The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-01-16
AFRo-AMERIoAN LEAGUES.
The National Convention Assemblies
at Chicago.

CHICAGO, Jan. 15-The national conven-
ton of Afro-American leagues was called
to order this morning by T. Thomas
Fortune, editor of the Age of New York.
Delegates were present from twenty-one
states and the District of Columbia, but the
delegates from the state of Illinois more
than outnumbered all the rest. Altogether
there were 200 colored persons in the theater
when the proceedings began. TT Fortune
was chosen temporary chairman and l.. +.
Barnet, editor of the ConSerUdtOr, Of Chi
cago, and Harry G.. Smith of the Gazette, of
Cleveland, were made secretaries. The re-
mainder of the session was given to the ap-
pointment of standing committees.
In the afternoon Chairman Fortune was
called upon to address the meeting. He
began by saying:
We are met here to-day, representatives Of
| 8 600 900 freemen, who know our rights and
have courage to defend them. We are here to
emphasize the fact that a position of depend
have used US for selfish and un-
holy purposes. who have murdered, and
robbed and outraged us, must be reversed
We have been robbed of the honest wages Of
our toll; we have been robbed OF the substance
of our citizenship by murder and intimidation;
we have been outraged by our enemies and
deserted by our friends. 1t is time 60 call
halt 1t is time to begin to fight fire with fire.
| speak as an AtroAmerlcan first, last and all
| the time, ready to stab to death any political
| party which robs me Of my confidence and my
| vote, and straightway asks me what am going
| to do about it.
In conclusion, he urged the convention to
| leave each local league free to pursue such
| a political course in its immediate commu-
nifty as the best interests of race seem to
dictate In national affairs the league
should not commit itself officially to any
party. "We propose" }" he declared, ito ac-
| oo,,,y1ioE our Y1y1rnOaag bu YAapaff1l mnthOdS
of agitation, through the ballot and the
courts; butif others use weapons of violence
| to combat our peaceful arguments, 1T is not
for us to run away. What is worth having
is worth fighting for"
| Fortune was frequently interrupted by
loud and long continued applause, and at
| the close he received the congratulations Of
| all the people present.
| A committee on permanent officers was
| appointed, and an adjournment until to-
| morrow was taken.
This evening the delegates were given
banquet in the First regiment armory, ar
ranged by the local committee.
| G. II. j. Taylor, ex-minister to Liberia,
| who came to Chicago to report the conven-
ton in detail for the Atlanta Constitution,
| the New Orleans Times Democrat, the
Nashville American aud number of other
papers in the south, left the city by an early
| evening train, In an interview he declared
the proceedings were deprived of any
practical force by the absence of
delegates from the south, where the
| colored people were most Interested in the
race question. In addition, leaders in
whom the colored population of the country
had confidence, and whose names are
familiar to the public, were absent almost
to man, notably the colored bishops and
other clergy. Taylor said he saw nothing
as to the work of the convention that the
occasion did not demand.