The Indianapolis journal., 1895-09-17
IN BEHALF OF WALLER.
A. NJ. f. Conference Adopts Resolu-
tions Condemning His Arrest.

The A. NJ. E. Conference convened
at $50 a. m. yesterday. Bishop Way
man presiding. Revs. T. Price. J..
Bass and T w. Henderson made their
annual reports and the committee on
the state of the country made their report
in part follows:
''To the Bishop and the Conference.-The
American citizen has very much reason
to feel thankful to the God of the Universe
for the bounteous blessings he has be-
slowed upon their country in the years that
are past. War and famine are both
strangers to our people at the present. Our
country is at peace with all the nations of
the earth. The President is at his summer
home with nothing TO alarm him for the
peace and honor of the great nation which
he has been called to rule. In most Sec
tions the crops have been truly wonderful.
and the farmer has been made glad be-
cause of the early and the latter rain.
Were it not for the curse OF color prejudice
that still exists in our country and the
lawless spirit of the mob that reigns in
some sections we could dismiss the con-
sideration of the affairs of our country by
simply saying peace and prosperity reigns."
Here the report recites the condition in
the South. particularly as to the "Jim
Crow" cars set apart for negroes. 1t then
continues:
Your committe is firmly convinced that
do is to cease tamely submitting to un-
just treatment. While we do not counsel
unlawful resistance TO wrong, we do ad-
wise that every lawful means be used to
maintain our rights as full-fedged Amer
lean citizens. We must not rest till every
law making discrimination on account of
color or previous condition be re-
pealed. This we demand in both the South
and the North. Color is mere accident,
and should no longer be made crime.
wonderful thrift in the few short years. Of
his freedom that he Is. a man in the full
acceptaton of the word
The report details the evidence Of the
marvellous progress the race has made
since slavery days, and adds:
HE (the negro has proved his fitness
for American citizenship "a BY every fess to
to submit to whatever test is demanded OF
any other class of people, but he does ask
mem ments nc Count tn the same as other people
THE cruel mob of many parts or our
country demand that II a crime has been
shot or hung and that afterward wit
nesses be heard and the guilt or inno-
cence be determined. We do not counte-
pathy with the debauchers of women. We
demand that every man who comrnmits
crime against woman be dealth with to
the Iuil tAltnl VI Tie idWs AL VIC acN iOi
him is that he be shown TO be guilty as
the law directs before the punishment is
meted out TO him. No community that toll
crates mob law will long escape the curse
that follows the disregard of the law"
The report calls attention TO the South
Carolina constitutional convenion,. soon to
be called, which is to deny the colored cit
izen the right to hold office. and denounces
1t as an outrage which ought to precipi-
tate the curse of the righteous God upon
that people The report indorses the Mich
olson law in enthusiastic terms, and closes
as follows:
I'VE cannot close our report without
calling your attention to the case OF our
felow-citizen, John Waller, a man or edu-
cation and character, who Is now held as
a prisoner by the French government, and
who is undergoing sentence OF twenty
years at hard labor, Your committee CON
countryman TO be an outrage, and would
request the State Department at washing
ton to use its good offices for his imme-
date release as an American citizen"
Signed by 7. W.. Henderson. n. l.. Bray,
r. McDaniels, c.. II. White and B. ]. Cole
man.
York, were the principal speakers on the
report. Rev. Roundfellow. or the U. =.
Church. also made an enthusiastic speech.
then MY Country, It's of Thee was sung
by the conference amid great enthusiasm
At D. m. the Sabbath schools or the
different churches met in anniversary ses-
sion and were addressed by Rev b j.
Coleman. Dr. w. B. Derrick and Rev. H.
Simons. DR.. l. j. Coffin sang ior tne cniio IL
dren. A large audience assembled at $50
D. m to hear Rev. T. Wilson, OF Spring
field ILL., preach.