New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-11-18
COLORED MEN PROTEST..
pAcE RIOTS DISCUSSED AT A BIG COOPER
UNION MEETING.
spr,KEEs ADVISE APPEALS TO THE BEST sENTI-
xENr RATHER THAN THREATS. But THE
rXclrABLE SPIRIT OF THE AUDIENCE
AT TIMES MANIFEsTs ITSELF.

. r,ass-meetins called for tie purpose of maxi
- nubuc protest against tho recent assaults
rsns; the colored was held last night In the
~ooner Union Every seat in the hall was occupied
xi,hin few minutes after the opening OF the
soors and soon, when the standing room at the
..r was filled. 1t became necessary to turn many
rav who sought admittance. More than four
snhs Of the attendance was made up OF colored
mon and women. while nearly hundred Afro
american ministers and other men who have at
,.,ned prominence among their people were seated
an the platform. A large force of policemen was
crescent as a precautionary measure against any
possible consequences which might arise from the
natural excitahility Of the colored people but their
.ervices we're not needed While 1t apparent
that the audience imbucd with strong feel
ing OF resentment against the perpetrators OF the
ouirages I'm the South the meeting was kept well
ntthin bounds by the discretion and temperate
language of the speakers At intervals a casual
rsnosrk from the platform. which might ne con-
s,rued into a threat OF reprisaI sufficient TO
work the meeting up to high state Of frenzed
enthusiasm in the midst of which shouts of an
,ncendiary nature were to be heard.
put the opportunities for these passionate out
bursts we're rare The speakers almost without oX-
,sntion counseed moderation in language and act.
nonting out that the remedies which were sought
for could be obtained only 10y appeals to the best
sentiment and common-sensc of the country.
= D. BASsETT PREsIDEs.
: D. Bassott. former Minister to Hayu. pre-
,iae3 and in opening the meeting he remarked
briefly that while the white people Of the South
who disrecarded the law and resorted TO violence
m,qbt ard that continuance in that course
might lead to their own destruction. vet he wished
:, ,rnnress upon the audience that the purpose OF
the meeting was not to indulge i'm incorporate or
violent language. and 10 say nothing that ala not
serce with The good understanding and intelligence
~ the American country. He then called upon
frederick r. Moore TO read number of letters re-
cevoa from people Who were in sympathy with
the objects Of the meeting Among the writer's
,-s the Rev Dr. charles II. ParkhurSt Ralph W.
Tvler Of Columbia $ c.; William Hayes Ward.
robn " Thompson. Of Rochester, Judge William
NJ X Olcott. !. t. Funk Edward NJ Circuit FTesi-
don't Of the Borough OF Brooklyn. Benjamin Is.
Odell ir chairman Of the Republican State COM
mittee and Fire Commissioner j. J. Scanned The
letters generally condemned the attacks made upon
the negroes i'm Wilmington, y. e.
Following the reading Of the letter. a series OF
resolutions was presented 10y 4. y. TompklHS. the
secretary OF the meeting. The preamble 10 the
resolutions reciied some length the condl''h Oh
affairs which threatened the life. liberty ana Pul-
suit Of happiness Of colorcd citizens in the south
and continued:
Resolved That we. citizens of NeW-Iork Eiy
protest against the rioting and revolution whch
have diseraced the States OF North Caroha ana
South Carolina. as being contrary 4" IN iV,,H
and spirit Of institutions and calculated to suD
the guaranteed rights OF tltZFlS ~
age the good name iePulAlioi an. t,,r,h- VI W
Republic at home and abroad be II iurthe1 -,
Resolved That feel that The Governors OF
North and South Carolina are censnrable for then
failure 10 suppress the said rioing ana reVo,u-
woke the aid Of the Federal authority II they were
unable or unwilling to cope with the condition
Resolved That We deplore un-American and
provocative of endless friction and contention me
10 nb'e and South Carolina and that we insist upon
he inst
Constitution shall be respected as the only SAT-
snfee of orderly government and that we appeal
10 the conservative. law abiding and CHRISTIAN ser
q public opinion which shall compel those in au-
thority TO enforce the law ana 10 secure 70 caGn
ertV and i'm the exercise Of his manhood ard c!ti-
Resolved that as the states Of Mis- i-sipri South
Carolina and Louisiana have by cons ututlonaI en-
ZION We demand that the basis OF representation OF
those States in Congress ana rItc'old NoI,5r ~
such male citizens shall bear to the number Of
male citizens twenty one years or age: as W@ H
and directed by Section of Article NV OF lhe
Pesoiv.d That We recommend such amendment
% the Constitution as viii enable the President 10
Use the Federal authority 20 pfotcct tue HNcS "nu
property Of citizens Of the nted StateS IRON
Of any State from fear or collusion fears to anord
such protector r or 20 G ~ ~ {rf ',
Resolved That We impoIe the guidance OF Al
mighty God in the shaping Of our HOMOGENEOUS
ci,?zeTship. 10 the end that it may make for
RELATIONSHIPS for human progress. and for the
against the clements Of ilo;ing and revolution
from within and the assaults Of enemies from
without.
r Thomas Fortune was the first regular speaker.
At the outset he said that those present had not
met in spirit Of vindictiyeness. with dynamite III
their clothes or Winchestcrs IN their hands. but
had come American ci xens who. IN the hour
when tho Government was imperilled had never
toen shot IN the back They came az law-abidng
onOer q he
man to appeal he declared, from the white Caesar
orunk TO the white Cesar sober. We shall have
our rights" he asserted but how"
BY fighting for them" yelled a man IN the
ccnre Of the hail. and the turbulent wave OF cheer
ing which followed demonstrated conclusveiy that
the audience was more inclined to threats than
appeals
VENGEFUL SPIRIT REBUKED.
Mr. Fortune however rebuked the apparent re-
veugcful humor Of the audience by insisting tha'
the object OF the meeting was not TO arouse pas
sion Or fiery denunciation. and pointed out that
the privileges which the colored people were hght-
ms for could be won only by appealing TO the sen
uments of law and order
Again the meeting was wrought up TO a high
pitch Of excitement by another man III 'ne MAJ"
shouting tina; the negroes should "hght FOR their
lights
IL cont blame the gentleman for wanting 20
fight" Mr. Fortune said when silence was once
more restored. "but he IS big fool ana Wouid DE
running his head against stone wall We VIII
have cool heads know that We can only WIN our
battle by appealing to the higher sentiments o. the
public"
Lawson y Fuller. who spoke next threw MS
audience into a state Of great excitement py say
Ing that If he had charge Of the awesshess IN lhe
South ne would send for Admiral Dewey REFER
rng to the editorial in the Wilmington cooreu
PEOPLES uousuaper that had helped 10 bring aoOut
the disturbances he said there was nothing IN II
70 provoke the outbreak. and thought the southern
women were TOO easily insulted
j. F. Feaker. president Of the State summer
League OF Connecticut, an organization oi lou"
thousand coiared peolla contenGcd tlat me qIes-