Year: 1872

vention was meeting in this very hall,
said would stand by the nominees OF the
Philadelphia convention, but that should
the Cincinnati convention nominate
Charles Sumner, l would support him. 1t
Is needless for me to tell you that they did
not choose him.


So l am compelled by my speech and other
assertions have made to stand by the Phil
adelphia convention and accept their nomi-
nees. These two expressions had fixed my
status as far as national politics were con
cerned, and / here publicly announce that
will advocate and support the Philadelphia
convention, because it is in keeping with the
true principles of my party, and because l
believe that it will nominate a man who
will be fairer to my race than the Cincin-
natl nOminees do not wish to speak harsh
ly OF Horace Greeley. know that for forty
years he has labOred for the emancipation
of nv race and that there is no man in the
country who has done more to secure for
us the rights we to-day enjoy. Having a
deep sense of gratitude, therefore | shall
always endeavOr to speak kindly Of him,
and believe that if he is elected to the high
position for which he has been nominated,
he will give us fair and honest govern
ment; but would not vote for him because
l believe it would be precedent for the
breaking up of party lines in this State,
which would be highly Injurious.


believe that the course of your commit
tee on resolutions has been proper one,
but l do not believe that the colored people
will ever sufficiently forget some of the acts
OF Horace Greeley toward them to vote for
him. l have the speech of Mr.. Voorhees,
before me where he says that under no COLI
tingency will he support Greeley, and that
he will try his best to prevent the Balti-
more convention from indOFslng his nOmi-
nation, and believe that Mr.. Voorhees,
represents the views of the greater portion
of the Democrats. There are a number of
honest and good men who may go SO far as
to vote for Greeley. They are opposed to
Grant on account of the military tendency
of his rule. and would rather vote for any
one than him. The number of these how
ever, is insignificant compared with those
who take the other view of the question.
EThe policy of the Democrats since the
passage by Congress of the reconstruction
acts has been a mistaken one. Had they
taken the colOred people by the hand at
that time there would have been no need of
any turmoil in the State. But they adhered
to their old policy, and made war upon us,
and the result was that we looked for such
white men as would assist us in the exercise
of our political rights, and, therefore, many
aliens have been put into the high offices of
the State If we take the utterances of the
paper whose accusations was unwillingly
forced to answer this afternoon, fear they
have learned no lesson from their past ex-
perienee. But if they have, and are willing
to benefit by it, have no doubt that we can
have fair and honest election, and can re-
turn such men to office as no one can com
plain of.


Whether we shall succeed in harmonic
ing the Republican party is question that
is wrapped up in the womb of the future,
and which none can fOretell, but it is TO be
hoped that a spirit of coneiliatiOn will char
acterize all your deliberations and be in all
your actions, so that we may enter the cam
paign with q fair chance of success But if
we fail in this, fear the future of my party
is an untold i'll. l know what it is to live
in State where our enemies are supreme.


1t is not for the sake of the Office itself
that / demand it for the cOl0red people, nor
for the sake of the pecuniary benefits aris
ing therefrom, but for the sake of the moral
recognition. Show me the State where the
colored people hold high offices, and will
show you State where their social stand
ing is equally improved. As there are many
more who will have to address you, and as
we shall all have pleI'ty of opportunity to
get rid of the superiuOus gas within us,
| will not detain you longer. After the re-
ceptiOn you have givea me, / feel more than
ever like making sacT5 ices for my people.
For the respect you have shown me, I give
you many thanks. ! trust that my course
in the future may be such as to insure my
continuing in your good graces.


Mr.. w. j. Blackburn being called upon,
made few remarks, as also did Mr.. Con-
way. Both were loudly applauded, and
listened to with much attention. Governor
WarmOth was loudly called for, but he not
appearing, the large assembly quietly dis