oven if he was called negro.
BILLY CANE.
Politics had been tried for twenty
seven wears to the fullest extent 10 sc
the color question settled. Every part.
had been tried. They even went so ia
as to get rebel general to settle II
They had said, "Billy. come, and Bill.
came. What was the result? The.
were In a worse condition than ever be
fore. II was the fashion 10 call thei
parents old fogics but they had sens
enough 10 trust God, while the negroe
Of the present trusted Billy Malone
IGroat Applause. God had achieved
the freedom OF the negro and cause'
mems blood to flow like water; the ne
gro did not do it. If IT mad been left Il
him he would be in slavery yet
The colored man should not b
ashamed OF his clothes. but of the cham
gang and to violate the law OF the lands
SOME WHOLESOME ADVICE.
Brown said when no was going I
school he used TO read while he wa
plouehing. Most of the negroes OF tC
dAy don't ike tosay they ever pioughod
lie knew all about tracking back, an,
knew il we'll The colored people woul
have something Of their own If the
would do a little more cracking back
and Iust keep out Of the chain gane
An empty sack can't set upright Tn
grace OF God is good for Heaven, but
takes money to buy land. Ii was TIM
for the negroes 10 stop paying all thel
wages in the Police Court.
GOD IN POLITICS.
lie didn't care who is President. Go
puts up and takes down who he choose
and the speaker was not going TO bottle
about il any more. When Cleveland VI
President (and he made very good one
the cOlored men were scared for the
lives, but no one troubled them. Go
managed the things 10 suit himself. \
sooner had the Administration begu
than the Angel Of Death carried off th
Nicc-Pr rtsident. and said 10 Mr.. She
man. "You take charge of the Senate,
and TO the Democrats. "lou take III
House" Next was General Grant WI
was raised from lanyard to be the bis
gest man in the country. He got TO /
such big man that he thought he owl
cd the whole Republican party, but IL
Lord came along, and just dropped hil
over. Then there was old Vanderbilt
who was such a powerfully rich mai
the Lord toppled him over and didn
even give him chance to tell his famil
Pood-by. And after him was that learne
lawyer Conkling. The Lord put
little pain behind his ear aud the do
tors bored for It and thought they ha
it. But they were fooled, and befol
they knew it he WAS dead too. NJ
Arthur was q powerful man, and plsyC
big hand, but he, too, was taken {
with scarcely any warning And o.
Henry Ward Beecher, great big IN,
whose coat-tails reached all over 81
world, he didn't have any more she
than the others.
In concluding Brown warned the pc
pie 10 serve God and let these matte
taLa ,ar. 81 shame alvaa