.

The following gentlemen were elected permanent officers of the
convention:

President--Gen. W. R. Miles, of Yazoo county.

Vice-presidents--T. F. Cassell, of Tennessee; James Hill, of
Jackson, Mississippi; H. B. Robinson, of Arkansas; David Young,
of Louisiana.

Secretary--A. W. Crandall, Louisiana.

Assistant Secretaries--Jno. A. Galbreth, Jackson; J. D. Webster,
Washington county.

Sergeant at Arms--J. B. Pegram, Vicksburg.

Assistant sergeant at Arms--J. W. Crichloy, Vicksburg; George
Volker, Vicksburg; G. W. Walton, Vicksburg; Wesley Crayton,
Vicksburg.

After appointing a committee on credentials, the convention took
a recess until three o'clock.

SECOND DAY

The convention was called to order by the president at half past
nine.

Col. W. L. Nugent, chairman of the committee, presented the
following preamble and resolutions:

_Mr. President._ Your committee on resolutions beg leave
respectfully to report that they have inquired into the causes
which have given rise to the recent exodus of our colored
population, as far as possible within the limited time allowed,
and while these causes are difficult to ascertain, owing to the
exceptional cases of all kinds brought to their attention, they
believe the following to include those which may be considered
prominent:

1st. The low price of cotton and the partial failure of the crop
of the past year.

2d. The irrational system of planting adopted in some sections,
whereby labor was deprived of intelligence to direct it, and the
presence of economy to make it profitable.

3d. The vicious system of credit fostered by laws permitting
laborers and tenants to mortgage crops before they were grown or
even planted.

4th. The apprehension on the part of many colored people,
produced by insidious reports circulated among them, that their
civil and political rights are endangered, or are likely to be.

5th. The hurtful and false rumors, diligently disseminated, that
by emigrating to Kansas, the colored people would obtain lands,
mules and money from the government without cost to themselves,
and become independent forever.

It is a matter of astonishment to your committees that the
colored people could be induced to credit the idle