Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-07-14
Proposed Action Of the Negro Ma
tional Democratic League.
RECOGNITION WILL Be DEMANDED
Alleged Attitude of Cabinet Officers
Toward Colored Appointments.
MR.. Dough ASS VIEW S

A meeting Of the executive committee of
the Negro National Democratic League has
been called for tonight, and in connection
with the meeting there will be held a con-
ference OF the men who have hitherto
been prominent in the democratic party.
The meeting Is called, 1t is said, for the
purpose of attempting to stem the tide of
disafrection now existing IL the ranks. and
to appoint committee to wait on the
den ocratic congress.ora al committee to de-
mand that some recognition be given i'm
mediately to some of the leaders of the COL
ored democracy.
All of the out-of-town members of the
committee have been notified of the meet
ing, and those who will not be present have
desigr ated their proxies. Charles H. J..
Taylor. ex-officio chairman Of the league.
will not be present, as he is confined to his
home by a severe cold. r. G. Still, al
though not a member of the league, has
been invited to the conference, but he has
info, med the committee that he proposes
to take no part in their confab.
One of the objects of the meeting will be
to attempt to secure harmony in the ranks.
Mr.. Astwood has threatened to go over to
the republican party, bag and baggage, on
the 1st of October, unless some recognition
Is given to some one.
Llewyln W. Pulies, formerly in the pen
sion office. has now Joined in with the dis
satisfied elements, and ne. too, is on the
verge of playing quits with the party
unless something Is done. He has been
spoken of for some prominent position under
the administration.
Some Available Omces.
The presence in this country during the
past months of Minister Smyth, the ac-
credited minister to Hayti. and his long
leave of absence, has much perturbed, 1t is
said, the colored democrats, and they think
that President Cleveland ought to transfer
Mr.. Smyth to some one of the Latin
American republics, and assign one Of their
number to the Haytian mission. Then
there is the Liberian mission, which has
never been filed, and one politician said
that he thought that the democratic party
could easily get rid Of some of the dis
turbing elements in the colored ranks by
sending some one of the disturbers to
Liberia to die.
The leaders are of the opinion that Mr..
Cleveland is disposed to give them recogni-
ton, but the members of the cabinet are
opposed to filling prominent positions with
negroes. Tne President, they say, made an
effort to have negro appointed as fourth
auditor of the treasury, in place of ex-Rep-
resentative Lynch, or as register of the
treasury, which position was one time held
by B. K Bruce. The President consulted
with Secretary Carlisle. so the story goes.
about the appointment, and the Secretary
told him that IL he (the PresfdenO named
any negro for either one of the positions
he would Immediately hand in his res
ign alton as Secretary of the Treasury. The
President was told 1t is asserted, the same
thing by Secretary Smith when he sug-
gested the name of a negro as recorder of
the land office, which position had been
held under Harrison by Mr.. Townsend of
Indiana. l.. O. c. Lamar, jr, was subse-
quently nominated to that Office
Secretary Morton told Mr.. Taylor and Mr.
Astwood. 1t Is said. when they called upon
him to urge the appointment of several ne
groes in his department, that 1t was not the
Intention Of the administration to raise ne
groes to prominent positions which had been
nlied by negroes, but that the colored demo-
Gratis must expect appointments of less
prC n1inence. They concluded that the
south was in the saddle" as they express
cd II. and that the negro was done for so
Iar as offices were concerned. Mr. Morton
mas not been further bothered by coIcred
office seekers.
Fred. Douglass Views,
Ihe leaders of republicanism, 1t is said.
are sympathizing with the disgruntled
democrats of color, and are patting them on
the back and urging them to keep up the
fight for recognition
In conversation today with n renresanta-
tive or The Star Frederick Douglass said.
~ Is nothing more than natural that the
coIored men who have deserted the repubIi-
can party and have gone over to the demo-
cratic party should feel not a little dis
satisned and to some extent chagrined
Dy tne very slender recognition they have
received at the hands Of the party.
Il think that the disaffection. unless ar
rested by some marked concession will
become general, yet 1t is not my opinion
that the democratic party will loose any
considerable strength by that disaffection
There is no question that the democratic
party Is a white mans party, and in some
sections of this country repels the ad-
vances OF colored men who desire to enter
tnat party L am not sure that either party
Is much concerned about the adherence Of
colored men.
They are barely recognized in the demo-
cratic party and have but cool reception in
the republican party. Especially is this the
case In the late rebellious states where
several attempts have been made to or
ganize white republican party.
In the coming presidential election votes
will be wanted by all parties, and tempo
rarily little consideration will be shown
by both parties to the colored citizens But
in regard to the dissatisfaction of the col
ored democratic politicians, individual COL
ored men may expect but very limited
recognition from the democratic party"