Evening star., 1939-09-24
Emancipation Day Celebrates Fateful Turn in America
AbOlitiOniStS
Very Active
Locally
District Divided
On Slave Issue
For Decades
Bv John CIaeen Proctor.


Somehow, the people of Washing
ton have been able to secure more
rights and privileges for others than
they have been able to secure for
themselves During the dark days of
slavery. although there was de-
cided difference of opinion here on
this monentous question, the local
abolitionists rendered a service to
their cause perhaps greater than
those of any other city of its size in
the United States. And the same
can be said for the part the people of
the District of Columbia played in
supporting the cause of woman suf-
frage.
1t took many years to abolish
slavery from the Nation, and great
deal of agitation on the part of the
women of this fair land before their
political rights were vouchsafed by
the 10th Amendment to the Con-
stitution. Indeed, we are told that
the very first Woman's Rights Con-
vention met at Mrs. Elizabeth Cady
Stauton's home on July 10, 1848, at
Seneca Falls, N Y, and, as we know,
the Woman Suffrage Act was not
adopted until August 26, 1920, al
though an amendment to the Con-
stitution, having this object in view,
was introduced in Congress by Sena-
tor Sargent of California as early
as 1878, at the request Of Miss Susan
B. Anthony.
Incidentally, our own fight for
national representation in Congress
and all the rights that 60 with
American citizenship for more than
100000 residents, though not sue
cessful up to the present time, yet
must come some day, just as slavery
was finally done away with and the
women were given equal suffrage
with men. Indeed, stalwart sup
porters are continually being added
to those already enlisted in the grow
ing demand for the enfranchisement
of the people of Washington; prog
ress has been made; the fight will
go on. and the goal will finally be
reached. Just as it was in the causes
mentioned
Earliest Effort.
Perhaps the earliest systematic
effort aimed to help the colored peo-
pie generally, was made in this city
in 1916, when, on December 16 of
that year, the American Colonial
ton Society was formed. 1t was this
society that was responsible for the
founding on the West coast Of Africa
in 1920. of what in 1847 became the
Republic of Liberia
This humanitarian body was or
ganized on broad lines, and was
therefore national and international
in its character. yet from its founda-
ton and throughout its subsequent
existence it was largely officered and
assisted by Washingtonians or per-
sons residing here. One of the
first men to lend his support to the
colonization movement, and one of
the leading spirits in organizing the
American Colonization Society was
Elias Bondinot Caldwell, clerk of the
United States Supreme Court from
1900 to 1925.
OF course, Mr.. Caldwell had the
cooperation, support and encour-
agement of such men as Charles
Fenton Mercer, a member of the
State Legislature of Virginia; Fran
els Scott Key, author of 1.-THE Stal
Spangled Banner; Rev. DR.. Robert
Finley, Samuel j. Mills, Charles
Marsh, member of Congress from
Vermont: Judge Bushrod Washing
+ ton and others.
Met to Organize.
The first public meeting for form
ing the society was held here on De-
cember 81, 1916, and in the absence
of Judge Washington, Henry Clay
was called to the chair Capt. Cald-
we'll was the brother r-in-law of DR.
Finley and upon this occasion made
the leading argument in favor OF
forming society. He said that
public attention had been called to
the subject in New Jersey, New York
Indiana, Tennessee, Virginia and
perhaps other places" He was sup
ported in his remarks by John Ran
dolph of Virginia and Robert Wright
of Maryland.
At the adjourned meeting, held
seven days later, a constitution was
adopted and the following names
were affixed to the roll of members
Henry Clay, E. B. Caldwell, Tho
Dougherty, Stephen B. Balch, John
Chalmers, jr.: Thomas Patterson
John Randolph of Roanoke, Robert
H. Goldsborough, William Thornton
George Clarke, James Laurie, j. I
Stull, Daniel Webster, J. C. Herbert
VIM. Simmons, E. Forman. Ferd no
Fairfax, V. Maxcy, John LOCKER
man, John Woodside, William Dud-
ley Digges. Thomas Carberry
Samuel j. Mills. Geo. A. Carroll, w
G. D. Worthington, John Lee, Rich
ard Bland Lee, D. Murray, Robert
Finley, B. Allison, B. l.. Lear, w
Jones, j. Mason, Mord. Booth, j. c.
Shaaf, George Peter, John Tayloe
Overton Carr, P. H. Wendover, F. S
Key, Charles Marsh David M. For
est, John Wiley, Nathan Lufborough
William Meade, William H. Wilmer
George Travers, Edm. l. Lee, John P
Todd and Bushrod Washington.
At the meeting held for the cleo
ton of officers on January /, 1917
Judge Bushrod Washington was
chosen president, with IL vice presi-
dents from 9 States, including
Georgia. Kentucky and Massachu-
sets, and one from the District o1
Columbia
Origin Sketched.
In a early sketch of this most
notable undertaking we are told:
They sailed November 16, 1917;
Mills reluarking to one of his asso.
ciates in these movements, as he
was about to embark, This is the
most impofta enterprise in which
I have ever ~een engaged Arriving
in England in December. they were
courteously received by his roya
highness the Duke of Gloucester
patron and president. and by the
other officers of the African Insti.