Birmingham age-herald., 1894-11-20

About 1900 negroes and probably fifty white men assembled at the wigwam last night in response to the following circular which had been distributed during the af- ternoon:
 NOTICE!
 To the Colored People of Birmingham:
 call your attention to the coming eiec- tion that will take place in this city on the 4th day of December, for the purpose of electing officers to make and execute the laws. It Is to our interest to vote for such men who will execute the laws regardless of color. You are aware of the jus. tice you receive from the present ad- ministration. Therefore appeal to you to come out tonight to the wigwam, bring your friends, wives and daughters, aud or- gaDiZe 6 VanHoose club in each ward. By doing this we will be able to overcome the evils that now confront us. Let nothing keep you from this meeting.
 Speaking by Dr. A. J. Warner, 0. c. Csperton, Rev. T. W. Walker and others.
 w. l.. SAUNDERS, Chairman. w. B. LEwIs, JR., Secretary.
 Meeting called to order at 8 p. m.
 M. L. FowELKs,
 T. w. WALKER. There were great many negro women in the audience.
 acted as secretary. Among the white men present were Dr. R. A. Moseley, Mai. ". c. Hanlin, J. D. Gresham and others prominent in the ''reform' movement. The first speaker was
 REV. T. W. WALKER, CoLORED.
 He said: Iknow you are surprised to see me standing here tonight. I have been here thirteen years, since a cotton patch was where we now stand. I think we have large crowd considering the short notice. I am here to say word in the interest of the tntA k~ 1 haven't made q political speech in eighteen years, but the interest feel in my race makes me speak tonight. For six years we have not been allowed to vote for our choice for mayor. We have usually woke up in the morning to find who was elected the day before. l don't say Mr. VanHoose will be elected, but we will wake somebody up when the man is elected.
 Everybody here knows me, and you know when l speak there is something at stake. To cast your vote is your right and it is your right to vote it as you like. Since our emancipation we have put more confidence in others than in ourselves. Don't vote for any man just because your boss does. Before would do that would quit the job. That's the thing that's ruin ing you. When you register tell what ward and street you live in and if you get a certificate for the wrong ward take it back. When your employer tells you you can't work for him unless you vote as he says,
 
 your way.
 Ever since you have been voting you have allowed men to come and tell you they knew what was best for you, and, bless God, they never know what it is until they can use you. l get so tired walking up the street and seeing so many hacks with little pieces of cloth saying ''primary, primary'' when I can't say a word. Bless the Lord, we have the pri- mary here DOW.
 polls and vote, and think we will have say who is elected. MT. VanHoose stepped over the fence and now wants our votes. thank God somebody had sense enough to bolt, and since somebody gives you wrench use it. Will you? Chorus "Yes, we wili"). If MT. Vanhoose is elected he is not going to run whisky out. If he's elected you can get all the whisky you want and more than you need.
 The speaker at this junctnre gave lee. ture on drinking whisky. Every one who has not registered go and do so. [Yes.l Watch and see that you are registered right. They will write William for John, Eighth ward for Fifth.
 a c. 0. CAPERToN.
 The scene that confronts us; the battle we are waging is difficult one. You have as much power in the election of the mayor as any man. It is right you have been denied, not of your own will, too long. Had you been at the democratic meeting Saturday night you would have seen the unwritten democaatic law Is to keep down the negro.
 The speaker read from the AaE- HERALD of Sunday morning it's account of the speaking at Erswell's hall Saturday night. 1T can look around and see chairman with white face, and that's all the kind we have." That was spoken by one of the speakers. "Split the democratic party in Birmingham and you split the dernocracy of Jefferson county. The Birmingham police commission is appointed by the probate judge. If you have d republican probate judge you will have repu blican commission and negro policemen" Ex. tracts from other speeches, as reported in the AGE-HERALD, were read by the speaker, who commented on the same. and then denounced the democratic party as tie negro's enemy.
 He said his race was downtrodden and that he was there in the interest of MT. Van Hoose's candidacy.
 "Why does the white man hate the ne- gro," said the speaker, "when the negro has done so much for the white mapfn He said negroes had been on the police force of some cities in Alabama, and the sun,