Year: 1876

IN tHe proceedings VI viz 'SSN


Convention Of colored men held in thus
city on the 7th Of March, the prineipa'
object Of said convention was to send del
eRates to n National Convention oL color
ed men to be held at Nashville, lenneS'
nee, next Wednesday, Four delegates
were commissioned to represent the col
osoS noonlc Of West Virginia in said
convention, viz: ". +. Gaskins, OF
Ohio county; IT,. Owens, of Wood coun-
tv. A. Mead, of Marion county, and Chas.
inkfum, of Harrison county. Whether
these delegates, one and all, will be in al
tendance at Nashville next Wednesday,
we know not, but presume that the State
will no, be unrepresented.


We have been at loss TO understand
exactly what was the object Of the Nash.
vile Convention. Our West Virginia
colorcd men did not themselves, so far as
their published proceedings gave any
sign, seem to have any very definite idea
OF the object in view. OF the resolutions
adopted the following were all that SEEM
ed to have any special bearing on the
probable discussions Of the Nashville
Convention.


WHEREAS, The history Of our race for
the last decade has proven, as we believe,
that the best interest OF our people finan-
cialIy rests in emigrating to the West and
Southwest, therefore


Rssolred, That our delegates urge upon
the National Convention the importance
Of such emigration; further


Resolrsd, That the attitude Of the Ad-
ministration toward the colored Ameri-
can during the last four years has not been
satisfactory; and thatw are opposed to a
third term for President OF the United
States.


In regard to the last resolution, We
presume that whatever bearing it had on
The probable discussions Of the Nashville
Convention has since been lost. The Bel
knap business has made all such reSolu.
tons unnecessary. Nodunger Of third
term resolution Sat this stage OF the
game" as Speaker Miller would say. 1t
isnot improbable however that Morton
resolution will be introduced, which is,
practically, the same thing in very many
respects. We hope the West Virginia
delegates will be found among those who
will vote all the time against any such re.
solutions. II they really haze the wei
iareof the Republican party at heart they
will do so.


But, coming back to the object OF the
convention, we still have very dim idea
what can be done in the way Of encour.
aging emigration to the West and South
west. OF course the Nashville Conven.
ton can pass resolution exhorting and
encouraging all colored men to move
into the Southwest. win that mean that
the race on this continent should concen.
trate in the country southwest Of the
Mississippi river? Such a movement, to
be successful in the end, should be nntu-
raj. To be naturalit should be based on
actual experience the shape OF relia-
bic statistics-showing that the colored
people now in that part of the country
are doing better, or likely to do better,
than their brethren north and east
Of the Southwest portion of the
Union. Incur opinion the trans.Aliss'
issippi country really does present an in
viting field to the colored race in the
future, but emigration thither should, in
order to be permanent, and in order to
produce legitimate and happy results
from the start, be gradual, and not un'
duly stimulated by a sort Of Black Hills
cry OF "gold" at the Nashville Conven'
ton. No such nonsense as the idea oi
easy timcs-plenty to eat and nothing to
do-should be entertained for a moment
If our West Virginia coIOrcd people did
but know it, they arc better
of here for the present than at the
Southwest. Times are hard down there
Just now, and more money is to be madi
in the more prosperous sections of the
country, OF which this is one. An indus
trious colored family, willing to work
and save, can make far more money any
where in this region than in the country
to which their attentions is invited by thu
resolutions quoted above. We will ven
ture to say that really industrious and
thrifty colored man, who will rent good
piece Of land anywhere within twenty-five
miles OF this city, can make
decidedly more money in ten year,
time than by going southwest. He
will have many advantages in his favor
He will be sure Of a good market for al
he raises market such as has made many
OF our German population well off in
few years. He will also be sure OF 1
cheap market in which to buy his dr.!
goods and groceries. Further, he will b'
sure Of the protection Of the law, OF peace
full society around him, Of Ia chance to ed
ucate his children and bring them up a
useful members OF society.


OF none Of these advantages can he be
sure in the Southwest at this time, mol
for years to come. The staple article o
culture-the thing that everybody goes
into-is cotton, and cotton raising il
ovcrdone. To raise cotton and export
cotton has been mania in the SOntt
almost like that Of the early jamestown
colonists, who were so crazy on the sub
iect Of digging gold, washing gold, and
shipping gold, that they raised no crops
to support life. The colored race in the
South are barely making very poor
living by raising cotton. Most all Of then,
are very poor and bay everything at q
great disadvantage on credit from the