The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1890-02-22
HTERED At PosRoFFJCE As sECOHD-C GLASS IAffEl
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY %, 1890.
THE NATION IS AWAY OFF.


''Last month an 'Afro-American Lea
que held convention in Chicago, and
last week another convention of Colored
men was held in Washington. Both
gatherings proceeded upon the assump.
ton that the men of black skin in the
United States should hold themselves a
separate class in the citizenship of the
nation, and that they may properly de-
mand the enactment of class legislation
in.their behalf. Both gatherings will
strengthen the growing resentment
against those blind leaders of the blind
who are thus organizing an element
which constitutes only about an eight of
our inhabitants, in way which would
be thought intolerable if it were pro-
posed by Irish-Americans, or German
Americans, or Italian-Americans, and
which is exactly as inad1ci sible in the
case Of Afro-Americans. The lesson
that the Negro needs to master first of
all is that which was taught by the Su-
prene Court of the United States when
itannulled the Civil Rights Act, which
had been passed in his interest, and de-
clared that the time had come when he
ko1> fI,n, o,,lr
ceases to be the special favorite of the
laws, and when his rights as citizen, or
q man, are to be protected in the ordin-
AIRY modes by which other mems rights
are protected. 1.-THE Nation.
Neither convention proceeded upon
the assumption that Colored men should
hold themselves as separate class.
The League was formed for the express
purpose of breaking down the great
barrier of prejudice which now operates
so viciously against the Afro-American.
From birth to death his progress is re-
tarded by that monster Caste. The
Afro-American child born in the South
is doomed. 1t is compelled by law to
attend separate and generally inferior
school, which exists for the purpose of
intoxicating in the mind of every Colored
child that it is an inferior being. When
no oonbno manhood 49, >c
prejudice points him to separate
church, a separate and filthy railway
car, even if he pays first class fare,
separate and lofty gallery in the theatre,
while hotels and restaurants refuse to
entertain bim at all. The discrimina.
ton is even carried to the prison where
there is a separate ward for Colored
criminals. In the United States army
the Afro-American must fight for his
country In aseparate regiment Differed
by white men. The spirit of Caste does
not stop at the grave, for the Afro.
OAASoA 40 AlOV oAOWOu W Jury DIS
dead in Southern white cemeteries but
must have separate graveyards of his
own. The Irish-Americans, the Ger.
man-Americans, the Italian-Americans
and other naturalized Americans are
accorded all the rights which
denied to :. the native born Amer.
lean of African descent. Both
conventions declared against class legis-
lation. Politics was totally ignored in
the deliberations and in the case of the
Afro-American League the constitution
declares that no person holding public
Office, can be an officer Of the league,
The editor of the Nation certainly did
not read the Afro-American Leagues
address to the people Of the United
States or he would not have written as
he did.