The Washington bee., 1898-04-30

by the colored people of this country.
While this social committee was at the
Executive Mansion, ex-senator Henry
Demas and other colored men were
holding meetings organizing the ne
groes and making regiments. The
Daily PiCayune, of New Dreams, La,
funishs the following report:
In answer to the call issued by
Naval Officer Henry Demas and other
colored citizens and ex-Union soldiers
inviting the men of the race to assem-
BILE at Grand Army Hall, corner Of
Common and Rampant streets, to dis
CusS the war situation and arrive at
some plan for the purpose of volun-
teerlng their services TO the national
government as American citizens,
ready and eager to go to the front and
uphold the flag of the United States,
an immense number of colored men
were present at 8 O'Clock last night.
Not only the large hall, on the second |
floor, packed TO suffocation, but on the
wide galleries almost encirCling the
building, the men stood in serried |
masses, while in the streets below |
several hundreds were unable to gain
The crowd in the hall hemmed In
the platform, at the end of the big
room and some of the men, hard |
pressed for room, lined the edge of !
rostrum.
The American flag, high borne, oc-
cupied coign of vantage in the mid
die of the speak -r's stand. Next to
''Old Glory" f1oated the colors of the
Cuban government
The uttermOst enthusiasm, temper
ed, however the mrmentousness and
of the hour, prevailed.
There was band of music, which
burst out at intervals with national
airs, much to the eradication of the
who applauded most vocifer-
ously when "Hail Columbia" or
America, was played.
Strudy men carried banners and
bearing inscriptions as
follows:
"The wars of 1775-1SI2, 1s6I-65, at
est the valor of tire ColoI ed soldiery."
We will rally around the flag"
10 uphold the nations honor, we
stand ready"
The Union, Cne and inseparable.
The meeting was addressed by
Henry Oemas, Alexandria Paul. DR..
T. r Newman, T. B. Stamps, ]. Madi-
on Vance, M. G.. Bobe and Colonel
:. w. Keeting.
Henry Demas next spoke. He laud-
ID the loyalty and patriotism of the
olored people in responding in such
arge numbers to the call of duty. and
e evinced then hope that the same
pirit and feelings which actuated
thers in their zeal to preserve and
efend the flag Of tn S country found
place In the Colored men. The pur-
ose OF this meeting is to express the
tatus OF the colored people of Louisi-
ma IN the hour of danger. The hero
'm and valor OF the Colored soldierv
three wars in America has been ar
ested by history and in the chronicles
these wars by those who partici-
ated. Christian A. Fleetwood saws .
I the negro soldiers: "In all the event
I the war, from Bunker Hill to York.
On, they bore an honorable part.
ne history of the doing of the armies
their history, and in everything they
'ok part and did their share. Their 2
'tal enlistment was about 1000 men"
DemaS gave several instances of the
trepldlty OF the negro troops in the 4
ar OF the revolution, and next spoke
the aid given by the free colored
oops In the war of I8I7-I8I1. The
,gro soldiers also played no incon-
puent part IN the civil war of 186I-6e
Demas concluded as follows: "Col-
ed Amerlcans-The people of this
mon will feel proud to learn of vonr
IeIeSt and enthusiasm here tonight
the success of our armies in war
IN foreign power, and / can assure
u cannot find language adequate,
81, Tor the honor of being selected
your chairman, and, secondly to
ngratulate you on the numbers Won
We brought out to this demonstra-
n. ComPatriots, let our motto be
merica for Americans ("