Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-11-03

am compelled through force of cir
cumstances to state under oath the
status Of the Independent Colored Re-
publican party, my connection and other
features pertaining to the legitimate and
honorable actions toward promoting the
independent cause, Therefore, | sub
nit the following facts and challenge
successful contradiction.
INDEPENDENT ORGANIZATION.
The party was properly organized by
colored men in this city about the LIST OF
August, 1899. Any persons were wei
come to attend and no effort was made
to keep their transactions secret. Joseph
Postles was elected chairman during his
personal presence and presided at sub
sequent meetings. A committee was
appointed to procure the necessary 100
names to file with the clerk of the peace.
These names were brought 10 the COM
mittee meeting signed to printed petit
tions which were publicly and freely cir
culated among tho people of New
Castle county.
On finding there were more men will
ing to support the movement than the
law requires to constitute political
party we drafted and circulated q declar-
alton of principles Endorsed by the fol-
lowing named mems names which were
boldly printed upon that circular: Joseph
Postles, chairman; u. II. Bird, Julius
Bayard, L. ID. Murray, II. ID. Postles,
Joseph w. Sewell, William L. Hill,
James L. Potter, George w. Potter,
Jacob Braynt, II. 9. Robinson, IL. Rice
and William II. Clayton, we had full
| authority for the use of these mems
names and can produce their signatures,
except in the case of II. NJ. Brooks and
| William IL. Clayton. The last named
man was present at public meeting
and delivered an address upon the
strength of the movement, which ought
to be sufficient reason for considering
him in full harmony with the lndcpen-
don't Republican party.
There was not n single public an
nouncement of dissatisfaction with the
new party until the Republican news
papers began their unwarranted crusade
against us. | visited the rural districts
simply to converse with the more intel
ligent colored men and received well
come greeting and almost unanimous
endorsement.
The ticket in New Castle county was
nominated according to the legal re-
4 v AS,
81, Laws of Delaware, 1891. Our adj
dress to colored voters invited colored
people to suggest names for whatever
position they thought proper. As q
sequence the nomination was not made
fraudulently and at random by me.
BLocKsoM SIGNED HIS OWN NAME.
BY pre-arrangement went to Seaford,
Del, and met Lewis II. Blocksom. All
the conversation | had with him was
public and in loud tones at the r., w.
e. b. depot in that town. lie is not an
illiterate man. When he consented 10
stand as presidential elector | deliber-
ateIy went to the telegraph operators
room and borrowed pen and ink and
Blocksom signed his own name to our
application in the presence of the opera
tor "a Republican, who believe has as
sisted in manufacturing huge false
statement that | tried or attempted to
bride Blocksom.
BRINCKLEY HAS THE PROOF.
can produce the printed document
with that mans name on as will show
it was an application to the clerk OF
peace such as had been circulated
through the State for several weeks
previous. l told Blocksom as | have
other men the Independent movement
is circulated to arouse public opinion in
favor of better public school facilities
for our people. He told me the Re-
publicans had control of Sussex county
but did not do anything for colored
peoples schools--that he lived five
miles from Seaford, which was the
easiest place his children and about 100
others could attend. He told me a
white man had given them u piece OF
land upon which to erect n schoolhouse
but they were poor people and could
not raise money to build schoohouse
| asked him if lie had applied to the
superintendent of public schools for q
teacher he informed me they were going
to soon as they could get n schoolhouse
/ told Blocksom the Legislature oil
1891 increased the free school fund fol
colcred people from $4,000 to $4,000
and portion of that money was SCI
apart, as | understand the law, for re-
pairing colored school houses. He asked
me if would find out if any portion o.
the amount could be applied to his suf
fcring community. l promised to le
him know and wrote him concerning
that matter last week.
All this conversation could be easily
, heard by several gentlemen sitting along
side of lis in the station, or any person
; else who happened to be around.
coLoREp TEACHERS STORY.
1t is an easy matter to connect thu
superintendent of public schools will
the alleged attempted bribery of Block
som, which the Morning NGacS of October
3lst prefers, because it is he who mus
slpplV the teachpr