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COLORED PATRIOTS
of the
AMERICAN REVOLUTION,
with sketches of several
DISTINGUISHED COLORED PERSONS:
to which is added a brief survey of the
Condition and Prospects of Colored Americans.
By Wm. C. Nell,
with an introduction by
Harriet Beacher Stowe
Published
Boston:
Published by Robert R. Wallcut
1855.

CHAPTER XVI.

OHIO.

CLEVELAND MEETING - DR. PENNINGTON -
EXTRACTS FROM ORATION OF WILLIAM H. DAY -
BIRD'S EYE VIEW OF BUCKEYE PROGRESS

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     THE colored citizens of Ohio held a Mass Convention at Cleveland, September 9th, 1852.  I cull the following incidents and tributes, as "peculiarly appropriate to a military history of Colored Americans.
     At sunrise, a salute was fired in the public square, in honor of the day, by the "Cleveland Light Artillery," and another at nine o' clock, as the procession formed, of which the orator of the day subsequently said: — "They are the first thunders of artillery that ever awoke the echoes of these hills in honor of the colored people.  But they shall not be the last."
     Rev. Dr. J. W. C. Pennington delivered a speech, of which Mr. Howland, a colored phonographic reporter, says, — "The Doctor took the stand and delighted the Convention with a short, brilliant and instructive address on the history of the past, and the part which the colored people have taken in the struggles of this nation for independence, and its various wars since its achievement."
     Says the Daily True Democrat, — "The principal fea-    

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ture in the ceremonials of this jubilee was the address of our fellow-citizen, Mr. William H. Day, a performance worthy of its great purpose, and, therefore, most creditable to the author.  Not often have we heard an address listened to with so absorbing an attention, nor observed an audience to be more deeply moved, than was Mr. Day's, by some parts of that address.  After noticing the day, the 9th of September, which had been selected for their jubilation, and illustrating its preeminent suitableness to the occasion, by happy references to many illustrious events of which it was the anniversary, Mr. Day addressed himself to an able vindication of the claims of his race, in this country, to an equalparticipation in the exercise and enjoyment of those American rights which large numbers of that race, in common with the men of fairer complexion, had fought, suffered, and died to establish.  Behind the orator sat seven or eight veteran colored men. Mr. D.'s apostrophe to those veterans was as touching as admirable, and produced a profound sensation."
     Happily, it is in our power to furnish extracts from the speech thus referred to, as follows: —
     "'Of the services and sufferings of the colored soldiers of the Revolution,' says one writer,' no attempt has, to our knowledge, been made to preserve a record.'  This is mainly true.  Their history is not written.  It lies upon the soil watered with their blood: who shall gather it?  It rests with their bones in the charnel-house: who shall exhume it?  Their bodies, wrapped in sacks, have dropped from

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the decks where trod a Decatur and a Barry, in a calm and silence, broken only by the voice of the man of God — 'We commit this body to the deep;' and the plunge and the ripples passing, the sea has closed over their memory for ever.  Ah! we have waited on shore and have seen the circle of
that ripple. We know, at least, where they went down; and so much, to-day, we come to record.
     "We have had in Ohio, until very recently, and if they are living, have here now, a few colored men who have thus connected us with the past.  I have been told, recently, of one in the Southern portion of the State.
     "Another, of whom we all know, has resided, for many years, near Urbana, Champaigne county.  He was invited to, and expected at, this meeting.  Father Stanup (as he is familiarly called) has lived to a good old age.  He has been afflicted with recent sickness, and it may have prostrated him permanently.  The frosts of a hundred winters will shrivel any oak; the blasts of a century will try any vitality.  The aged soldier must soon die.  O! that liberty, for which he fought, be bequeathed to his descendants!  The realization of that idea would smooth his dying pillow, and make the transit from this to another sphere a pleasant passage.  I am credibly informed, that the age of Mr. Stanup is one hundred and nine; that he was with General Washington; and that his position, in this respect, has been recognised by officers of the Government."

---------------
     * A correspondent of the National Era says of Mr. Stanup., that he witnessed most of the battles of that era, was wounded at the battle of Stony Point, and

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     "So much for the Revolution. I could add other facts bearing upon this particular, but do not deem it necessary.  We have adduced proof sufficient to show any American who breasted the tide of death sweeping over this country in '76.  We hold it up, that men who have denied its truth may observe, that the ignorant may be enlightened, and that white Americans may be divested of excuse for basing their exclusive liberty upon the deeds of their fathers.  We, to-day, advance with them to the same impartial tribunal, and demand, that if the reason be good in the one case, it be made to apply in the other.
     "In May, 1812, the American people again engaged in conflict with Great Britain.
     "The naval engagements of that war are, perhaps, unsurpassed by any other; and that on the 11th of September, on Lake Champlain, of that war perhaps the most brilliant of any.  Hear what the Common Council of New York city said of that battle to Commodore Macdonough.  I read from a newspaper of 1815: —
     " 'Having approached the chair, his Honor, the Mayor, addressed the Commodore as follows: — "When our northern frontier was

was left for dead on the field of conflict The scars from wounds then received he bears upon his person still, not without evident consciousness that they are regarded "honorable scars," as his details denote clearly enough.  He is a member of the Baptist church, which he joined eighty years ago; and yet he talks, with the aid of a vivid recollection, seemingly, of his conversion, and his baptism in the Potomac, while "blessing the Lord" for it.  His character has not belied his early profession,— it having been markedly exemplary.
     He has certainly not disregarded, during his long life, the scriptural injunction to increase and multiply and replenish the earth, for he is the father of thirty-three children, by two wives only.  The youngest of these is now about twenty years of age.— w. c. x.

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invaded by a powerful army, when the heroes who have immortalized themselves on the Niagara were pressed by a superior force, when the capital of the nation was overrun by hostile bands, when the most important city of the South was attacked by the enemy, and when he threatened to lay waste our maritime towns with fire and sword, — at a period so inauspicious and gloomy, when all but those who fully understand and duly appreciate the firmness and resources of the American character began to despair of the Republic, you were the first who changed the fortune of our arms, and who dispelled the dark cloud that hung over our country.  With a force greatly inferior, you met the enemy, vaunting of his superior strength, and confident of victory; you crushed his proud expectations, you conquered him; and the embattled hosts which were ready to penetrate into the heart of our country, fled in dismay and confusion. * * * *
     " 'As long as illustrious events shall be embodied in history, so long will the victory on Lake Champlain, obtained under your auspices, command the respect of mankind.  And when you, and all who hear me, shall be numbered among the dead, those who succeed us, to the most extended line of remote antiquity, will cherish with exultation those great achievements which are indissolubly connected with the prosperity and glory of America. —
Special Meeting of Common Council, Jan. 7th, 1815.

     "To colored men, I remark, as much as to any others, belongs the honor of that battle."
     [Mr. Day here exhibited a copy of an old newspaper, the organ of the Government, dated Jan. 12th, 1815, containing the only full account given any where of the names and equipment of the six larger vessels and the ten galleys, and added —]

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"I recollect something of one of the men on board the row-galley Viper.  That man enlisted under Commodore Macdonough, was apportioned to a row-galley, stood like a man at his post in the thickest of the fight, and where the blood of his fellows literally washed the deck.  The honormarks of that battle he carried to his grave.  He sleeps in a secluded grave-yard, yet not entirely unhonored by those for whom he perilled all.  I hold in my hand 'a List of Acts passed by the Thirteenth Congress at its third session,' the first of which is a series of ' Resolutions, expressive of the sense of Congress of the gallant conduct of Captain Thomas Macdonough, the officers, seamen, marines, and infantry serving as marines, on board the United States squadron on Lake Champlain.'
     "This same man was shortly afterward drafted to go to the Mediterranean with Commodore Bainbridge's Relief Squadron.*  Says Dr. Frost, in his History, —'Commodore Bainbridge proceeded, according to his instructions, to exhibit his force, now consisting of seventeen sail, before Algiers, Tunis, and Tripoli, and to make arrangements for the security of American commerce in the Mediterranean.  Having settled all for the honor and interests of his country, he returned to the United States.' So, according to Dr. Frost, colored men have been of service, where 'the security of American commerce,' and 'the honor and interests of the country' were concerned.  The colored marine to

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     * The colored marine here referred to is MR. JOHN DAY, father of MR. WILLIAM H. DAY.— W. C. N.

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whom I have referred received an honorable discharge, March 16th, 1816."
     On the platform on this occasion were MR. JOHN JULIUS, who served under General Jackson at New Orleans; MR. JOHN BOYER VASHON, who has since deceased, who was in the Jersey prison-ship; and MR. L. C. FLEWELLEN, who enlisted in Georgia.  Mr. Day also alluded to MR. ROBERT VAN VRANKIN, who marched, in 1815, to Plattsburg; and several others, now residing in the West, whose names escape us, were also mentioned.  Mr. Day, in concluding, remarked: —

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who fought for you, equal privileges.  We bring to you, to day, the tears of our fathers, — each tear is a volume, and speaks to you.  To you, then, we appeal.  We point you to their blood, sprinkled upon your door-posts in your political midnight, that the Destroying Angel might pass over.  We take you to their sepulchres, to see the bond of honor between you and them kept, on their part, faithfully, — even until death."

     A colored military company has been formed in Cincinnati, — pronounced by competent judges to be well manned, well officered and well drilled. They have chosen the appropriate historic name of "Attucks Guards."  July 25th, 1855, Miss Mary A. Dames, in behalf of an association of ladies, presented the company with a flag.  Among the sentiments expressed by her were the following: —

     "Should the love of liberty and your country ever demand your services, may you, in imitation of that noble patriot whose name you bear, promptly respond to the call, and fight to the last for the great and noble principles of liberty and justice, to the glory of your  fathers and the land of your birth.
     "The time is not far distant when the slave must be free; if not by moral and intellectual means, it must be done by the sword.  Remember, Gentlemen, should duty call, it will be yours to obey, and strike to the last for freedom or the grave.
     "But God forbid that you should be called upon to witness our peaceful homes involved in war.  May our eyes never behold this flag in any conflict; let the quiet breeze ever play among' its folds, and the fullest peace dwell among you!"

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     In the State of Ohio, the average property owned by white citizens is $5.90; that of the colored citizens, $6.71.  Net property of colored people in Cincinnati, $800,000; in the State of Ohio, $5,000,000.  In Cincinnati, among the colored citizens, are to be found three bank tellers, a superior artist in landscape painting — who has visited Rome to perfect his education; besides carpenters, cabinet makers, stucco-workers, hotel-keepers, shop-keepers, nine daguerreotype artists, — the gallery kept by Mr. Ball (a colored man) being acknowledged the best in the Western country.  In Cleveland, a city institution has employed a colored librarian, William H. Day, Esq.

 

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