Tennessee. Conservative Colored Convention at Nashville
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Title
Tennessee. Conservative Colored Convention at Nashville
Source
Chronicling America
Publisher
New York Tribune
Date
1866-08-09
Scripto
Transcription
[PAGE 01]
TENNESSEE.
CONSERVATIVE COLORED CONVENTION AT NASHVILLE.
The Colored Convention which met at Nashville, April 6, had for its President Joseph E. Williams, and adopted Resolutions of which the following are a specimen:
Resolved, That we do not desire to be an element of discord in the community in which we live; that to seek to unite the colored race against the white, or the poor against the rich, would only bring trouble; that we believe the common good of both depends upon the spirit of harmony and justice of all toward each other.
Resolved, That believing the spirit and tendencies of Radicalism are unfavorable to these aims, we take our stand with the true Union Conservatives of Tennessee, and invite our race throughout the State to do the same.
Resolved, That our right to vote involves the right to hold office, and that its denial is unjust; and that our interests and rights as free men require also that we should have the right to sit upon juries.
The spirit of the few colored men who were present is expressed in the following speech by Mr. Washington: "We, as colored men, must look at our own interest. We are slightly demoralized; we had no chance to get a fair representation of the Southern side of the question. The Radicals have usurped everything and tried to become our special guardians. It is laid to Uncle Sam that he liberated us. This is not true. It was not their intention to free us at all. It was a case of necessity, in order to suppress the Rebellion. Our true friends are those who raised us; they have stood by us all of our lives, and we should encourage them by standing by them. Some of these Radical colored men have come here with a Brownlow pill in one ear and a Radical whisky in the other. They do not look at the question fairly. Let others do as they may, but as for me, my hopes and sympathies are with those who wore the gray. They are our friends; we can trust them."
Fifteen delegates were elected to the State Convention to meet April 16, and The Nashville Union (Democratic) says that "while the resolutions were being read, the Radical negroes came in, and were near breaking up the Convention in a row."
TENNESSEE.
CONSERVATIVE COLORED CONVENTION AT NASHVILLE.
The Colored Convention which met at Nashville, April 6, had for its President Joseph E. Williams, and adopted Resolutions of which the following are a specimen:
Resolved, That we do not desire to be an element of discord in the community in which we live; that to seek to unite the colored race against the white, or the poor against the rich, would only bring trouble; that we believe the common good of both depends upon the spirit of harmony and justice of all toward each other.
Resolved, That believing the spirit and tendencies of Radicalism are unfavorable to these aims, we take our stand with the true Union Conservatives of Tennessee, and invite our race throughout the State to do the same.
Resolved, That our right to vote involves the right to hold office, and that its denial is unjust; and that our interests and rights as free men require also that we should have the right to sit upon juries.
The spirit of the few colored men who were present is expressed in the following speech by Mr. Washington: "We, as colored men, must look at our own interest. We are slightly demoralized; we had no chance to get a fair representation of the Southern side of the question. The Radicals have usurped everything and tried to become our special guardians. It is laid to Uncle Sam that he liberated us. This is not true. It was not their intention to free us at all. It was a case of necessity, in order to suppress the Rebellion. Our true friends are those who raised us; they have stood by us all of our lives, and we should encourage them by standing by them. Some of these Radical colored men have come here with a Brownlow pill in one ear and a Radical whisky in the other. They do not look at the question fairly. Let others do as they may, but as for me, my hopes and sympathies are with those who wore the gray. They are our friends; we can trust them."
Fifteen delegates were elected to the State Convention to meet April 16, and The Nashville Union (Democratic) says that "while the resolutions were being read, the Radical negroes came in, and were near breaking up the Convention in a row."
Convention Minutes Item Type Metadata
Convention Type
County Convention
City
Nashville
State
TN
Country
USA
Start Date
1867-04-06
Provenance
Library of Congress
Event ID
1867.TN-04.06.NASH
Citation
“Tennessee. Conservative Colored Convention at Nashville,” Colored Conventions Project Digital Records, accessed October 22, 2026, https://www.omeka.coloredconventions.org/items/show/2701.