A Call for a Convention of the Colored Inhabitants of the State of New York.
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A Call for a Convention of the Colored Inhabitants of the State of New York.
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1840.NY-08.18.ALBA
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A CALL FOR A CONVENTION OF THE COLORED INHABITANTS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
Fellow Citizens, - We issue this call, to invite you to attend a State Convention, to be held in the city of Albany on Tuesday, the 18th day of August next.
The primary object we have in inviting you to assemble is, to take in to consideration the political condition of our people in this State, and to adopt such measures as can be simultaneously carried out by our brethren, in every section of the State, to obtain a relief from those political disabilities under which we labor.
The principal legal disability which affects us is, our deprivation of the free exercise, in common with other men, of the elective franchise. A free suffrage is the basis of a free government, the safe-guard of a free people, the strength of the strong, the defence of the weak, a powerful auxiliary to respectability, wealth and usefulness; - and just in proportion as men are deprived of this, they are shorn of their strength, and are subject to poverty, disgrace, and abuse.
We are convinced, fellow citizens, that not only our political, but our depressed condition in all other respects in the State, owes itself, not in the least sense, to the fact that we are politically weak, not possessing the unrestricted use of the elective franchise. The body politic see in us, therefore, no favors to court, and nothing to fear. It is to them a matter of no concern, what may be the abuses we suffer, or how unhappy our condition.
You are aware, that while other citizens have a free and unrestricted use of the elective franchise, a property qualification is required on our part, in order for us to exercise this right, so important to a free people, and without which, a man cannot be considered, in a democratic sense, a freeman. This invidious requisition to the exercise of a birth-right privilege, weakens our standing as citizens of the State, and subjects us to all consequent inconveniences. It also degrades our population, because it virtually lowers us in the scale of humanity, and reflects disparagingly upon our character. To seek a removal of this radical evil, is the object of calling you together in convention.
There has been no time so favorable for us to meet for the above object, as the present season. There is evidently a redeeming spirit abroad in our State - an increasing disposition to stand by, and defend the weak against the strong, as the noble acts of the Legislature regarding our protection as citizens, clearly indicate. Ought we not, then, to avail ourselves of this favorable indication, and come together to take some decisive measures to lay before the next Legislature our grievances, with a view to produce further action on their part, for our political disenthralment?
To facilitate the business of the convention, it will be necessary that statements setting forth the legal and other disabilities of our people in different parts of the state, be presented at the Convention. To further this object, we invite all who expect to be present, to collect such statements, and also statistical accounts of the property, real and personal, public buildings, with their value, &c., owned by our people, and the condition of the people in morals, as compared with former times.
We therefore urge upon colored men in all sections of the State - men in all circumstances - if you possess self-respect - if you love liberty - if you appreciate your own rights - if you wish for political and moral elevation - if you have any interest in the prosperity of our people - if you have any regard for the welfare of your children - for the welfare of the State and of the Nation, to assemble at Albany on the 18th of August next.
We call upon the farmer to leave for a while his harvesting, and repair to the assemblage of his brethren. Let the mechanic leave his workshop, to share the toils of a general council. Let the laborer and the workingman be seen crowding the avenues that lead to the place of assemblage. Let every portion of our great and growing State, where lives a single object of oppression, be represented. We call upon the people in every city, town and village to represent themselves in that Convention. Let the aged and the youth - all - all - be found at the above place, on that day. Come up, fellow citizens, from Suffolk to Erie, from Clinton to Steuben, and let us engage together in a common interest.
(Signed)
NEW YORK CITY - Chas. B. Ray, Theo. S. Wright, John J. Zaille, Chas. L. Reason, Timothy Seaman, Wm. P. Johnson, Philip A. Bell, Henry Stoughtenburgh, D. Elston, Thomas Downing, Thos. S. Sidney, Frederick Olney, P.H. Reason, Z.S. Barbary, T. Van Rensalaer, Pres. of the Long Island Convention.
BROOKLYN - Augustus Washington.
JAMAICA - S.V. Berry, Wm. Ranty.
FLUSHING - Aaron Wood, Rev. Mr. Moore.
KINGSTON - Wm. Hansbrouck,
ALBANY - Rev. J.T. Raymond. R. Thompson, Jr.
TROY - W. Rich, Henry H. Garnett, A. Theuay, Jacob Brown, Wm. S. Baltimore, Geo. B. Morton, Marshall Jones.
GENEVA - Rev. John Niles, J.W. Duffin.
ROCHESTER - Rev. Thomas James, W.L. Brown.
BATH - Rev. John Tappan.
COMMITTEE OF CORRESPONDENCE.
The committee take the liberty to appoint the following persons, as a committee of correspondence, and to adopt such measures in their own city and town, as will further the object of the convention. If they are not willing to serve, they will please address a note to the chairman of the committee, (post paid none other will be taken from the office) to that effect. If no reply is made we shall regard it as accepting the appointment, and also as consenting to have their names attached to the call for the convention. We shall wait a few weeks for a reply,
NEWBURGH - C. Payne, I. Allen, J. Ray, T. Kendall.
POUGHKEEPSIE - J. Gray, M. Francis, U. Boston, H. Johnson.
KINGSTON - T. Harley, W. Hasbrouck.
CATTSKILL - M. Cross.
HUDSON - W. Van Alstine.
ALBANY - Rev. J.T. Raymond, R. Thompson, Mr. Pogue, Top & Van Vrankin, C. Morton.
TROY - Wm. Rich, A. Theuay, G. Baltimore.
WEST TROY - Wm. Stewart, Wm. King.
SCHENACTADY - R.P.G. Wright, Thomas Jackson, F. Thompson, John Wendall, Mr. Simpson, Mr. Dana.
UTICA - G.L. Brown, James Fountain, B.S. Anderson, Peter Freeman, R. Paul.
WHITSBOROUGH - J.W. Logan, E.P. Rogers, J.M. Brickers.
LITTLE FALLS - Wm. Jackson.
NEW HARTFORD - R. Wells, Mr. Brewster.
SYRACUSE - Rev. Mr. Chester, P. Jackson, Wm. Jenkins, A. Dunbar.
OSWEGO - T.E. Grant, D. Pease.
VOLNEY - Silas Slater, Mr. Slater.
GENEVA - J.W. Duffin, J. Bland, A. Freeman, S. Condall.
CANANDAIGUA - D.H. Ray, R. Valintine.
PALMYRA - P.B. Lee.
ITHACA - H. Jackson.
BATH - E.L. Platt, Rev. J. Tappan.
ELMYRA - Wm. Johnson.
ROCHESTER - A. Stewart, J. Brown, W.L. Brown, A. Williams, J.H. Bishop.
LEROY - O. Wood.
LOCKPORT - Wm. Brumley, Geo. Miller, W. Miles, J. Morgan, J. Robinson.,
BUFFALO - A.H. Francis, J.L. Lincheum, J. Garritt, J. Walker, P. Harris, H. Hawkins, B. Lincheum, Geo. Ware, Wm. Qualls.
SACKETTS HARBOR - Julias Ferrill.
FISHKILL - A. Adkins.
Fellow Citizens, - We issue this call, to invite you to attend a State Convention, to be held in the city of Albany on Tuesday, the 18th day of August next.
The primary object we have in inviting you to assemble is, to take in to consideration the political condition of our people in this State, and to adopt such measures as can be simultaneously carried out by our brethren, in every section of the State, to obtain a relief from those political disabilities under which we labor.
The principal legal disability which affects us is, our deprivation of the free exercise, in common with other men, of the elective franchise. A free suffrage is the basis of a free government, the safe-guard of a free people, the strength of the strong, the defence of the weak, a powerful auxiliary to respectability, wealth and usefulness; - and just in proportion as men are deprived of this, they are shorn of their strength, and are subject to poverty, disgrace, and abuse.
We are convinced, fellow citizens, that not only our political, but our depressed condition in all other respects in the State, owes itself, not in the least sense, to the fact that we are politically weak, not possessing the unrestricted use of the elective franchise. The body politic see in us, therefore, no favors to court, and nothing to fear. It is to them a matter of no concern, what may be the abuses we suffer, or how unhappy our condition.
You are aware, that while other citizens have a free and unrestricted use of the elective franchise, a property qualification is required on our part, in order for us to exercise this right, so important to a free people, and without which, a man cannot be considered, in a democratic sense, a freeman. This invidious requisition to the exercise of a birth-right privilege, weakens our standing as citizens of the State, and subjects us to all consequent inconveniences. It also degrades our population, because it virtually lowers us in the scale of humanity, and reflects disparagingly upon our character. To seek a removal of this radical evil, is the object of calling you together in convention.
There has been no time so favorable for us to meet for the above object, as the present season. There is evidently a redeeming spirit abroad in our State - an increasing disposition to stand by, and defend the weak against the strong, as the noble acts of the Legislature regarding our protection as citizens, clearly indicate. Ought we not, then, to avail ourselves of this favorable indication, and come together to take some decisive measures to lay before the next Legislature our grievances, with a view to produce further action on their part, for our political disenthralment?
To facilitate the business of the convention, it will be necessary that statements setting forth the legal and other disabilities of our people in different parts of the state, be presented at the Convention. To further this object, we invite all who expect to be present, to collect such statements, and also statistical accounts of the property, real and personal, public buildings, with their value, &c., owned by our people, and the condition of the people in morals, as compared with former times.
We therefore urge upon colored men in all sections of the State - men in all circumstances - if you possess self-respect - if you love liberty - if you appreciate your own rights - if you wish for political and moral elevation - if you have any interest in the prosperity of our people - if you have any regard for the welfare of your children - for the welfare of the State and of the Nation, to assemble at Albany on the 18th of August next.
We call upon the farmer to leave for a while his harvesting, and repair to the assemblage of his brethren. Let the mechanic leave his workshop, to share the toils of a general council. Let the laborer and the workingman be seen crowding the avenues that lead to the place of assemblage. Let every portion of our great and growing State, where lives a single object of oppression, be represented. We call upon the people in every city, town and village to represent themselves in that Convention. Let the aged and the youth - all - all - be found at the above place, on that day. Come up, fellow citizens, from Suffolk to Erie, from Clinton to Steuben, and let us engage together in a common interest.
(Signed)
NEW YORK CITY - Chas. B. Ray, Theo. S. Wright, John J. Zaille, Chas. L. Reason, Timothy Seaman, Wm. P. Johnson, Philip A. Bell, Henry Stoughtenburgh, D. Elston, Thomas Downing, Thos. S. Sidney, Frederick Olney, P.H. Reason, Z.S. Barbary, T. Van Rensalaer, Pres. of the Long Island Convention.
BROOKLYN - Augustus Washington.
JAMAICA - S.V. Berry, Wm. Ranty.
FLUSHING - Aaron Wood, Rev. Mr. Moore.
KINGSTON - Wm. Hansbrouck,
ALBANY - Rev. J.T. Raymond. R. Thompson, Jr.
TROY - W. Rich, Henry H. Garnett, A. Theuay, Jacob Brown, Wm. S. Baltimore, Geo. B. Morton, Marshall Jones.
GENEVA - Rev. John Niles, J.W. Duffin.
ROCHESTER - Rev. Thomas James, W.L. Brown.
BATH - Rev. John Tappan.
COMMITTEE OF CORRESPONDENCE.
The committee take the liberty to appoint the following persons, as a committee of correspondence, and to adopt such measures in their own city and town, as will further the object of the convention. If they are not willing to serve, they will please address a note to the chairman of the committee, (post paid none other will be taken from the office) to that effect. If no reply is made we shall regard it as accepting the appointment, and also as consenting to have their names attached to the call for the convention. We shall wait a few weeks for a reply,
NEWBURGH - C. Payne, I. Allen, J. Ray, T. Kendall.
POUGHKEEPSIE - J. Gray, M. Francis, U. Boston, H. Johnson.
KINGSTON - T. Harley, W. Hasbrouck.
CATTSKILL - M. Cross.
HUDSON - W. Van Alstine.
ALBANY - Rev. J.T. Raymond, R. Thompson, Mr. Pogue, Top & Van Vrankin, C. Morton.
TROY - Wm. Rich, A. Theuay, G. Baltimore.
WEST TROY - Wm. Stewart, Wm. King.
SCHENACTADY - R.P.G. Wright, Thomas Jackson, F. Thompson, John Wendall, Mr. Simpson, Mr. Dana.
UTICA - G.L. Brown, James Fountain, B.S. Anderson, Peter Freeman, R. Paul.
WHITSBOROUGH - J.W. Logan, E.P. Rogers, J.M. Brickers.
LITTLE FALLS - Wm. Jackson.
NEW HARTFORD - R. Wells, Mr. Brewster.
SYRACUSE - Rev. Mr. Chester, P. Jackson, Wm. Jenkins, A. Dunbar.
OSWEGO - T.E. Grant, D. Pease.
VOLNEY - Silas Slater, Mr. Slater.
GENEVA - J.W. Duffin, J. Bland, A. Freeman, S. Condall.
CANANDAIGUA - D.H. Ray, R. Valintine.
PALMYRA - P.B. Lee.
ITHACA - H. Jackson.
BATH - E.L. Platt, Rev. J. Tappan.
ELMYRA - Wm. Johnson.
ROCHESTER - A. Stewart, J. Brown, W.L. Brown, A. Williams, J.H. Bishop.
LEROY - O. Wood.
LOCKPORT - Wm. Brumley, Geo. Miller, W. Miles, J. Morgan, J. Robinson.,
BUFFALO - A.H. Francis, J.L. Lincheum, J. Garritt, J. Walker, P. Harris, H. Hawkins, B. Lincheum, Geo. Ware, Wm. Qualls.
SACKETTS HARBOR - Julias Ferrill.
FISHKILL - A. Adkins.
Convention Minutes Item Type Metadata
Convention Type
State
City
Albany
State
NY
Country
USA
Start Date
1905
End Date
1840
Citation
Convention of the Colored Inhabitants of the State of New York (1840 : Albany, NY), “A Call for a Convention of the Colored Inhabitants of the State of New York.,” Colored Conventions Project Digital Records, accessed July 16, 2024, https://omeka.coloredconventions.org/items/show/1071.