Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-08-16
DISCUSSING CIVIL RIGHTS.
ne Meeting Last Night At the Virginia
Avenue baptist Church.

UEFAIR TREATMENT IN THE COURTS.
meeting was held at the Virginia avenue COL
orei Baptist church last evening for the purpose
of discussing the interests of the colored race in
general AID the civil rights question In particular.
The gathering di1 not number over forty people, a
fact which the prof actors of the meeting accounted
ior Oh the score OF The weather. Among those who
occupied seats on the platform was Rev. George Fl.
smith. the complainant in the civil rights case
now pending before the Police Court. He is a
tai muiltto, ami wore coat OF clerical cut, hav
Ing IN unusually long frock. On his vest front he
Wore conspicu0usly G. A. X badge. Mr.. John
a MOSS Was proposed by Rev. X. s. Laws as chair
man of the meeting, and was elected. Mr.. E. NJ.
heWiett, MI smiths attorney, was elected secre-
t8Iy.
MR. Moss coMPL Amt AGAINST TIE COURTS.
Nj Moss, on taking the chair relate1 the main
features OF the case OF Mr.. Smith, who, 1t was
c!liined, was refused admission to a restaurant on
the AVENUE on account OF his cGlor This Mr. Moss
sud, was the first cas-. OF the kind that had ever
come before the courts OF the ID sri:t. Mr.. Moss
thch declared that the rights OF the oolored people
were ~ n denied before the courts of the cOun-
Try more than IN any other place. The judges and
District attorneys IN this District did not meta out
equal jus Ice TO colored people He said that when
little white boys were charged in the Police Court
with thrilling larcencs in order t. save the record
ag1ins; them the prosecuting attorney recon-
htndei them TO ciemency. AMI the cases Were dis
missed; Jut 10 such favor was shown to little
Coiored boys When Mr.. Moss ceased speaking
Rev. sir. Laws called upon "0ur distinguished
friend, Hon. j. w. Niles, OF Arkansas"
COLoRED GENTLEMAN WHO WANTS TO SEPARATE.
The Hon. j. W. Niles, thick-set, round faced,
lght-coiored man, with a black stubble beard,
stepped 10 the front with alacrity. He began his
Feiiarh b. saying, in lOui voice, that he would
eventualZe the elaboration OF the commemorative
Individuality, or something to that effect. Then
clearing his throat and glar'ny at his audience
while these impressive words were taking eff ct,
lie LAIN ned out in a vehement speech, declaring
that this little civil rights case was but a
Ittic spot ON the grievances OF the colored
p2olH. lie had a gigantic subject to speak on.
" Let Us separate" he declared, from the PEOPLE
VINO nave cheated us OF our rights Let all go who
want to go, and those VINO don't want to go let
them stay where they please. 1 come here from
the sunny s5u:h to invite your cooperation to
help US in the struggle. The negroes are suffering
n The south. l tell you. We want to separate.
PIP suckers, l don't want your advice.
You know nothing about cur grievance. The
and unless you DO separate this quibbling over
civil and national rights Will so on for generation
after generation"
The Hon. Mr. Niles, continuing, declared that
IN negroes wanted a stat government for them
S.iveS IN the Union. We fought for their rights"
he exclaimed; ''now it is high time we fought Tor
our own. l mean to separate" He went on to
declare the grievances OF cOored people in the
south. and denounced politicians. Prior to the
liilc lney separated the cOlOred people wanted
separate voting precincts.
NO BIBLE FOR NEGROES.
During the course OF his remarks he observed
that negroes. or ''n1ggers," as he pronounced 1T,
ought 10 have nothing to do with the Bible any
how. as there was no negro on the Biblical con-
ventlon that translated it from the original tongue
~ you so to heaven at ALL he declared, ''yOu
have got to depend on going through your own
ne a p,f religion or get lett There is nothing in
ton OF affairs In the south, where the colored man
could not receive just price for his labor was
slavery.
A COLORED RAILROAD MAGNATE
Upon Mr. Niles taking his seat, Mr. E. F. Mar
tln black man of comfortable figure who looked
like capitalist, was introduced as the superln-
tenient and general manager OF the Wilmington,
Wr1ghtSville and OnsiOw railroad of North Caro-
ma. MIR Martin deposited a package OF papers on
the chairln1nS table, and began at on to assa1l
In vigorous llneu ,ge the Hon. j. w. Nils. He de-
MED that the condition OF the negro in the south
can't 1--we In the SOUTH" he said, 'is a cOwarl"and
TO show that cGlored men were prosperng he said
that among tue subscribers to his railroad were
many colorei men worth from s. 900 to $4,000 He
repeated that man Who could not live in the
south Was q coward
1--WE don't propose to leave the south. shouted
Mr.. Niles.
Mr.. MARTINS BLOOD BoILs.
''Men Ike you," said Mr.Martn referring to Mr.
Niles light complexion, "wOuld I'VE to be split in
pieces, and half go one way and half the other. l
am true negro, and my wife is white as anybody
Nobody is going to separate me from nav wife
There Is nothing in tiii5 void fear. fear Go |,
Dut there IS nothing else fear but rattleSn Ike and
md dog This burst OF el0quence was rapturous-
~ appiauied. when the applause SubSlded Mr..
Martin wiped his brow, looked benign and apollo
gLed Tor his Vehem ance by reInarlin e, "When a
man talks about the SOUTH who don't know any
timing about H. it makes my blood bOil' Mr.. Mar
tin having thus championed the south, and won
the attention OF his audience, proceeded to busl-
ness. He had the secretary read number OF
railroad passes TO impress the audience with his
import nee, and then described his RAILROAD
scheme, which he proposes to carry out chiefly
Through the aid OF small subscriptions from col
Ored people. Six miles Of road had already been
graded The right OF way and charter had been
schools and shops, and show what the colored
people cOul do in a practical way He said that
young young Athens could come here and learn how to
build railroad, and then go home and build a
railroad across Africa and thus the great CONT
nent would be enlightened
POLICE COURT LAWYERS AND ''CAPP ERs"
Mr.. Hewlett, Mr.. Smiths attorney, the next
speaker, did not comment much on Mr. Smiths
case, as he said 1t would be improper while the
case was pending in court. He sustained MIR.
Moss criticism onihe Police Court He said some
time ago white lawyers had system of soliciting
practice at the Police Court, the result or which
was that the cOlOred lawyers had little to do
Finally the coiOred lawyers attempted to do the
same thing. when hue and cry was raised that
tae coored lawyers had ''cappers" at work. TIE
judge on the bench attempted to dictate how law
yers should get practice. II defy that judge"
said Mr.. Hewlett, "tO prevent me from getting
business In the manner / see it,"
Rty. MIR. Laws followed in a speech deprecating
distinctions made against colored people, and es-
TO Keep up these meetings.
Rev George Ii. Smith male speech. He said
he had contention once before with the Bllti-
more and Norfolk Steamship company, which
lasted three years in court When they finally
got gentleman and lawyer on the BENCH the
steamship company had to pay the speaker $500
and $4,000 costs in addition. He referred rather
to the railroad scheme, and men
toned the Ashburn cOcOanut scheme, by which, he
sIid. the colored people We're sw1ndled out of
$4,000.
MIR, j. r. Cromwell here sprang up to defend Mr.
Martin from insult.
MR. MARTIN INDIGNANT.
Mr. Martin, rising, said: II want him to UNDER
stand that ir a man insults me 1t is my pleasure
whether will take 1t or not"
Mr.. Smith was undisturbed. He made no further
retracton than to say: II will be happy If you
build railroad in the south to keep my ladies out
or the ''Jim Crow car"
=, Mr. Arnold, rising, swept to the defense OF Mr..
Martin: ''You MT belong here" he said, land
yoI: have 10 right TO say IT."
MI. Smith said he had made no personal allusiOn
to Martin; II he had he would retract He hoped
the scheme would be better than the cocOanut
affair II made no aiusion," he said, ITO the
dishonesty OF that gentleman {Mr. Martin) or any
other"
MIR. Martin said to reporter while this colloauy
was going on: "Ii had my cane with me would
cane both OF those men, Niles and Smith. l allow
no one TO aSSail the south. was born in Georgia"
Mr. Arnold sailed in 10 reply 70 what he cOn,td-
arStn fhn