The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-08-05

ETRoIT, Mich, Aug. 4.-lSpeciall-
There is ono serious dispute which
threatens to mar the serenity of the
silver encampment Of the Il. A. Il. 1t is
peculiar that after the organization has
been in existence aquartcr of century
that it shoul2 be threatened with dirup-
ton by the ever living color question"
but such is fact.
The men in the Southern States who
were loyal to tho Union in the dark
days o: 81 are the ones who insist that
the negro has no place in the social
gatherings OF the Grand Army of tho
Republic. Colonel George j. Hedges,
commander of the Department of Louis
lana and Mississippi, is Quartercd at
the Biddle House, together with several
trusty aids who havo come prepared to
flht the matter out.
UNLESS the thing il straightenc out
during this cncampment" he said "there
won't be white member of the G.. A.
r.. south OF the Ohio or the Potomac a
year hence. They are outnumbering
ua In posts thus putting us directly
under them. That we will not stand.
Now we want to rule ourselves and have
the colored people so by themselves
Seven out OF ten Of the colered posts OF
New Orleans are in favor of it, but as
you know there are always some
kickers, and understand delegation
from the colored posts arc coming to
fight us. We have received informa-
ton that two of Chicago's most in
fluential colored men are on their way
to assist us and we think we will gain
our point. All we ask for is provisional
department embracing Florida, Louis
ana, Mississippi and Texas"
a dozen or more Southern white men
expressed themselves in a similar strain.
There are two sides to the colored q ues-
ton and Col James Lewis (colored),
administrator Of police and administra.
tor OF public works OF New Orleans, is
the champion of the colored side. When
asked what the trouble in Louisiana
was, he said: "Did you ever know a
time whom there was no trouble In
Louisiana? 1t was Louisiana man
that fired the first gun on Sumter 1t
was Louisiana man that beat General
Beauregard for administrator Of public
works and am that maa and / did
something Union generals did not do.
The first colored regiment was raised in
Louisiana. Louisiana was the first
State to decide for Hayes. The Italian
riot was in Louisiana and new colored
trouble is sprung there.
Louisiana is always in trouble-well
there were $500 colored men enlisted
i'll the army from Louisiana, more than
from all the oshcr States together. We
were regularly enlisted; we fought as
history tells you, and then we were hon
orably discharged. With these things
to our credit we had all the rights OF any
man TO form e. a. r. post. We did
this and we were recognized by General
Alger when the fight WAS made on us.
We have nine posts with membership
OF over 1000, yet we are not recognized
by the commander OF our department.
we get no representation in convention
and are ordered to report to the com
mandcr in chief. We have prepared a
strong case on the matter and all ask
is 25 minutes in which to present to the
committee or the convention itself. The
department commander thinks we want
social recognition. claim the order is
not q social one but an historic and fra.
ternal one"
1t has been the desire OF all promi-
nent leaders Of the organization that
the 25th encampment should be the
'HOos oASOSooAul III IHC Vi Jllc W.
A. r.. and the parade alike, the most
magnificent the order has ever known
Certain it is the multitudes which are
assembled in Detroit are larger than
the City OF Straits has ever greeted be-
fore and in magnificencc of pagcantry
and beauty of decorations, to-dav's pa.
rade is without precedent in years that
have gone.
Illinois had the right OF the line with
1000 men, by reason of seniority in or
ganization, the G.. A. r. having origin
ate in that State. Michigan had fifteen
THOUSAND men in the procession and
Ohio. thirteen thousand: Indiana, $500
New York, 2,000: Massachusetts, $500:
Pennsylvania, 800; Missouri. 500, and
Wisconsin, 700. These were the strong
est State delegations The Department
OF the Potomac of Washington sent five
hundred; California had twenty men in
the line. being the smallest representa-
ton Of any of the Northern or Western
States.
Constant recognition Of we'll known
veterans in the line OF march kept en-
thusiasm at fever heat, and there was
no cessation of applause from end to
end OF the line; but the stuffed eagle
that was carried in line by the Eighth
Wisconsin in the Army OF the Potomac.
now carried by the veterans of that
regiment. probably met heartier and
more universal recognition than any OF
the living men.
Tonight is given up to hospitality
and receptions, and campfres abound.
Outraged and Murdered.
WILMINGTON, N. c., August al Spc.
ciall-Florence Sutton, young colorcd
girl, was outraged and murdered last