Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1889-08-23
TEXAS NEGROES.
They Adopt an Address Calling on White
People for Certain Things.
They Do Not Indorse the Selling of Votes, and
Say to Elect the Best Men-Thank
Cities for Their Help.
Special to the Gazette.

|
WACO, TEX. Aug. 22.-The following
address issued by the cololed men S state
convention, held in the city of Waco,
cas- been adopted:
We, the representatives of the negroes
of Texas, in convention assembled in the
city of Waco, rejoice in the fact that
| through the press, the swift winged mes
senger, we can address the people of our
state, presenting our grievances before
the bar of public opinion. which is the
! highest court reviewing our progress ;,
| endeavoring to correct our mistakes and
resolving to make greater efforts in the
| future to improve our race and the coun-
| try.
Circumstances over which we had
no control have made us citizens of the
| United States and of the state of Texas,
and we have earnestly striven to show
| ourselves worthy of this great boon. But
| while many of our white fellow citizens
seem willing to accord to the negro all
the rights of citizenship, our people are
still compelled to suffer many wrongs. In
some coun ties we are denied the free ex-
ercise of the elective franchise, which is
the dearest of all human rights. We be-
lieve that the whites are responsible for
our election troubles, because they are
| the result of bossism and race antagonism.
As a general thing in the counties where
election troubles have occurred certain
rings and clIques have established sort
of local monarchy and against which we
appeal to the state authorities for protec-
ton. We advise our people in local
elections to vote for the best men in
their communities; we cannot
afford to practice venality. The
man who barriers and sells his vote is I'M
worthy to be citizen. In many coun-
ties of the state colored men are denied
the right Of serving on the juries, though
possessing the legal qualifications for
jurors. This is manifestly unjust be-
cause the laws give to every citizen the
right of trial by jury of his peers.
We are also unjustly Disseminated
against by some of the railroad companies
and other public carriers of the state.
The bugbear of social equality is no ex-
cuse for such treatment, because there is
no social equality in persons riding to-
gether in the same cars, and why is it
that negroes in the capacity of servants
are not Objectionable in first-class cars
and steamboat cabins? Is a mental en-
titled to more respect than gentleman
or lady who has paid first class fare?
Surely our white fellow citizens, with all
their wealth and intelligence, can afford
to give US an equal chance with
them in the race of life. We do
not ask for any special legislation, but
we do insist upon being accorded the equal
benefits and protection of the laws. We
condemn mob violence in all its forms,
and we remind our white fellow citizens
L.
ceases to be a virtue, and while we do
not advise retaliation, we feel that the
continuation of lynch law Will eventually
lead to this. The negroes of Texas have
made commendable progress since eman-
cipation. Twenty-four years ago we
were turned loose without money,
property or education, and we
now own about one million
acres of land and we pay taxes on $780,
900, 900 worth of property. We have
1000 churches, 1000 Sunday schools, 1000
benevolent associations, 10 high schools,
$500 common schools, 5000 teachers,
1875 ZOO pupils attending schools, % doc
tors, % lawyers, 100 merchants, 5000
mechanics, Is newspapers, hundreds of
farmers and stockmen and several in
ventors.
We are very grateful to the state for
the liberal appropriation of funds for the
founding and support of Prairie View
state normal school and for the support
of our common schools. We also thank
the cities of Galveston, Houston, San
Antonio, Austin, Waco, Brennan, Cor
sicana, Fort Worth, Dallas, Sherman,
Denison, Marlin, Paris and others for the
liberal appropriations they have made
for the founding and support of our city
public schools.
To us the future of Texas is hopeful,
grand and glorious; and we are resolved
to do our full part in the development of
this magnificent empire state. We urge
our people to shun the vices and initiate
the virtues of the whites by earnestly
striving to be intelligent, moral, relig-
ious, industrious, economical and good
citizens. American slavery was tried be-
fore the bar of the public opinion of the
civilized world, was condemned and had
to die, and similar fate awaits race
prejudice. Respectfully submitted,
S. H. SMoTHERs,
Chairman;
I. B. SCOTT,
j. n. GILLETT,
o. C. QUEEN,
J. II. JACKSON,
w. H. TwINE,
J. c. CAIN,
w. H. BLOUNT,
r. G.. EDMoNDsoN,
Committee on Address.
The colored mems convention adj
journed sine die after disposing of sew
eral resolutions and reports of commit
tees. The state executive committee
was appointed, and they are instructed
to call a national convention some time
in 1890.
STABBED TO THE HEART.
A Grocer Surprises Burglars at Their Work and
is Murdered-Arrests.
NEW YORK, Aug. 22.-At an early
hour this morning three thieves broke