Huntsville gazette., 1886-10-16
K of I and the Negro.
GRAM MASTER PowDERtEY's LETTER
IN DEFENSE OF THE NOBLE AC-
TIoN OF THE KNIGHTS IN RIs-
ING ARovE PREJUDICE

ING ABOVE PREJUDICE.
RICHMOND, Va, Oct. 11.-1n const- :
quence of the question which have
been raised by the presence here OF
Farrell aud other colored delepa es
to the general assembly. Mr. Pow
derly has written the following let
ter. stating his views Oh the sub
iect.
RICHMOND. Oct. ii.
Much has been raid and written
concerning the ~. Dts which have
transp;, ed in the city Of Richmond
during the past ten days. and rs J
am res .,onsiblefor great deal OF
tue agitation. it is but proper that l
should le permitted to speak to rs
large AL audience as hat which liz
tens To those who have criticised,
m,scons, rued and d:s.ostedihe words
aud ideas intended TO be conv 'yed
by my ntturances of October, 4. when
Francis Farrell introduced me to the
meeting assembled in the arm cry.
/ stated to the meeting that it wa
at my +. quest That Mr.. Farrell, a
representative 0. the colored r.ce, in
r. 1aft 10 -,
make the selection. and | did it after
mature declaration and careful
thought l have not seen nor heard
an argument since then that would
cause me to do differently o-day.
Critics have seen fit to decide what !
meant by selecting this man to intro
duce me and they have assertt d inat
my actionm ust be regarded in the
light of an attack upn the laws OF
social equality. Part Of the South
has attacked in most unj justifiable
manner a man, who, under the flg
and constitution Of his country, se-
leyted another man and citizen Of the
republic to perform public duty in
a public place
In ackL owled3ing his iutroduc-
ii n. | referred to the prejudice
which existed against the colored
man. If. previous to that day. | had
any doubt. that pr-j udice existed
they have been removed by the
hasty and iCconsiderate action of
those who wele quick to see an iE-
suit where none was intended. My
sole object in selecting colored man
to introduce me WAS to encoura ge
and help to
UpLIFT HIS RACE FIR NJ b NDANGCE
worse than that which held him III
chains twenty. Eve years ago, viz !;
mental slavery. desired to impress
upon the minds Of the whites and
b!acke that the same result followed
action in the field Of labor, whether
that action was on the part Of Cau-
casian or negro laborer. Two years
ago, in an address deliverel in this
city, I said to the people of R ch-
mono? You stand fnce to face
with stern living reality respol- :
sibility which can not be avoide ! or
shirked. The negroquestion is as
prominent to-day as itever was
The first proposition that stares US
in the face is, the negro is free; he
;s here and be is mere to stay. He is
a citizen and must l.arn to manage
his own affairs. His labor and that
Of the white man will b. thrown up
on the market side, and no human
ave can det. ct the differenc- etween
an article manufactured by black
mechanic and that manufactured by a
white mechanic. Both clli'n an
equal share of the protection afford
al American labor, aud both me-
chan;cs must sink their difference or
else fall prey to the slave labor
now being imported to this coun-
try"
wsn, t-csiticise ! far saying that
and vet that is as suscepti ,e OF crit
icism a. my wordr on Oct. A.. |
did not refer t, social equ slity. for
that cannot b. regulated by law
The sar City Of the fresiGe cannot
be invaded by,thcse who are not
valcome. Every man has the right
to sav who shall enter beneath his
roof. who saal occupy the came bed,
n-;yate conveyance o. such oshe