A Colored Convention

A Colored Convention

Chronicling America

Memphis Daily Appeal

1877-09-06

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A COLORED CONVENTION.

The negroes of North Carolina have called a State convention, to be composed exclusively of their own race. The call is published in the following words: "Feeling and believing that our educational, material and moral advancement as a race, at the present juncture, are, and should be, with us paramount to all other issues, and therefore, demand, and should receive, our immediate consideration, and feeling that these ends can be served by united action on our part, we therefore issue this call for a convention of the colored people of the State, to meet in the city of Raleigh, on Thursday, the eighteenth day of October, 1877, at ten o'clock in the morning, for the purpose of organizing and devising some plan by which the objects as above set forth may be accomplished. The ratio of representation will be that each county will be allowed twice the number of delegates to which they have members of the house of representatives. We hope each county will appoint delegates accordingly. We earnestly desire a full representation, as matters of grave importance, affecting our future welfare, will be considered." The Democratic papers of North Carolina seem impressed with the belief that the convention is called for political purposes. When assured that the object is simply to promote the educational, moral and material welfare of the blacks, the Democrats promise their earnest and cordial co-operation. The Democratic papers of North Carolina can be of incalculable service to the blacks if they will give the figures and facts showing how rapidly the negroes are dying, and that the race will soon become extinct unless they speedily do something for their material and moral advancement. The same mail that brought to

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vancement. The same mail that brought to us the Raleigh [unclear] observer [/unclear] containing the above call brought also the Richmond Enquirer, and turning to the mortuary report we found the following comparative statement: "Mortality for the corresponding week of 1876 - whites, 11; colored, [unclear] 28; [/unclear]; total, 39. For the past week, ending August 28, 1877 - whites, 14; colored, 25; total, 39." The mortuary reports of Memphis, Charleston, Savannah, Augusta, Atlanta, Mobile, New Orleans, and in every city in the south, tell the same unvarying, frightful tale as to the death-rate of the blacks. In the Appeal of the twenty-eighth of August our intelligent correspondent "Beta" said: "During the year 1876 our mortuary reports, kept accurately and carefully, show that there were six hundred and fifty-two deaths among the white population and six hundred and one among the white population and six hundred and one among the negroes - that is to say, there were nearly four times as many negroes died during the year as white people, considering the proportion of the numbers of the two races. From January to July the deaths were two hundred and seventy whites to two hundred and seventy-two negroes - more than four to one. In the months of July and August the deaths have been one hundred and twenty-one whites to one hundred and and forty-eight negroes. More than five to one, when we consider the proportion of the population. This is a rough and hasty calculation, and it is under the correct proportion. These facts are thrown out and commended to thoughtful men of the south and honest philanthropists of the north. Is the negro going the way of the Indian? Does the race decrease, and if so, can we check this decay? The writer believes the negro is a good "institution" for the south. God, in his wisdom, planted the race here for a wise purpose. It behooves the intelligence of the country to realize the fact and use their best efforts to prevent the race from "wearing away." The best physicians of the country tell us that the neglect of their offspring, abandonment of the sick, , and vicious habits, are doing the work of destruction for the unfortunate negro - a work which will soon "civilize him from off the face of the earth." Whatever may be the object of the North Carolina colored convention, we trust the attention of the delegates will be [unclear][/unclear] surely[unclear][/unclear]The scar[unclear][/unclear]comm

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ture existence. The Raleigh convention vention will, no doubt, be composed of intelligent blacks--the - the representative men of their race--and - and if they will eschew politics, and ask the whites to co-operate with them in ascertaining the cause and the remedy for the diseases that are decimating their race, they will not ask in vain. For ten years the blacks have isolated themselves from the whites--have - a malicious delight in organizing and hurling themselves from have whites--have taken a malicious delight in organizing and hurling themselves at the polls against those who give them employment. The whites have, therefore, felt no great concern as to the death-rate of the negro. But the mortality is so terrific and appalling that it is the duty of every patriot and philanthropist to lift him to lift himself above personal resentments, and contribute something toward ameliorating the condition of a race fast fading out of existence.

State Convention

Raleigh

NC

USA

1877-10-18

1877-10-19

1877.NC-10.18.RALE