Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-06-21

IN reference 70 tho OuSeinS " -,
school teachers and separate cars IL VIII
be the purpose Of the conference to pro-
vide some means to counterfeit or meet the
influence OF said resolutions and actions.
Don't fail to come.
''WuILM W. BROWNE,
"R. WELLs,
Committee on Call"
Comics of this circular-letter we're mailed
on Friday to about seventy OF the leaoing
colored men. Of Richmond, tne nuI IsVa
embracing all of the negro ministers, law
yers. doctors. and some OF the most pronll-
nent merchants OF this race. M
of the two signers of the paper rev. W.
w. Browne is president OF the True ne
| formers Bank and Rev. Richard Wells Is a
well-known minister.
THOSE WHO WERE PRESENT.
In rasnonsa 20 the call about seventy
representative negroes met az ~ oc!ocA
Yesterday morning at the place designated.
Rev. w. w. Browne presided and Protes-
sor s. w. Hayes was secretary.
Among the others present were rev
James ri. Holmes, Rev. G. ID. Lewis, Rev.
n Wells. Rev. Evans Payne, Rev. Il. Watts,
Rev. ], T.. Jones. b. 4. Turner, W. Il.
White, John Clinton, DR.. s. ii. Dismond,
Isaiah Taylor, s. j. Gilpin, Benlamin D, mar
ris, William Ferguson, A. ID. Price, "; ID.
w. III. White, r.. J. Bass, A. Il. Grimes,
CHRISTOPHER Wilkerson, Sandy Robinson,
@. @. Mitchell, John Mitchell, Jr. Dr.. X. T..
Tones. III. Il. Harris, Benjamin jackson,
Thornton Wyatt, w. Isaac johnson. Ar
thur Hayes, George Woodson, Thomas ID.
Lewis, John Oliver, Z. A. hando1pn'
George w. Lewis, Rev; William Troy h ne,,
ROYAL White. Rev. A. p. Dunbar, Rev. q.
w. Walker. Rev. DR.. w. II. Hunter, DR.. u.
r. Jones, Giles b. Jackson, Rev. j. wesley
Proceedings were opened with prayer,
after which extracts from the DISPATCH
and other local dailies of Friday and yes.
terday bearing on the subject matter Oh
the call were read.
FIyE-MuNUTE sPEEcHEs.
A motion was make that committee of
Ave he appointed to draft suitable resolu-
tions. 1t was decided to limit all speeches
10 five minutes each, and not TO devote
more than one hour TO the discussion.
Giles b. jackson was the first person TO
sneak to the question. he urged conserva-
tism, and thoughtful, quiet action.
Giles was followed by George w. Lewis.
who endorsed all that the former said. He
did not like the action of the Powhatan
Climb. What they said was true OF O few,
but ii was an insult to the mass OF the ne
groes.
r. A. Randolph deplored the fact that
the Powhatan Club had attempted to drag
the schools into politics. Teachers should
be selected according to qualifications
and not by color.
DR., r. e. Jones thought the matter
ought to be fully discussed before COM
mitteeIwas appointed.
Lawyer Lewis thought Jones's suggestion
good one.
there were such men as Messrs. ii. M.
Smith, Jr., and Egbert G. Leigh.
Chairman Brown thought it would be
well to learn all the facts, so that nothing
unwarranted should be said. .,
Rev. j. w. johnson said they should
look at both sides of the case. He empba-
sized the fact that some colored people
behaved so badly on the cars as to merit
his disapproval. He would ask the public
to be considerate in its judgment.
Rev. Dunbar did not approve of resolu-
tons or committee.
The teachers had behaved themselves,
and there was no reason why they should
be removed. He could not be persuaded
that the sober-thinking white people
would carry politics into the oolored
schools. He hoped the time would come
when oil the negro schools would have
colored teachers.
Rev. q. ID. Lewis endorsed the object of
the meeting, but did not fear that any
Z" iim-orow cars" or taking away OF colored
teachers who understood the colored chill
dren. They did not want white teachers.
John Oliver was gratifed with the spirit
that pervaded the meeting, showing 1t was
dictated by thought.
DIR. III. l.. Harms had children and
wanted them educated. He was tax
naver. as were many other colored people.
THEW felt that they were entitled to some
thing and wanted their children taught by
colored teachers. The Richmond colored
teachers were the best in the world for col
ored schools.
MINISTERS TALK.
Rev. Evans Payne had changed his mind
since Friday. The Lord would fight their
battles for them. There was no reason for
them to say anything.
Rev. Watt, replying to this. said his Bible
declared that IF we sit here we die"
and he therefore felt it was best for them
to do the things that would put them IN a
right light.
DIR. Hunter, presiding elder of the Meth
odist Church, believed that everything
should be conducted in moderation.
w. III. Anderson concurred IN this.
NO MAss-MEETlNo.
Rev. Wells, one of those signing the call,
was opposed, he explained. 10 an indis-
criminate mass-meeting. He desired that
the best people should act--men OF pro-
perty who had something at stake and who
could voice the sentiment of the people.
Rev. DR., j. Z. Jones had thought of the
matter and il PANIED HIM that it had been
brought up. He was sorry that the entire
race was blamed for what few OF them
did. He had seen white people behave
much worse on the cars than the negroes
John Harris, the liveryman, did not be-
lieye the car people were going TO do any,
thing so rash. If they did he would try
and.rig up conveyances enough to carry all
the citizens for three cents each.
Before putting the vote the Chairman re-
marked that he was glad to see that all
present were of pretty much one opinion.
The resolution for the appointment of a
committee was adopted, and the meeting
adjourned until o'clock in the afternoon.
The Afternoon Meeting.
Ats o'clock most of those who had been
present in the morning met again.
The following resolutions were submit
ted by the committee:
At conference of the leading colored
citizens of Richmond held az the True
Reformers' Hall Saturday. June 20, 1891,
for the purpose of considering the reso-
lutions passed by the Powhatan Club rela-
tive to separate cars and mixed schools
(for we consider where schools have col
ored pupils and white teachers they are
Mixed for the races, the assembly, after
reading the DISPATCH, the Times, and the
STATE of Friday and Saturday. went into
the consideration of so much of the con-
tents thereof as referred to the resolutions
of the aforesaid club. The conference was
characterized by cool, careful, and thought
full interchange of views by those present.
The following conclusions were reported
from the committee appointed by the
conference.
BAD BEHAVIOR DEPLoRKD.
First. That while we deplore the fact
that there should be any occasion for COM
plant upon the part of our white fellow
citizens growing out of the conduct or
misconduct of some iil-bred colored
people on the street-cars, we are not
nnpeindful of the stubborn fact that a