The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1890-02-13
NO Use FOR THE LEAGUE.
SCORING THE AFRICAN CONVEN-
TION.
Rev. Andrew J. Chambers, a PrOmi-
nent COlored Man of North Carolina,
DenOunces the Recent Meeting of
Negroes as Biased and Prejudiced.
[Chicago Herald.I

[Chicago Herald.I
Rev. Andrew J. Chambers, pastor
of the African Methodist Episcopal
Church, of Durham, N. c., and the
only regularly elected delegate from
that State to the late Afro-American
League, which met in Chicago, is un-
measured in his denunciation of the
theory and methods of the convention,
upon which he charges denials Of lib
erty of speech. Mr.. Chambers is a
young man of fine address whose elo
quence has won high praise from the
late Henry w. Grady and other dis
tnguished editors of the South. He
speaks with freedom and has at ready
command a wealth of appropriate
words.
al was elected" said he, ga dele
gate from the only colored league in
North Carolina IN order that l might
come here to deny from my place in
that body that the colored people Of
the South suffer from any unusual and
inhuman treatment at the hands of
the white people of that section. Every
little personal encounter between a
white man and negro is magnified
and the whole section mathematical
as one sore spot of the republic. 1t is
about time that the self-respecting
colored people of the South call halt
to the traducers of their white neigh
bors. But things were all cut and dried
before l reached Chicago. The edict
had gone forth that Dixie must be
damned and no negro defender of that
maligned region could be heard amid
the tumult of the Northern mob.
"There was no call from the South
for the convention. But for my per-
sonal efforts to secure official recogni-
ton in that body there would have
been not single league in that State,
and consequently no delegate. l or
ganized the league that there might
be no question as to the legality of my
taking a seat in the convention, and
thus be afforded an opportunity to be
heard in defence of my neighbors and
friends of the South. Rev. Mr.. Price
Of my State was present as a signer of
the call, but it required vote OF that
body to entite him to the privilege of
participation in its proceedings. AS a
fact the convention was composed
mostly Of Northern delegates.
alt is true that great number Of
colored people are leaving North Car
olina, but not because of persecution.
They have had three crop failures in
succession and they seek better ag
rlcultural region. If prosecuted why
do they not fly from it to the free
North where philanthropists cook pigs
and place them upon the doorsteps of
negroes7 Instead, they are going to
the Mississippi Valley Of the South
where prosecutions are as unjustly
charged as in my own State.
aldo not claim that everything is as
felicitous at the South as could be de =
sired nor can this be SO in any COM
munity Of christendom where there is
a superabundant population of a lately
emancipated race. l was reared in
Ohio within four miles Of General
Grants birthplace. Colored people
were prosecuted there. They couldn't
attend church except in body, be-
cause of assaults of white rabble.
When a boy l would be sent to the
postofice by my mother and had to
dodge around corners to escape the
attacks of white boys, sons of aboli-
tionists who voted the Republican
ticket, and were made upon me solely
because l was negro. What time
has done to modify sentiment in Ohio,
time will also do at the South.
The white people of the South
merit more of commiseration from
mankind than of course from the negro
because of the complex and difficult
problems which address themselves to
them for adjustment.
81 dissented from the sentiments
voiced by the convention, but was de
MED the opportunity of expressing
that dissent. The Northern delegates
were so solicitous for us of the South,
that they would not suffer me, poor
negro of the South, to say one word in
defence of that section, although more
than one effort was made in this direc-
ton. They complain OF restriction of
free speech at the South, yet here in
the State of Lincoln, Grant and Logan
they deny::the right of liberty of speech
to man of their own race, because he
does not indicate purpose to slander
every minister, merchant, lawyer, ply
sician and planter in the land in
which he lives, the said ministers, law
yers, merchants, physicians and plant
ers representing the race that is the
staff and stay Of the life, liberty and
real happiness the negroes of the South
enjoy. I warned them that should
combat tLe theory upon which the
is founded and perempto-
rily declined to accept the position Of
vice-president, because l shall not only
resign from the local league at Durham
and advise it to disband, but shall
also do all in my power to convince
the colored people that no Afro-Amer-
ican league can usurp the functions of
law in the various States Of
the republic nor abrogate the functions
OF individual autonomy.
"Had l been permitted to address
the convention l should have told
some plain truths. l should have de-