CHAPTER XVIII.
CONDITION OF FREE COLORED PEOPLE.
Pursuant to a call given in the summer of 1830, by the colored residents of Philadelphia, for a National Convention of their race, I started in company with a friend to attend it; having previously engaged seats inside Mr.Coe's stage-coach as far as Utica, N.Y., to which place we had paid our fare the same as other passengers.
We rode on to Auburn very pleasantly, but when at that place, we with others moved to resume our seats; we were met by a stern rebuke for presuming to seat ourselves on the inside, and were ordered to ride on the outside of the coach.

In vain we expostulated; in vain we reminded the driver of the agreement, and of our having paid for an inside seat; we were told to take the outside of the coach or remain behind.
Desiring to attend the convention, we concluded to go on, submitting to this rank injustice and dishonesty, until our return, when we determined to sue the proprietor of that line of stages.

An opportunity was offered soon after, when I commenced a suit for damages against Mr.Sherwood, who was the great stage proprietor of those days.

He, however, cleared himself by declaring that he was in no way responsible for the failures of Mr.
Coe, to whom I must look for remuneration.

I never found it convenient to sue Mr.Coe, and so the matter ended.
We passed through New York City to the place of our destination, where we found many of our brethren already assembled.
Philadelphia, which I now saw for the first time, I thought the most beautiful and regularly laid out city I ever beheld.