Whitelaw Reid: “Can we grow tobacco in Cuba, but not in Cebu; or rice in Louisiana, but not in Luzon?”

And it is both natural and right that colored Americans, entitled to the rights of citizens, should claim their exercise.

He who has that right will usually respect himself more, be more respected, perform more, and more productive work, and do more to increase the wealth and welfare of the community, than he who has it not.

It has proved, also, that universal suffrage is the surest guarantee and most powerful stimulus of individual, social and political progress.

They should persist in this claim respectfully, but firmly, taking care to bring no discredit upon it by their own action.