The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-01-27
SUPPORT EBERT
Colored People Praise the President for
Recognizing the Claims of Their Race.
The Marion County Medical Society Hauled
Over Red.Hot Coalsand DR.. Ferguson Said
to Be Top-Heavy with Vanity.

Aho mcetin8 Calico Iof the Mlcnlgan-
street Baptist Church. last night. brought
out q large audience of colored citizens to
express their qualification at the appoint
ment of Dr.. s. A. Ebert by President Har-
rison upon the local board of pension ex-
antiners. Ths Brotherhood Band furnished
music for the occasion, and. after o number
OF choice musical selections. tho meeting
was called to order by Hon. J. 8. Hinton.
We have assembled in msss-meetipg this
evening"" said that gentleman. Ito give
expression regarding the appointment of q
representative man of our people to q high
position, ! have known this man twenty
seven years. from the time he came to this
city q painting slave."~ w. Allison Sween-
ey's motion that Prof. W.. ID. Mccoy be
made permanent chairman prevailed. Upon
taking the chair Prof. Mccoy spoke briefly
said that the President, In appointing him,
bad not only recognized the race and the
citizen, but the educated physician and
Christian gentleman. Messrs. Sims, Wal
den and Walsh were made secretaries of the
meeting, n the following were chosen
Independents: Rev. j. X. Rayner, Rev.
Wm.S Singleton, G.. l.. Knox, VIM. Z. Mays.
Geo. w. billiard, John Puryear, John Will
son. DR.. Perry. Felix Davis q. W. Reed,
Henry Moore, Robt. Russell. John Owens.
The COMMITTEES of seven on resolutions
that was provided for consisted of w. Al
lison Sweeney. j. 8. Hinton, Benz. I.
thornton, Il. b. Cooper, LII. Christy. +.
Is. Allen, George Keeble. The committee
retired. and Felix Davis. John Puryear and
Nathan Pearce were delegated TO await
upon DR.. Ebert and escort him to the
meeting. Upon the return of this commit
tee with the Doctor there was an
outburst Of enthusiasm that indicated to
of his friends. Brief speeches were made
by X. w. Thompson. DIR. VIM. l.. Perry.
Lawrence Newly, John Owens, George l..
Knox and Mr.. Rush, in which testimony
was given to their appreciation OF Dr.. FL
bert's standing as citizen and q physician.
the appointment of so excellent q repre-
sentative of the race.
Mr.. Sweeney, of the com mirtee on reso-
%lutions. then read the following:
Whereas. 1t has pleased the President of the
S Snlrsa Of S pens,o 10 s spp1lns a' Of z 1 ms%Dsp III o ons
esteemed neighbOr aud fell0w-citlzen, DR.. 8. A.
Ebert. who, for nearly a quarter of a century,
has been an active, honorable and .serviceable
member OF this community. and whose public
and private character as an upright Christian
gentleman and law-abidiDg citizen Is Us unas-
sailabie and pronounced as Is his professional Mt
ness and qualifications to discharge with credit
and skill the duties OF the office that through the
choice OF the President ne has been assigned to;
and,
whereas, We view with feelings of pity and
humiliation the recently published resolutions
Of the Marion County Medical Society, in which,
at some length and IN very unreasonable Ian
guage. its members so far forget themselves as
an organization OF cultured gentlemen as TO
challenge or question the honor and purity Of
the motives that aetuated the chief magistrate
or our country In appointing DR.. Ebert. There
Is a certain license OF speech and accusation that
irresponsible people, without home, character
or reputation, sometimes are prompted to in
dulge in: but what excuse can be made for
education and refinement that substitutes
license for TRUTH What excuse can there be for
ured as the Marion County Medical Society lend
ing themselves, through published resolutions,
to the small and dishonorable work OF assisting
a very small man, evidently top-heayy from ex,
cessiye vanity, color prejudice and disappointed
ambition, To question in one breath the integrity
OF our President and the professional qualiica-
tons OF a man who graduated with honor and
distinction, nearly twenty years ago, from lndi-
ana's most celebrated medical school. and who
has been q successful and constant practitioner
ever sincel Therefore, be 1t
Resolved, That we, the colored people of In
dianapolis, do hereby deny, emphatically and
publicly. the charge made by the Marion County
Medical Society, to wit: thai President Harrison
was actuafed only by partisan motives in APP
pointing Dr.. 8. A. Ebert upon the board of pen
sion examiners for Indianapolis, and that DIR.
Ebert Is unqualified, professionally, to discharge
-
ness of purpose. straightforward action and in
tegrity Of motive, BENJAMIN Harrison needs no
defense at our hands. However men may differ
from him politically, no man has yet been found
save this creature Ferguson TO doubt that his
public acts always anticipated the public good
regardless OF race, section or locality. PROBES
sionally, III DIR. Elberts competency needs to be
questioned, we prefer to be guided by the action
OF the honorable and very able faculty OF the In
diana a, Medical College, wi who. sun5est,nS him d%5,s1
wisdom OF the schools, sent him out into the
world heralded by their professional indorse-
ment as an educated. fuli-fedged physician. And
Resolved, That we tender anew to DR.. Ebert
our earnest consideration and esteem for him as
a aced g0odI s,s,5ep nby 1.s Christian and fsrtberl MAJ ana q
copy OF these resolutions be cent TO the President
of the United States. and to the offices OF the
Journal. Sentinel, News, Freeman and World or
this city.
The resolutions were nm unanimously adopt
ed, as was also Q resolution commencing the
Eclectic Medical Society of Marion county
for the magnamous spirit displayed in the
adoption of resolutions commanding the
appointment of DR.. Ebert.
Letters were read from q number of
prominent colored men commencing the
appointment Of tho Doctor. Among these
were letters from Hon. John X. Lynch,
Fourth Auditor Of tho Treasury, Washing
ton. ID. c.; Broad-Axe Smith, Pittsburg. Pa.
Kokomo; Rev. H. II. Thompson, Mad
ison; Rev. Allen Robinson, Sidney,
Ill. Mr.. Lynch, in his letter. remarked:
DIR. Elbert's appointment is another
evidence of President Harrison's determine
ton TO see that colored Americans receive
from his administration recognition COM
mensurate with their. merits. their worth
and their Importance as q factor In the
politics of the country. Whatever may be
the opinion of others, the colored people, /
am sure, have not now. and will not have
in the future, IN justifiable cause to COM
plain of their treatment by the present
administration
Following the reading of the letters came
a number of stirring speeches by DR.. j. L.
Boyd. w. Allison Sweeney and others. Dr..
Boyd. the only white speaker, was present
for a purpose. He made the explanation
that he, a homeopathic physician. had
himself been q candidate for the position to
which the President had appointed DR..
Ebert. He desired to testify to the worth
mess of the appointee, who belonged to
another school of medicine. 'If,n said the
Doctor in conclusion, DIR. Ferguson was
thrown into fits by the appointment of a
colored man i suppose had a homeopath
been chosen he would have had an attack
of commissions more severe"
The meeting adjourned at a late hour,
tho occasion assuming after the speech of
DIR. BOYD the nature of a love feast.