The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1892-04-23

Citizens of Minneapolis are to be called
upon to protest against barbarities prac-
ticed upon the colored people in the South.
A mass meeting of citizens, both white and
black, is to be called IN the near future, at
which set of resolutions will be presented
and methods discussed for securing equal
rights for negroes all over the country.
This was decided upon yesterday afternoon
at meeting of colored voters held at Be-
thesda Baptist Church. The gathering was
in the nature of an informal conference.
earnest. They were discussing life and
death matter, and several who were present
had personally known victims Of various
lawless occurrences in the South.
Rev. j. w. Ounce presided, and in stat
ing the object of the meeting he called at
tention to the fact that any action taken
should be gone about in thoughtful, de-
iberate manner. He also rebuked the press
and the pulpit for their heartless Indifference
to the outrages perpetrated upon the negroes.
Atty. W. R. Morris said that this persecu-
ton had been going on for 80 years, and
that 1T appeared to be increasing. He
at Texarkaua, Ark, was a refined cruelty
strangely out of place in Christian age
and in Christian nation. Other lawless
incidents were mentioned, and in each case
the speaker claimed the real animus to
have been hatred of the colored race.
when few American citizens we're
killed by mob in Chile" said Mr. Morris,
"the government took hold of the matter
and war was threatened. Yet right here in
this country American citizens are being
burned and hung and shot and the govern
ment is sad to be powerless. We must do
ometh;ng to make the gov ,rrment take
notice Of these outrages. There is no sense
about talking of armed resistance. The
remedy is In the awakening of public senti-
ment, and We must keep at it until We are
hear ~
Mr.. Morris stated that the colored citizens
were law abiding and depended upon the
government for protection. Rev. D. A..
Graham agreed with Mr.. Morris that pu bile
sentiment was the only means of relief, but
that the moral standard of American citizen
ship would have to be raised before the bal.
lot could be used as remedy. He thought
that the newspapers and churches should be
gwen no resi- untll tney appreciated the true
magnitude Of the abuses of justice IN the
South.
None of the white ministers here have
preached about it," he said. .'One
preached about the terrible wickeiness of
Chicago and lately they have all been
preaching about he'll. Why don't they nay
a little more attention to the present and
preach about the American hell? But no,
we must take care Of ourselves. Political
parties have discussed the matter a little but
only with reference to the negro votes. We
want the right to live and the right to trial
ny jury. They are our constitutional privi-
leges for we are American citizens; we have
no other country
In reference to a recent Item in the TRlB-
UNE to the effect that few colored minis
tiers objected to people singing America,
MIR. Graham said that the article simply
showed the ignorance of the white press in
regard to the real sentiment of the race. He
favored holding mass meeting. but thought
that no special invitation should be sent.
He thought that this would give people q
chance to declare themselves.
III the white ministers stay them" he
said, "God help them. l believe that their
hearts are right, but they need little cleo.
trlcty in them to act them beating.'
At the close of. the meeting a committee
was appointed to draw up resolutions and
to present them at mass meeting which it
has authority to call. This committee is
composed of Rev. d. A. Graham. w. r.
Morris, Rev. j. =. James, Rev. J. w. Dun
ice and James V. Kemp.