Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-01-28
OPPOSED TO EMIGRATION.
Colored Speakers Discuss Some Points
OF the Race Problem.


Of the Race Problem.
DR. PrRvrs TAXES issUf vrra sonE oy TEE
POINTS MADE BY Mr.. INGALLS, M rHrNKs
BISHOP TURNER sHoULD TRY LIBERIA Hrn-
sELF-Rrv. Mr. BROOKS RECOMMENDS PRAyHh
Senator Ingalls, speech and the other senate
orations on the colored question were discussed
last evening at public meeting Of colored cit
liens. The meeting was held at the Metropolis
tan Zion church under the auspices Of the
central bureau Of relief. and was one Of series
OF meetings inaugura,ed by the bureau. r. II.
Gieaves Of South Carolina presided and in his
introductory remarks stated that the president
OF the bureau, Perry II. Carson, was unable 10
be present. owing TO sickness. He eulogized
the absent president the founder OF the
bureau, and said that il was organized for the
purpose OF advocating the rights Of the colored
people. One OF the measures which il was
thought would improve their condition WAS the
more general diffusion Of education, and for
this reason the bureau advocated the passage
OF the Blair educational bill
DIR. PuRvIs' SPEECH.
He then introduced DIR. C. b. Purvis OF this
city as the first speaker Of the evening. The
doctor was suffering from cold which, how
u
forcible, and at times, eloquent speech. He
said that the central bureau of relief had been
organized in response 10 a universal desire on
the part Of the colored people 20 take some
action TO remedy the wrongs under which they
suffered After eulogizing Mr.. Carson's eff
forts Dr. Purvis said he thought that the name
OF the bureau should be changed 20 Equal
Ilghts association, for the reason that the or
ganizatlon was formed to create a sentiment in
favor OF securing TO every citizen his rights,
Inn 40 ha L..
OF the speaker the colored people will have to
DE the prime movers in securing their rights.
lhey must correct first, however, evils in their
own midst and avoid giving aid TO the enemy.
AN ENEMY TO HIS RACE
He thought that any one who assisted the
American colonization society or advocated any
emigration scheme was an enemy Of his race
The speaker declared his opposition, amid the
enthusiastic approval Of his hearers, to the
tramps from Liberia, as he termed them,
coming to this country and fattening upon the
colored people. This is the native country of
the negro, he added, and il was the place for
them. He criticised Senator Ingalls, for assist
ing the enemy by declaring in his recent speech
that the white and colored races have proved
80 be separate people, unable 10 live side by
side on this continent To say the least the
speaker thought such a statement was
mischieyious. He could understand why Sem
ator Morgan and Senator Butler favored the
e"israuon OF tne colored people. They
foresaw that at no distant day that their seats
IN the Senate would be filed by the represen-
tatives Of the colored race. These
Senators as well as other southern
men were not opposed TO the colored people as
such. No doubt many of them got their start
IN life from that fountain of food that comes
from black breast. What they were opposed
to was the awarding 10 the negro his political
rights. III the arguments advanced by these
men that the colored people don't amount to
anything are true, why then, the speaker
asked. are they afraid of them2 He believed
that the colored people were advancing, and
as they acquired education and wealth they
would be better able not only TO secure their
rights, but to keep them.
BISHOP TURNER'S ADVICE.
The speaker referred to Bishop Turner's adj
vocacy Of emigration as likely TO be mis-
chievous in its effects. For the past twenty
years, said DIR. Purvis, he had heard Bishop
Turner present arguments in favor of the col
ored people going to Liberia. He wondered
why the bishop did not go himself. II was
better place for the bishop to go. who believed
in II, than for one who did not believe in it.
and for one DIR. Puryis said that he believed
Liberia could not compare with this country as
a home for the colored people. He was conf
dent that the time was coming when the loyal
people of this country would compel the dis
loyal people 10 respect the rights OF the col
ored race. When, be said, the mercantile in
terests OF the north are affected as
they we're by slavery then active
measures would be adopted TO Sc
cure equality of rights in the south.
DIR. Puryis agreed with the statement made by
Senator Ingalls, in his recent speech that recon-
struction was a failure. But in his opinion the
failure OF reconstruction lay in the fact that
those who took up arms against their country
were allowed to come back into the Union as
citizens. Reconstruction is claimed by the
southern he fail fha
negroes have made SO little progress, and yet
when such a measure the Blair bill is pro-
posed, which is intended to dispel the shades
OF Ignorance, then every southern man 10
opposed to it.
REV. WALTER II. BROOKS ADDRESS.
The next speaker, Rev. Walter H. Brooks,
said that the indictment which the colored peo-
pie presented against the white people was
that they denied justice and equal rights TO the
colored brother. In the south the political
rights OF the negro were denied as well as their
civil and legal rights. 1t was the injustice Of
taking money from a negro for a tirst-class
passage on a railroad car and then forcibly
ejecting him from first-class cars that he COM
planned of. He referred TO the statement in
Senator Ingalls, speech that $50 colored men
had been lynched in the state of Mississippi in
the space of one year. The number of capital
cases in the entire country last year was only
ninety-eight and the speaker denounced
III strung language the system tnat
permitted such gross outrages upon
American citizens. He believed in organiza-
ton for the purpose Of agitation and creating
public sentiment, but while that was effective
yet he believed in prayer. He had faith that
the God who had guided aud preserved the
children of Israel would listen to the cry of
His children. He wanted the ministers in every
church In this country to pray for the colored
people. The speakers impassioned reference
TO his belief in the efficacy OF prayer evoked
fervent CALCULATIONS Of approved from all parts
Of the church.
W. ii. II. HART.
The last speaker, w. II. II. Hart expressed
the belief that while the trunk Of the tree Of
slavery had been cut down the roots, which
were embedded in ignorance and poverty, still
remained. What was needed was general
education, which would dispel ignorance and
enable the colored people to acquire positions
OF respect In the country. This, he thought
could be accomplished by the Blair bill and
for this reason the colored people favored the
bill. He believed that the denial of rights
under which the colored race suffered would
disappear when the negro became educated
and had acquired the position and wealth
which follows education. He referred 10 the
convention Of colored men which would be
held in this city next week and said that il was
brought together to consider the interests of
the race. He believed that the convention
would favor the Blair bill and a federal cleo
ton law which would protect the colored
people in their rights as citizens.
Before the meeting adjourned the call fog
the convention was read The pastor of the