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children at play under your standard and fought a good fight,
sustaining all the expenses of our campaign from a treasury
made up by the members. Not one cent was asked for or received
from any other source. But each member, prompted by a sense of
loyalty to you, gave as his purse permitted and in some instan-
ces to the exclusion of things essential to his personal
requirements. We spent upwards of $2000 in this way for the
cause. Since your inauguration we have seen the displacement
of many colored men in office but, as they were Republican,
we accepted such as the fortunes of war, but when the places
were filled and no members of the race were recognised, we
were surprised.

Under this situation, after a lapse of nearly five
months, we find ourselves in a political wilderness in dispair
with, it seems, all forces against us without and within the
lines of race. The Colored Republican Journals and Clergy
condemn us bitterly for the part we played for you. In this
hour of distress the club has none to turn to but you.

Saddened in heart and sick in spirit, as its president.
I plead with you, as Paul did with Philemon for Onesimus,

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