The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-11-18
A PROTEST..
Colored People Hold Mass
Meeting in New York.

New York, Nov. ia mass meeting
Of colored men and women, to protest
against the treatment of their race in
some of the southern states recently,
was held tonight in Cooper Union.
AS precautionary measure, the
police were out in force, as even in this
city, in the "HeH's Kitchen" district,
there has been considerable amount
of anti-negro sentiment. This precau-
ton, however, was not necessary, as
the gathering, although enthusiastic at
times, was a peaceable one. The hall
was crowded with colored people, with
a sprinkling OF whites. 4 number of
prominent white citizens sent letters,
instead of appearing in person, COM
mending the object of the meeting
During the wait for the speakers q
white man, with long, flowing hair,
arose in his seat, in the centre aisle,
and shouted: ooh, if we only had a
William Lloyd Garrison, a Wendell
Phillips or an Abraham Lincoln at this
time!"
This evoked tremendous applause.
Later on Thomas Fortune took the
presiding officers chair, Mr.. Fortune.
in a lengthy address, told of the race
troubles in the south. Among other
things, he said: I'VE come here to
protest against mobocracy; against the
white ruftians, who claim TO be the
vice-regents of God"
Ebenezer d. Bassett, former minister
to Hayti, declared that the purpose of
the meeting was not to indulge in in
temperate language, but to protest
against "the organizations in North
Carolina" This resolution, with
lengthy preamble, was offered:
Resolved, that we, citizens of Great
err New York, protest against the riot
ing and revolution which have dis
graced the states of North and South
Carolina, and which has been con-
trary to the letter and spirit of our in
situations, and calculated to subvert
the guaranteed rights Of citizens and
to damage the good name, reputation
and credit of the republic at home and
abroad"
Resolved, that we feel that the gov
errors of North Carolina and South
Carolina are censurable for their fail
ure to suppress the said rioting and
revolution within their states and for
their failure to invoke the aid of the
federal authority if they were unable
or unwilling to cope with the condition
of affairs.
Resolved, that we deplore as un-
American and provocative of endless
friction and contention, the antagonism
to race and color which alone appears
to have caused the sad rioting and rev.
olution in North and South Carolina,
and that we insist upon it that the just
rights of all citizens under the consti-
tuition shall be respected as the only
safeguard against lawlessness and as
the only guarantee of orderly govern
ment, and that we appeal to the con-
sentative, law-abiding and Christian
people of the republic to assist in the
creation of public opinion
which shall compel those in au-
thority to enforce the law, and to
secure to each citizen adequate protec-
ton in his life and property in the ex-
ercise of his manhood and citizens
rights under the constitution.
Resolved, that as the states of Mis-
sissippi. South Carolina and Louisiana
have by constitutional enactment, dis
franchised more than half of their pop
ulation we demand that the basis of
representation of these states in con-
gress and electoral college be reduced,
in the proportion which the number of
such male citizens shall bear to the
number of male citizens q years of age,
as made and directed by section of
article IA of the federal constitution
Resolved, that we recommend such
amendment to the constitution as will
enable the president to use the federal
authority to protect the life and prop
erty of citizens of the United States
from organized or mob conspiracy
whenever the government of any state
from fear or collision, fears to afford
such protection or to call upon the fed
eral government TO afford it.
Resolved, that we implore the guild
ance of Almighty God in the shaping
Of our homogeneous citizenship to the
end that it may make for righteous
ness, for human progress and for the
invincibiity of our great and beloved
republic against the elements of riot
ing and revolution within and the as
saults of the enemies from without"
Among the other speakers were Law
son N. Fuller, j. p. Peaker, president
of State Sumner League New Haven,
Ct; Rev. DR.. J. N. Scott of Henderson,
N. c.; Rev. Benjamin W. Farris of
Boston and Mrs. Elizabeth B. Gran
mis-