The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-02-13
THE RECENT
Colored Men in Boston Resent Treatment
of BiShOp Arnett.

~ INV
BOSTON, Feb. 3-Intensifed with each
succeeding day, the indignation aroused
by the recent sensational treatment OF
Bishop Arnett, colored, Of Ohio, by
three of the leading hotels in Boston, cul-
minated in a public mass meeting last
night. 1t reached a climax in the spirit
ed remarks and ~iorcitle denunciatioDs of
the speakers. The meeting. which was
held i'm the Zion NJ. T.. Church on North
Iiussel street, West End. was unde the
| auspices of the Massachusetts, Racial Pro-
tective Association, the Boston tolored
National League, the Wendell Phillips
Cub, and tie Crlspus Attacks Club, all of
Boston.
The meeting was largely attended. Rev.
William H.. scott presided. Mr.. G. III.
Plummer acted as secretary. The exer-
cises opened with singing by the congre-
CATION, and prayer offered by Rev. j. IL.
Wiley.
Chairman Scott then, in a spirited adj
dress, informed the gathering that the
meeting had been called to protest against
the recent outrage penetrated on Bishop
Arnett. The hotels had refused quarters
TO q gentleman of culture and distinction.
he said; refused admission to 4 bishop OF
a great Christian church, who was invit-
! ed TO Boston by the Christian Endeayor-
| ers to deliver an address at their 10Th an
niversary exercises.
ave have assembled here" said he,
continuing, "to deuounce with all the
language and strength that nature has
given us the outrageous act OF the city OF
| Boston to a Christian minister. We came
not as. beg gars, but as American citizens.
in order to denounce and say that the
laws of Massachusetts have neen deied
and violated by these hotel proprletors.
I'VE are glad 10 say, however, that
there were some fearless white citizens
who were prominent in d~enouncing the
act. Should we remain silent and allow
the outrage to pass unnoticed we would
be traitors to our race and manhood.
Massachusetts, i'll never submit 70 such
actions. Our laws should not be dehed by
these money grabbers.n applause
Mr.. James Logan Gordon was then in
troduced. In his remarks. which were
warmly appreciated, MIR. Gordon said that
he was glad TO zee that the race had a
Bishop to be insulted. tie then touched
on the rapid progress Of the race and said
| that IL Bishop Arnett were Christ Himself
he could not have taken the reception at
the hotels in a more amicable and Christ
| ianlike manner. He said hat he was
glad that the white people protested first.
1t was heresy to draw the color line, he
thought. A Christian is not q true
Christian unless he loves all OF Gods
creations.
He, too, asked the assembly not to be-
come prejudiced against these hotel
clerks or proprietors, for, said he, no
better men can be found in the country
than are the men connected with the Bos-
ton hotels.
ain h future, . he said 1.-the greatest
orators will be black men. Music and
oratory are instilled in your bones and
nature"
The next speaker was Rev. G.. W. Ohley,
the pastor of the Zion Church. lie de-
livered a lucid address, and among other
remarks, said that it required culture to
drown prejudice. With the accumulation
| of intelligence, wealth, and that morality
which comes with religion, the race could
easily wipe out all the existing preju-
dices. In fact, they are now dying out
fast, said he.
Representative Reed then delivered a
stirring address, I'm which he outlined the
best methods for the advancement Cf the
race, and he forcibly illustrated the ur-
gent necessity for the strengthening M
cultivation of fraternity and union.
During the meeting !. ID. Barnett
moved that a committee OF hve be chosen
TO draw up resolutions ~denouncing the
stand taken by the three Boston hotels.
The committee submitted the following
resolution, which was unanimously
chosen by the meetiug:
Resolved, That we, the citizens OF Bost
ton, now assembled In mass meeting a
1 lne LlOn vi. II. tnuItut w uthouiiNS Win
unqualified terms the disgrace which
three of our leading hotels have brought
upon the city of Boston by refusing to
accommodate Bishop Arnett.
Resolved, That we regard this as an
outrage perpetrated, not alone upon the
colored citizens, but upon every citizen in
Boston and the whole Of Massachusetts.
Resolved, That we indorse the resolu-
tions offered in the City Council by MIR.
Stanley Rufiin, and 6lso by MIR. Row Of
the general court, 10 revoke the Licenses
OF any hotel which Discriminate against
any person or account OF color.
Resolved, That we indorse the manly
stand taken by the preachers n the
press, in ~denouncing from their pulpits
and their papers this outrage, n that
we shall never cease fighting until this
hy~dra-headed monster shall have been
driven ont OF this Stltc.
Resolved, That we call upon all citizens,
regardless of nationality, TO join us I'm
unfolding the laws Of this, our Common