The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-05-05
WANTS NEGRO SUPREMACY.
Warlike Talk in a Negro Church at
Washington.

Washington. May 4-Grant day was
observed by the Lyceum League of the
SECOND Baptist Church (colored) Sunday
afternoon. There was large audience
present, the spacious auditorium being
we'll filled. The meeting was called for
the purpose of eulogizing Grant, but
some of the speakers departed from the
subject and began discussion of race
supremacy.
The feature of the celebration was an
essay on Gen. Grant by Walter Casey, a
clerk in the Treasury Department.. The
paper was resume of the work accom-
plished by Gen. Grant for the colored
race, and was the result of much research
into the history of his race. Prof. Sam
son, president of the League, introduced
Mr.. Casey, who said in part:
I'm view of the recent enormous dem
onstratiOn, in which all the nations of
the world joined to do honor to the mem
DRY of Gen. Grant, it is but right and
proper that we, for whom he did so much,
should assemble today to SHOW our ap-
probation Of his efforts in our behalf.
War; in place of being IL curse, has
always proved boon to mankind, and
the freedom of the colored race is quite as
much due to the military genius of Gen.
Grant as to the Abolitionists Grants
work s not finished, and it is incumbent
oPOh tHS iiCSiO w lllllSu lU-uRnG MS OWN
battles and hew his own destiny. The
recent terrible crimes and subsequent
iynchings which have startled the coun-
try show in what little regard the voice
and life of the negro is held by the.white
race. Negro rule is the only panacea for
the present crisis. The future destiny of
the negro is in the South, and in those
portions where he so much outnumbers
the whites he should exercise his rights
of frhnchisement assume control of the
reins of Office, and show the world how
we'll the educated, conservative negro
could rule in unity ard peace"
The next speaker was.A. l.. Freeman,
who arraigned the young colored men for
not more carefully protecting the women
of their race. off the young men will not
avenge the wrongs of their race said
he, 1--WE should teach our wives and our
sisters to avenge these horrible crimes,
and the overturning of the lighted lamp
should speak but too plainly who the
avengers had been. was with Grant at
AppomattoN Court House, and would
shoulder musket as quickly now as
them
The younger men in the audience ar
plauded Freeman's speech vigorously aud
one of them asked: GLOW are we to fight:
ne have but our fists, and what are they
| against muSkets!''
Sin the time of war we went forth
armed only with stones and clubs, and
we can do so now" answered Freeman.
"Jeff Davis said he would hang us all
we answered him with our famous
so3g-'You must catch us first
There are agitators in our midst who
are chicken hearted as habies They
stirred us up to lead us to Alexandria,
but when we got there we found our
buster had served but to notify the au-
thorities of our intentions and we were
met at the outskirts by armed guards
Men jumped to their feet in all parts
of the room, but The chairman was vigor.
Gus in his suppression of any further dis
cussion of the exciting subject, warning
the audience that they had met to discuss
Grant, and unless they kept to that sub
ject the meeting would close. This had
quieting effect, and after n few i'm
promptu addresses the meeting adjoul ned
after rendering vote of thanks to Mr..
Casey.