The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1891-11-21
CIVIL RIGHTS.
Great Platform Meeting atMarket Hall
Monday Evening
Archbishop Ireland, Rev. w. S. Vail and
ID. Augustus Straker, of Detroit,
Mich, were the Speakers
for the Occasion.

ncsota civil rights committee for the pu1
pose OF protesting against the injustice don
the colored race in the passage of such act
as tile separate car act of the state of Ten
nessee. The meeting, had beea widely ad
VcrAsed and q number Of distinguished or.
atorS secured, among whom was Dr. .Au
gustine Straker Of Detroit, Mich, the vel
known colored civil rights advocate MAJ
whose legal ability and fame as an orato
have given him a national reputation
and who is at present being con
sldered for the appointment O
Judge in the court of appeals by President
Harrison. At o'clock the audience wa:
not very large or an inspiring one, but a:
some delay was experienced in calling the
meeting to order the old Market hall was
we'll filled when Chairman f. L. McGhee
the we'll known colored attorney Of thi:
city, rose to make his Introductory re-
marks. On the platform with the speakers
Of the evening were +. l.. McGhee, Gen
Andrews. Fathers Z. r. Heffron Joseph
1!llS Thomas Shields and Barber, lie Pere
eros, II. S. Falrchild, W. A. Hazel, Col. s.
Il. Hardy and }. @. Adams.
Mr.. McGhee in calling the assembly tc
i \
but yesterday, he said. when it was pro.
Gained that the black man had no rights
which his white brother was bound to re-
spect. The meeting was called to speak OF
principles and 10 make all appeal TO the
noble sentiment of the American people
for justice and law. In Introducing Arch.
bishop Ireland Mr.. McGhee said he was a
man second to none in the world in the
championship Of the rights OF mankind
ARCHBISHOP IRELAND
was greeted with great applause. In SUBJ
stance he spoke as .ollows:
am proud to stand here this evening on this
platform OF equal rights for all men. l am
proud to Call All men my brothers, proud that
am able to rise above prejudice. This is
prejudice and prejudice most unfounded. Has
America SO far forgotten her principles that she
makes slaves of men? When the war broke out
1,OoO,DOO We're i'll chains. 7 he American intel
lect could not view face to face this slavery 1t
found no reason Tor Justiiying it. Men sought
TO persuade themselves that because OF all acct
dent ID color the back men were inferior beings
and not entitled to any rights But at last con-
science revolted and the slaves we're emtsuci-
pated. Thank God that the day came when the
declared That there were slaves no longer be-
meath these stars and stripes. Unfortunately
the old prejudice exists. We still cling to o. no.
ton that they are not our equals and push
them aside. This is naught but preju-
dis imm naT Ths Soul betors d Tie
nipotent we are equals. We. are all
his children and by what right dare neil come
and say there are those among us who are Ill
feror and must be treated as such. Christ
drew no lines between races, and he commanded
his apos! les to preach the word to
When Christ announced his doctrine the world
was very low; indeed, one-nalf OF the Roman en-
lire We're slaves. No distinction was made OF
color Romans made slaves of Roman NEIL
But Christ's doctrine spread over the nations
and tie death knel OF slavery was sounued.
Why should we now deny these doclrlues Of
Christ?
his prejudice against a race OF men is m
worthy oI human reason, of those calling them
selves Christians; and especially is it unworthy
have done i'll the past in GODS name let us
cease this contradiction in our practices. We
should be more than Just in making amends
Tor the past. THIS pre- udice is strongly marked
in certain Southern states, but am sorry to
say that it extends beyond the northern line of
those states: We do not give the colored man
< dc not not u Hderstd Why th. ano pr5u
dice, is SO persistent and Why
Intelligent men partake OF this prejudice. In the
given the lie to all the enemies OF their race.
The trial has been given, and l doubt if an
equal number OF white men on this globe. re-
duced as they have been by servitude, wou.d
have made The progress Of our American
negroes. We should be delighted to SIZE them
climbing upward Let them be as cultivated as
Cney can De, anu llCellSeuC, Yet CneH are not att
ted to Il seat i'll the same car with their
white brothers, 1t is te ling them that they
made Tor the low degrees OF civilization. Oh.
shame on our humanity! But it will not be
possible to keep them down. and the records in
the future shall show that they have obi aimed
their rights in spite OF their brethren.
The question is a serious one However much
we depreca e mis- PREF Uu.ce 1t does exist, and it
Will take time TO overcome 1t. We must agitate
this question, for ii We do not the prejudice will
gro" stronger and deeper: / hope this move
state to state until in every city there is a So
ciety to protest against this inj9stee to the
ultimate good sense of the American people. and
the Civil Rights ASSOCIATION will test
certain state laws which mark out these
differences between the races. and particularly
was thrust out OF public railway car III that
state, and his is to be made Il test Case 1t does
seem % ME that such Il law cannot find defense
III the federal courts of our government. Ii it is
set aside there is II great triumph for civil
rights. The prejudice may remain but the
American people will have received a great les
son. Their prejudice will not be sanctioned by
the constitution, and gradually it viii melt
away, and soon we in America will be united
people. a Christian people and d noble people.
DIR. sTRAKEKs SPEECH.
The chairman introducing DR.. Strake1
spoke Of him as the foremost man or his
race. The doctors speech was all exhaust.
I'VE address, and gave evidence OF deel
thought and q thorough understanding O
the condition Of his brethren in the South
For almost an hour he hello the attention
Of his audience, although suffering from
severe cold taken on his journey to St
Paul. The following extracts are glver
from his address: 49, 49,. ~ .-+.. -
We have assembled here on this occasion a.
American citizens of a common country-differ
ing only from large class OF our fellow citizen:
In ICE and coor->peskiilg the same prevailing
language, children OF the same common ST ock
the same meanS of vision. hearken;ng to hel
me, ody with the same interpreting ear, claiming
fellowship with another By the same re.ation
ship 10 a common father: 1t is to be expected
tnat we are enjoying the same rights
and privileges. ole as another. i'll coun
try which, when it sprung into eX
istence among nations declared the fundamental
aye cr-.reea equal. that they: are endowed bs
their creator with certain inalienanle rights
suit oil happ ness Yetit is manifest that sucl
is not the condition OF certain class OF our fel
low citizens. And it IS To this condition that w
ca. tie attention OF the whole American people
fortnight. throughout the length and breadth o
our common country and ASK them to hear oul
complaint and give ear to our wrongs and SUI
fcrings. . .. = -"
1t is lament able fact as we'll as shame ant
disgrace to DIR nation that large class VI cltl
z-llS living i'll the Sourth ern portion OF our land
and who have dwe,t there orhundreGs OF years
although Tree and citizens under the colistltu
Lone are deprived. not only OF the privilege e
pursue their happiness as Tree men, but are de
prived OF their lives without iorfe1ting the sam
by the Vocation OF any law Of the land, as dc
Cared BY any authorized tribunal empoweret
and given Jurisdiction TO try oftenses, or by tn
Judgment OF any lgully established court; bu
by, a laWess balu OF men who. in defiance Q
law and order, take into their own hands tn
determination Of the lives Of innocent n1rn AM
women VI on the Plea that the virtue OF IL supe
rior, prot ected and the blood e
the Cneva.ler, the Huguenot aud the sPurlta
Kept pure. 9.a 81, E. En-
there seems no remedy while Southern sent
ment is against I he cOoged tlt.Z.n eljpyn
equally with his white fellow citizen equal
exact just &c and Northern sentiments silent
One law the white like chic
). the colored. The treatment toward the co.ore