St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-08-26
UP IN ARMS.
CoIored Citizens Will Test the Lee
gaIitY of a Tennessee Law.

Colored Citizens Will Test the Lee
gality of Tennessee Law.
The colored citizens of st. Paul are
emphatic in denunciatiOn Of the treat
ment of Col. Sam Harry at Knoxville,
Tenn. when he went there as a dele
gate to the National Afro-American
league. Col. Hardy, to use his
own expression, was "ushered out"
of the firSt-claSs compartments
everywhere, from the railroad trains
to the depot and picnic grounds,
and required to have recourse
to compartments designated for the col
ored people. Being accustomed to go
where he pleased at home, and to en-
jOying all the civil privileges accorded
to his white brother in St. Paul. he felt
| somewhat harassed by his treatment
down in Tennessee. When he related
his experiences to his colored friends at
home, they took up his cause in a way
that shows their resentment. His
friends advised the redoubtable Hardy
to bring suit against the railroad
that was particularly exact in show
ing discrimination because of color.
To further such action mass meeting
was called for last evening at the Pill
grim Baptist church, wealthy congre-
SNbAOu VI COAO1CO POOP4Cs AA4O1O was
quite large attendance of prominent
cOlOred people. The well-knOwn attOr-
ney. T. l.. McGhee. presided and J. W.
Smith acted as secretary. Mr.. McGhee,
in stating the object of the meet
ing, delivered himself in his
usually eloquent manner. He said
that Tennessee, Arkansas, MiSsiS-
sippi and Texas had passed laws
which they denominated as being for
the purpose of promoting morality,
health, progress and the social condi
ton, but which mad for their object
separate apartments in railway trains
for the white people, to the exclusion of
the negro. Virginia proposed to eX-
tend this restriction to the street cars
and not to pay coiOred teachers out of
the public school fund. He declared
that the colored people should call
haltin this course, and believed that
Minnesota was the place to begin. This
state being the source of the father of
waters, the bark of reform should be
launched here and allowed to float on
the bosom of the Mississippi river, car
rying with it the reform that should
give the negro equal social and civil
liberties with the white man.
Mr.. Hardy, being called upon for a
statement, detailed his experience.
When ne got to Tennessee he was put
out of a tirSt-claSS coach, although he
had a frst-class Pullman ticket, and
was compelled by force TO take COM
partment in the train designated for
cOlored people. AT the depot the police
man required him to seek like desig-
mated quarter, and SO at a picnic
ground he was required to go
to part designated as set apart
for colored people and dogs. Mr..
Hardy protested to all this, claiming
that he was a citizen of Minnesota,
where 10 such law existed, and as he
was not citizen of Tennessee, they
had no right to require him to submit
to law that he regarded unreasonable.
Speeches were also made by r. E.
Anderson, w. II. Hazel and others, adj
VOcating the Institution of a suit to test
the validity of the Tennessee law.
A resolution was offered and adopted
which is as follows:
Reaffirming our declaration heretofore
| made that sAeVery colOred citizen has been
most fagrantly insulted and his citizenship
| debased by the enactment of the odiOus sep
| arate car act of Tennessee, which went into
force on the 18th day of June, 1891, and be-
| lieving il duty we owe to ourselves and our
race to have the validity of said act tested in
the highest court of our land. be it
Resolved That we assembled do constitute
| and appoint a committee of twelve, whose
duty it shall be to devise such ways and
means as it may deem best to the end of
| insututing SUCH proceedings as are necessary
TO test the constitutionality Of said act; and
said committee, when appointed, is hereby
! given plenary power to collect and expend
! funds, and do all other things necessary in
| the premises.
Resolved further, That as soon as practical
| bic said committee shall issue an address
| through the press and pulpit soliciting poPu-
lar subscription and cooperation for the
purpose OF the promotion of the premises.
A subscription was started for the
purpose of carrying out the purpose of
the resolution. There was 500 sub
scribed and $40 paid in. The following
committee was named to issue and cir
culate the appeal referred to and to
raise further funds:
F. L. McGhee, R. E. Anderson, Harry
! Howard, Charles Marian. j. @. Adams,
| Charles James, W. A. Heel, A. Jackson, J.
W. Smith, r. Higdon, Dan Harden and An
| drpy Jackson