Free Men Speak.

Free Men Speak.

A report on the 1887 National Colored Press Association held in Louisville, Kentucky published in the Daily Picayune (August 11, 1887)

From Gale. 19th Century U.S. Newspapers. ©2008 Gale, a part of Cengage Learning, Inc. Reproduced by permission. www.cengage.com/permissions

Daily Picayune

1887-08-11

Newspaper article

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FREE MEN SPEAK. The Council of Afro-American Editors Discuss the Negro Question. Local Organization Favored Against an Independent Union or Republican publican Adherence. Recent Legislation Denounced and Equal Rights and Privileges lages Demanded. LOUISVILLE, Aug. 10-The - The National Colored Press Association resumed its session to-day, and was called to order by W. H. Anderson, in the absence of President Simmons. The discussions of the day brought about a division as to which party the colored men should support. The first topic announced for discussion was the relation of the "Afro-American to the existing political parties." Rev. Allan Allensworth of Louisville opened the discussion. He said the American white man did not understand stand the negro's position. The trouble was that when negroes asked for legal rights the majority of the people seemed to think that they were asking social privileges. Negroes should, in a measure, ure. be separate from existing parties, and teach them what the colored man's rights should be. White men and colored ored men should cultivate more friendly relations: teach the white men that the day will come again when the negroes' aid will be needed as it was in the past. If it had not been for the part of the colored ored man played the union would not have been saved. Mr. Alexander Clark of Chicago, representing the Baltimore Commercial, said that all men were created free and should be entitled to equal rights. He was a Republican. There is not a drop of Democratic blood in his veins. But the colored people should not fight any party or creed, but labor to benefit themselves. Negroes would be a mere cipher as an independent party. They should adhere to the Republican party, and if they did not like to do this they should be ruled out. The Republicans were going to take possession of things again; they had merely split over Jim Blaine and the spoils. It was their theft and dishonesty esty that divided them the last time. The mugwumps can't amount to much, as they form a company of sorehead re-formers. formers. There was never a reform party that was not a fraud. The negro who deserts the Republican party is a traitor to the living and the dead, and it is a wonder the ghosts of the great departed parted statesmen who founded the party do not come forth and confront them.

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them. Mr. D. A. Rudd, of the Catholic Tribune, said that the negro owed no undying allegiance to any party. For every service Republicans had done them they have done two in return. Negroes should be part and parcel of no political party that was not part and parcel of them. He was unwilling to wear any coat that was cut and put on him without his leave. Prof. P. H. Murray, of the St. Louis Advance, stated that so long as the negroes were regarded as the political enemy of any party, just that long would they have that party to fight and oppose their interests. The negro is not in a position to dictate to any political party. He severely criticised the St. Louis Globe-Democrat newspaper, which advocated the unloading of the colored men into the Democratic party. The colored men should support the party which is the best at the present time, not the one that was best in the past. As far as Mr. Blaine is concerned, said Prof. Murray, he seems anxious to read the negroes out of the party and fill up the gap with Irish votes, Mr. Sherman went to Nashville and made a speech in which he tried to coax some ex-confederates into the party. He made another at Springfield in which he wanted to read them all out of the party. As far as I am concerned, I am tired of the negro being a bone of contention between two parties, and this should be dead out of politics as an issue." Dr. Rudd's resolution indorsing the Blair bill was adopted. Dr. Fitzbutler of Louisville, chairman of the committee of resolutions, submitted to the following report, which was just adopted: First—We - We deplore the conditions that make this convention a necessity, and while it shall be our effort to secure equal and common privileges for all nationalities in places of public instruction, and demanding as we do indiscriminate rights on common carriers and in places of public accommodation and entertainment, we have no other reason to offer for the meeting of the Colored Press Association than the realization of the privileges, pleasures and benefits that should be common to the country regardless of nationalities. Second—The - The colored press can now comprehend the ostracism and prejudices existing against the colored man in the dark days of American slavery, as well as sufferers therefrom, from, and therefore none are so well qualified to make appeal against these evils as the colored man himself, and at the same time his honest and intelligent efforts will stand as witnesses of his native ability entitling him to the rights of citizenship.

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Resolved, That the act recently passed by the Georgia legislature, making it a felony punishable by fine and imprisonment, for any person to teach a colored child in a white school, or vice versa, is the work of unreasonable and unprincipled men, who are a disgrace to the positions they hold and to our common country. Such legislation is destructive to the nation's strength in rebellion or in the case of war with foreign nations. Resolved, That while organization is the way to utilize strength, we deem it impracticable to attempt a national organization of colored people to work politically, but rather favor the commencement of local organizations adapted to the peculiar circumstances of places and people. Resolved, That the work done by the colored press has been of incalculable value by placing the colored man in a more just light before the world, in many instances biased by representations of unprincipled journalism. Resolved, That we recommend the establishment of a national [unclear] bureau [/unclear] of information to ascertain the extent and nature of lawlessness and mob violence against the colored men, and adopt means for the betterment of the present unfortunate state of affairs. The following officers were elected: President, W. J. J Simmons, of the Louisville American Baptist; ; vice president, J. H. Patton, of the Nashville Free Lance; ; secretary, Rev. G. F. Bragg, Jr., of the Norfolk (Va.) American; treasurer, Alexander Clark, of the Baltimore Commonwealth; historian, W. C. Chase. The association adjourned after a banquet to meet in Nashville, in August, next year.

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1887.KY-08.09.LOUI