The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-08-05
THE q. A. II. THREATENED.

Southern White Posts Declare Either They
the COiored Veterans Must Go
DETROIT. Aug. 4-There is one serious
dispute which threatens to mar the seren-
ity of the silver encampment of the g. A.
X. 1t Is peculiar that after the organiza-
ton has been in existence a quarter of q
century it should be threatened with dis
ruption by the everything color question"
but such is the fact. The men in the South
ern States who we're loyal to the Union in
the dark days of 1851 are the ones who in
sist that the negro has no place in the
social gatherings of the Grand Army of the
Republic. Col George Hedges. com.
msnder of the Department of Louisiana
and Mississippi. is Quartered at the Riddle
House. together with several trusty aids.
who have come prepared TO light the matter
out. UNLESS the thing IL Strengthened out
during this encampment," be said to-day.
there won't be white member of the q.
A. X. south of the Ohio or Potomac year
hence. They are Outnumbering us in the
posts. thus putting US directly under them.
We will not stand that We want to rule
ourselves and have the colored people 60
by themselves. Seven out of ten of the
c0lored posts of New Orleans are in favor
of il, but. as You know. there are always
some kickers, and. understand, delega-
fight us. We have received information
that two of Chicagos most influential col
Ored men are on their way to assist US, and
we think we will gain our point. All we
ask is provisional department.. embracing
Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas"
A dozen or more Southern white men ex-
pressed themselves in similar strain.
There are two sides 70 the cOlOred question
and Col. James Lewis tcOloredl. admins
traitor of police and adm nistrator of public
rlan of ANY ~ hkA N hrn m nj nf
the colored side. When asked what the
trouble in Louisiana was he said; Did
you ever know a time when there was DO
trouble in Louisiana 1t was Southern
man that fired the first shot On Fort Sum-
ter. 1t was Louisiana man that beat
General Beauregard for administrator of
public works, and Am that man, and
did something the 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 now
the colored trouble is sprung there.
Louisiana Is always in trouble. Well. there
were "a. 500 colored men enlisted in the
army from Loulslana-mOre than from all
other States together. We were regularly
enlisted we fought. as history tells you,
and then were bonorably discharged. With
these things to our credit We had all the
rights of any men to form G.. A. X. posts.
We did this and we we're recognized by
General Alger. when fight was made on
us. We have nine posts with q member
ship of over ]. 900. vet we are not recognized
by the commander of our department.. We
get no representation in the convention
and are ordered to report TO the commander
in-chief. We have prepared strong case
on the matter aud all ask is twenty five
minutes in which TO present 1t to commit
tee or the convention itself. The depart
ment commander thinks we want social
recognition. | claim the order is not a So
cIal one, but a fraternal one.