Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-10-18
The State Sentinel OF October 9Th,
SAYS cditorially:

puohS sVhooiS Vi henL county is cOntlnu.
Ing the payment of salary to Banks, the
colored school teacher, late of Frederick,
when his school is not in operation, as a
reward for political services to the Demo.
cratic party? We have heard such a
rumor. and. as it affects the public at large,
we make the inquiry public so as to give
an opportunity for public answer. Mr..
banks has been employed as the teacher
OF colored school. We are informed his
school is now closed. We are informed he
Is still drawing his pay. Is this correct?
Mr.. Banks is in the employ of the Demo-
\ cratic party as party worker. Prominent
democrats have admitted ii. Prominent
democrats have been very recently and
frequently in secret conference with him.
as he paid for this employment out of the
eolored school fund? Is his salary as
teacher going on while his school is closed?
THE REPLY-AN AFFIDAVIT.
The answer to the Sentineps question
iasked on October 9Th comes clear and
straight on October 9th in the affidavit
that follows:
DOVER, DEL, Oct. sth. 1s94.-Personally
appeared before me. John S. Jester, Justice
Of the peace, in and for Kent county,W. H.
Banks, the person named in the foregoing
statement, which was published in the
Sfdte Sehtinet OF the issue of October 9Th,
1884. And being by rue duly sworn ac-
cording to law, deposes and says: That
each and every statement in the foregoing
article is false and untrue in every respect'
Is wei as Is every insinuation contained
therein. That he does not now, nor
did he ever receive pay for teaching in
enls state unless actually employed; and
hurther, that he is not now, nor was he
ever IN the employ of the Democratic
party as party worker; that his political
opinions are his personal prerogatives.
and that he claims and will always assert
his right to confer with whom he NAV see
fit, regardless of the pretended and uslirped
ownership of the colored man by the Re-
publican party. w. H. Banks.
Sworn to and subscribed before me.
,Sohn s. Jester, j. p, this Sth day of Octo.
ber, A. ID. 1894. JOHN S. JESTER, ]. p.
WHAT W. h. BANKS SAYS.
Editor Gazette and Journal. | am well
aware of the desperation and madness
fof the white Republican party in
fredertca, Del. No little of ii has
been caused, by certain political facts,
relative to the colored people, being put
IN the newspapers, and distributed
among the people of South Murderkill
hundred, through the instrumentality
OF that man Banks" l taught school
at Frederica the past year, and closed
the school, with all the patrons soliciting
my return-well pleased with work
well done. When opened school at
Frederick on January I'd, 1894, was A
total stranger to both patrons and chill
dren. When l closed school June 10th,
all the patrons were satisfied, and ali
the children benefited, as attested by
them. Whence then comes this SEEM
ing opposition on the part of some of
the patrons2
1t is very easy to elucidate. The colored
people talked to Banks, about the
'hard times" and their causes, the signs
Of the times, the present administra-
tons, in State and nation, the political
parties, their relation to political parties
and how they had been treated in 1892,
by the Republican party, which they
had always supported irrespective of
their interests. talked to them about
the issues of the day, and their interests
locally and nationally, never failing to
make clear the salient facts, that il was
mot question of parties; but policies.
measures and interests, and that the
man, white or black, who does moi
H'size up" to those issues, is subject to
the wiles Of the politicians of all parties
Some OF the white Republican bosses.
soon learned that "that man Banks'i
was doing his own thinking, and adyis-
ing negroes who accosted him, to do
likewise.
They at once began to INQUIRE of the
ycolored people, "What is that niger
teacher staying here for, after the close
of school2h l sent word back that If
they wished to know my business TO
call anG see me, as | could better ex-
plain myself.
II is needless to say, they have not
nraterialized. The next move made Inv
these self-constituted lovers of the col
ored people, was to incite the negroes to
lEpn that man Banks" away. then
explained why they sought to have
them force me from the community.
The white Republicans know that if
IL can be proved against them that they
are simply using the negroes as tools
the colored people will not vote for the
hepubllcan party or from sentimental
reasons but for their own Interests
winch change with the issue Of the day
and are limited to no one party.
When the Republicans saw that we
were not wavering, running, or dis.
mayed they got right down to hard
seheming and chicanery. They told
my host, Abram z. King, that if lie did
not refuse to board that man Banks, .
tney would come and break in the house,
and take him out and mob him. you
mad better get him away" they said, as
we are not going to have man like
MN about here, he is hurting you col
coNsPIRAToRs' PLANS.
Finding they had not succeeded in
banishing the negro who has ideas other
than the political ensavement of the
colored man, and opposed to the High
way-Robbery-TariH, they now resort to
desperate means.
They ordered those of the poor,
thoughtless colored people, who they
could handle, TO change the school
board, and vote to have a woman
teacher-"becaus you don't need a
teacher like that man Banks" This is
the latest strategy of the white Repub-
lican manipulators at Frederick, bel,
through some of their black allies.
L await the next movement of the
white Republican wlre-pullers with all
the composure of true lover OF the
colored race and of an American citizen
who is worthy of the name and of the
courage OF his convictions.
SCHOOL WILL OPEN.
| shall open Union school at Fred
erica, on the 10Th instant, IN spite of
conspiracy and atrocious scheming in
high places. There is no charge against
me nor can there he, other than politi.
cal. Neither religious creed nor politi-
cal tenet is promulgated in the public
schools of the State. No man, no school
board, no Republican bosses, no Demo-
cratic officials, no community and no
Stale has the rirht To nntn.n ~ On ~