Evening star., 1898-12-24
AFRO-AMERICAN COUNCIL
Call for Gathering of Leading Colored Men
h Washington.
Bishop Walter'ssViews of the Present
Sftuatioh-PAan Outlined for
Permanent Organization.


tional American convention will be
held in this CITY, the sessions beginning
Thursday next. All religious organizations,
secret and non-secret societies, educational
institutions and all organizations which
have for their object the amelioratio of
the condition of the Afro-American race
have been requested to send delegates, and
very large attendance is expected.
Bishop A. Walters. DID,, who issued the
call for the convention, gives his reasons
for doing as follows:
ut is the consensus of opinion among the
leaders OF our race that the outlook just
now for the negro in America is gloomy.
president Mckinley. in obedience to
command from the south, has seen fit in
his lengthy message to Congress to remain
silent on the outrages in Illinois, North and
South Carolina: recent events in the south
have revealed his real motive for doing so.
The governor of Illinois is ready to blow
to pieces with Gatling guns any negroes
who dare enter his domain to take the place
of white men who have refused to work.
The officials of the states of North and
South Carolina claim they are powerless to
protect us in our rights.
''The city officials of Wilmington, N. c.,
We're the leaders of the mob that ruthlessly
murdered more than dozen AfroAmeri-
cans on the 10th of last November.
South Carolina, Louisiana and MisSissip-
pi by statutory enactments have practically
d1sfranchised their negro population
Pulpit and Press.
1.-The southern pulpit and press, aided by
number Of northern pulpits and not a few
daily newspapers and weekly magazines,
are doing all in their power to mold public
sentiment against US.
Truly, the outlook Is gloomy. But we
have seen gloomier times than the present
"a short while before the war, when the
fugitive slave law was paSsed) and were
brought triumphantly through by the God
of armies.
'The most astonishing thing to me is that
in the face of these discoura gements there
are number of so-caled leaders of the
race who are opposed to our uniting for
self-orotection.
''They advise us to he silent and let the
White men have their own way-burn, hang.
rob, insult and discriminate against us in
every way, and we are to kiss the hand
that smites US.
may. nay, my brethren. the time has
come when the negroes must unite. The
President Of the United States, whose duty
1t is to see that the citizens are protected,
has abandoned US to our fate. The only
sources to which we can turn for help In
this dark hour are, first, to our Heavenly
Father, who has fought our battles in the
past; second, to our loyal white friends,
who have ever been in favor of fair play
and equal justice, and, lastly, to ourselves.
The crisis is upon us: we must face it like
Aleil. IL we IeIdlIl SlSHl anu SURRENDER all
that has been given us as citizens we shall
prove ourselves unworthy of the name of
freemen.
Let Afro-American men and women from
all parts of the United States who are in
terested in the future welfare of their race
gather at Washington the Goth of Decem-
Der, not as an angry mob, but sober,
loyal and thoughtful citizens, and consult
together as to what is best to do in this
crisis. The effect of such a melting cannot
be otherwise than helpful to us. 1t will
show the world that, since the President
and governors mentioned have abandoned
US, we QO,OO00OO Afro-Americans) have de-
cided by the assistance of God to help our
selves.
The7kavlnE Agencies.
1--WE have in our possession saving agen-
cies, such as character industry, intelli-
gence and a firm trust in God What we
need to do Is to get together and agree
among ourselves as to the best way to
utilize these agencies. Now is the time to
mold sentiment in our favor since the south
Is doing everything in its power to create
sentiment against, us.
Our cause is just, forawe simply ask for
our rights which have been guaranteed to
us by the Constitution of our country: there
fore we are sure that God is on our side
Let us meet together and agree upon
day of prayer to Almighty God for help.
Let US meet together and organize a per-
manent council that will have the following
(or something better that may be suggest
ed at the coming meeting) as it's objects:
i. To create healthy public sentiment
in favor Of fair play toward the negro.
2. To urge that a fair representation be
given to Afro Americans in the government
of the country, both state and national.
SO. To devise ways and means to raise
funds to prosecute all perpetrators of lynch
ings and other outrages and to test the
constitutionality Of laws enacted by some
of the southern states which have for their
object the disfranchisement of the negro,
and which are contrary to the letter and
spirit of the fourteenth amendment of the
Constitution of the United States.
To Resist Discrimination.
81. To resist to the utmost the tyrannical
usages of railroad, steamboat and other
corporations that discriminate against US.
20. To labor for the reformation of our
penal institutions where barbarous, cruel
and unchristian treatment of our convicts
is practiced.
90. To urge that moneys be appropriated
by the federal government (Which should
have been done at the time of our emanci-
patiOn) to supplement the school funds of
the southern states, in order to secure the
highest intelligence for the great mass of
ignorant colOred voters in that section.
81 To recommend healthy emigration
from terror-ridden sections of our land to
more law-abiding sections.
''S. To encourage both Industrial and high
education.
20. To promote all kinds of business enter
prises.
10. To recommend certain days during
the year for fasting and prayer to Almighty
God to aid US in our fight for equal rights"
1Sc. Round Trip to Arlington Sunday,
Electric trains every 40 min. 131s G. Pa. ave.
advertisement
Their Annual Christmas Gift