Nubia to Frederick Douglass, December 1, 1855

FROM OUR SAN FRANCISCO CORRESPONDENT.

CONVETION OF COLORED AMERICANS.

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 1st, 1855.

FREDERICK DOUGLASS, ESQ: DEAR SIR:—I propose to write something about a certain "Convention of Colored Persons." This is emphatically the age of conventions. We have all sorts of conventions; women's rights—liquor dealers—Southern rights—and lastly colored conventions—as the California papers term a convention of colored persons,—but now I would write of a convention inaugurated by Californians, a convention in which the subject of Slavery—that great bone of contention—was not allowed to be discussed, a convention in which men—whose eloquence in former times stirred men's souls — were dumb — their occupation gone! Verily! this is an age of marvels.—This Convention—the Call for which you have no doubt seen—was held on the 20th of Nov. in Sacramento, 23 counties were represented, 47 delegates were present. Wm. H. Yates was chosen as President, and J. B. Sanderson as Secretary. The selection of these two gentlemen to fill their respective offices, showed a wisdom and discrimination altogether surpassing any thing of the kind that I have seen.

The object of the Convention was to devise ways and means to improve the condition of the people of color in the State, also the repeal of the statutes prohibiting the testimony of Blacks and Mulattoes in favor of, or against any white person. The resolutions introduced were strictly in keeping with the objects of the Convention, all else was ruled out as extraneous and irrelevant; the result was that many whose habit had been to traverse the Earth and Heavens, and confuse and mystify themselves and every one else—found themselves in narrow circumstances.

The acts of the Convention were the appointment of an Executive Committee of ten persons, who are to memorialize the approaching Legislature—the creation of a contingent fund of twenty-five thousand dollars to be controlled by the Committee—the organization of repeal associations; committees on agricultural and mineral Interests; do. on Education, &c. A publishing committee, are at work, and the entire proceedings will be issued in pamphlet form. I will send you one by the steamer of the 15th inst. The Convention adjourned sine die on Thursday, the 23rd of November. Thus ended the first Convention of colored people in which the subject of Slavery was not permitted to enter in its deliberations.

"The great allied Banquet" came off as per announcement. It was certainly the most stupendous affair ever gotten up in America. It is said to have cost 25,000 dollars—a whole army of French cooks were employed to cook everything cookable. A great tent was erected capable of holding 10,000 persons; flags of all nations were placed to form every conceivable design; a whole ox was roasted so artistically that while he (the ox) was thoroughly done, the hair was not singed below the knees. Any person not initiated into the mysteries of French cookery would have starved to death sitting at the table without ever thinking that the birds, and beasts, towers, turrets, and spires, were eatable.

The allies, not content with taking the Malakoff, sighed, like Alexander, for more Malakoffs to conquer; so they built one of cake, and at a given signal commenced discharging all sorts of missiles,—bread, beef bones, do. mutton, etc.—at the unoffending Malakoff, but it was doomed to fall, and then commenced a scene unparalleled in the history of banquets. The allies rushed to plant their respective flags upon the reins, and in their eagerness to accomplish this, one of the flags was torn, more flags were brought, more were torn until the maddened multitude became so enraged that they commenced an indiscriminate attack upon each other with bottles, geese, turkies, and pigs.—The crowd outside now broke in the tent—these being Americans—and with their usual modesty and good taste, made an attempt to plant the American flag on the ruins of the Malakoff. This was the signal for a general row; casks of brandy, wine, and ale, were broken in; all the glass and crockery were destroyed either in fighting or wantonly. Ineffectual attempts were made to address the excited allies. The Americans now perfectly satisfied left the ground; a portion of the French formed a procession headed by a drummer and marched through the principal thoroughfares, singing the "Marseilles Hymn." On arriving at the English Consul's they halted. On being addressed by the counsul, they quietly dispersed. In the evening, a counter demonstration was gotten up by some Americans in the shape of a procession, among other inscriptions on their transparancies was one reading, "No negroes allowed in this procession."

Gen. Richardson, U. S. Marshall, was murdered recently by a gambler by the name of Chas. Cora, in cold blood. Cora is the paramour of a notorious woman of the same name; the difficulty originated in the theatre. Gen. Richardson and family being seated near Belle Cora—the woman of Cora—the General was greatly annoyed at the continued staring of Cora. On meeting him (Cora) a day or two after, the General undertook to reprimand him, when Cora grasped him by the throat and presented a pistol to his head. The General exclaimed, "you will not shoot me, I am unarmed;" Cora fired instantly, and the General fell dead. This murder caused great excitement, and Cora narrowly escaped lynching on the spot, by the frenzied multitude; he is now securely confined with 60 pounds of iron on him. It is feared, however, that he will yet escape through the influence of money and the looseness of the law.

The consular difficulty is at length settled according to agreement between the United States and French Governments. A national salute was fired by the U. S. Frigate Independence, on the arrival of the Alceste—a French national vessel. The French flag was immediately hoisted it having been struck nearly two years. The appearance of the flag was the signal for a large gathering of enthusiastic Frenchmen. Consul Dillon addressed them, and concluded by inviting them to partake of refreshments. The finale of this difficulty has given great satisfaction to the French in this city. The French are sensitive, and high-souled, and regarded the compulsory process, which brought their Consul in Court, as a national insult. But I must close as the mails are about to do so.

Respectfully, &c.,

NUBIA.