The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-11-11

Citizens Meet and Settle the Fate of
the Negro Daily Mayor Wright.
Chief Melton and the Board Of Alder
men Asked TO Vacate
Following closely upon Tuesdays as
founding victoryfor white supremacy,
the most remarkable mass meeting In
the history of Wilmington assembled
yesterday morning at the court house.
The meeting was only preached Tues
day night, but the court house was
crowded, standing room was
filled and the Grove overiowed into
the corridor. There were at least a
thousand people in attendance, and
they were Wilmington's very best cit
liens, including ministers, working
men, lawyers, doctors, merchants and
all classes of our people.
On motion of Ex-Mayor S. II. Fish
blate, the Hon. a. II. Waddell, who
so ably represented this district in
in the years gone by, was
called to the chair, and on motion Of
Colonel John Wilder Atkinson the rep
resentatives of the press were made
secretaries.
Upon taking the chair amid the most
enthusiastic demonstration, Colonel
Waddell said when he came to the
meeting he was entirely ignorant Of
the object of the meeting, but it was
always his pleasure to accept a call
of duty from the people Of Wilmington.
(Applause.) He said since he had ar
rived at the meeting, a set of resolu-
tions had been placed in his hands n
he most heartily approved of them.
(Applause.) He then read the following
resolutions which had been handle to
him:
THE NEGRO EDITOR BANISHED
Believing that the constitution of the
United States contemplated a govern
ment to be carried on by an enlight-
ened people; believing that it's trainers
did not anticipate the acknowledgements
of an ignorant population of African
origin, and believing that those men
of the state of North Carolina, who
joined in forming the union, did not
contemplate for their defendants sub
lection to an inferior race:
We, the undersigned citizens Of the
city of Wilmington and county of New
Hanover, do hereby declare that we
will no longer be ruled, and will never
again be ruled by men of African ORR
gin.
This condition we have in part en-
dured because we felt that the cOnse-
quences of the war of secession were
such as to deprive us of the fair con-
sideratiOn of many of our cOuntrymen.
We believe that, after more than
thirty years, this is no longer the case.
W. rl ~ g I
to is forced upon us suddenly by a
crisis and our eyes are open to the
fact that we must act now or leave
our defendants to a fate too gloomy to
be borne.
While we recognize the authority Of
the United States, and will yield to it
if exerted, we would not for a moment
believe that it is the purpose of more
than &C, 900, 900 of our own race to sub
ject US permanently to a fate to which
no An~glo-Saxon has ever been forced
to submit.
We, therefore, believing that we rep
resent unequivocally the sentiments Of
the White People of this county and
city, hereby for ourselves, and as rep
%resenting them, proclaim:
1. Thai the time has passed for the
intelligent citizens of this community
owning 95 per cent. of the property
cIiAA 1"y 40 80 i'A~
be ruled by negroes.
2. That we will not tolerate the ac-
ton of INSCRIPTIONS white men in af-
filiating with the negroes so. that by
means of their votes they can dOmi-
nate the intelligent and thrifty element
in the community, thus causing bust
ness to stagnate n progress to be
out of the question.
8. That the negro has demonstrated
nv nnta OnniZinO II interest IN every
way, and especially by his ballot, that
he is incapable of realizing that his in
terests are and should be identical with
those of the community.
4. That the progressive element in
any community is the white pOpula-
ton and that the giving of nearly all
the employment to negro labOrers has
been against the best interests of this
county and city and is a sufficient rea-
son why the city of Wilmington, with
it's natural advantages, has not be-
come a city of at least SO, 900 inhabi-
tants.
5. That we in future to give
to White men a large part of the en-
ployment heretofore given to negroes
because we realize that white families
cannot thrive here unless there are
more opportunities for the employment
of the different members of said fami-
lies.
6.-That the white men expect to live
in this community peaceably; to ave
and provide absolute protection for
their families, who shall be safe from
insult or injury from all persons
whomsoever. We are prepared tC
treat the negroes with justice and con-
sideration in all matters which do no,
involve sacrifices of the interests OF
the intelligent and progressive portion
of the community. But are equally
prepared now and Immediately to en-
force what we know to be our rights
Z. That we have been, in u desire
for and peace, blinded botf
to our interests and u rights. A eli
max was reached when the negro pa
per of this city published an article
so vile and slanderous that it woulo
in most communities have resulted IL
the lynching of the editor. We depre'
cate lynching and yet there is no pun
ishment. provided by the courts, ade'
quate for this offence We, therefore
owe it to the people of this community