The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1899-07-15
ADDRESS I'd. THE NATION

lE = +.
=. ADDRESS ,Io The NATIcN
by the National Afro-Amer-
lean Council at washington, D.
c., Dec. 80, 1898.
is abnor1nally disturbed I'M oas section Of the
country and Comparatively aGmposed in the
ether three, it is easy to r9ach the conclu-
sion that we cannot arrive e the desired ends
wholly through any one method. There are
certain things which thore of US who live
in the South can accomplish, and certain
other things: which those e us who live In the
North can accomplish: We may take differ
results will be for the s,sarnon advantage.
1n the North the w~.;s Of agitation, OF pre-
test and petition an>. political conduct is
essential to the gauss. The Northern and
upon our grievances and accurately informed
as to their nature -xtent. In the South
ment can best Be determined and carried on
by the wise men Of US in the Southern states
who have done so much since the War Of the
Rebellion TO- pave the way for our future
status as men and citizens in all the walks of
life. We think that it Is important that this
view of the matter sAosld not be log sight of
for moment
and ..interpretatioage ghe intentions Of ali
members of-the.sGcM 80 have capacity and
probity, and who ars ,.e~king for the general
sooa vast gs sSsntsy and the
dices Of any sort, outlreFing from phenom-
email ethnic differential4Sps which must have
proper time for inevitae"e assimilation, makes
wide difference Of opinl%n as to the best ways
and means to secure Ia Aest results in given
localities, which muac >satermine the final
result for veal or wo>.
cepted without sacriKsHp- one principle OF
manhood or citizen RISES. Jor that would be
repugnant to sour senas ~ absolute Justice,
to which we adhere '>Ssout deviation OF
AS fair statement r 7ur convictions we
affirm it that there 10 ~ manhood or citizen
right guaranteed to Y the federal consti;
which by state constitutions against which VIC
do not protest. -sj, -'>-@ a'
Passing from abstract statement Of senti-
ment to concrete statement of fact, we have
to congratulate ourselves that the race has
all the elements of Christian morality, of
thrift and of intelligence There IS no con-
tention here. Friends and foes alike admit
in a condition ofxfreedom have lived to see
us produce more and consume more than
in condition OF slavery; those who prophe-
SASN IudI we were IACdpbu1t VI 1AdSIcIAu6 LAS
common rudiments of education have lived
to see us fill 200 colleges in the South with
anxious students and to supply $4,000 compe-
tent teachers in the public schools of the
South. upon whose competency white super
intendents of education passed judgment;
while our ignorant ministry has been trans
intelligent forces for good in the republic,
and the high professions of law and medicine
and Journalism have competent representa-
tives in every considerable community in the
N0YNlYh oYSd $InrN
confidence of their. fellows.
We affirm it as a matter of fact, which
cannot be refuted, that the Afro-American
race is stronger and better today than ever
more moral, more religious, more intelligent;
that it has larger bank deposits, owns more
real and personal property, and lives in bet
eors lec a IN Ss Ne
York Sum- no people have ever made greater
progress in given length Of time. Where
it was confidently expected and predicted that
in condition. OF freedom, we have proved
ourselves self-sustaining race, producing
more cotton and corn and other wealth as
Of the states of the South than was ever
dreamed of in the philosophy of the slave
master: We appeal to the statistics of cot
ton and cereal and mineral production before
and since the war to sustain our contention.
We have not produced all the wealth of the
South since the war-we have produced our
honest share. produced vastly more as free
man than, We produced as a slave--and, in
stead of becoming public charges have be-
come self-sustain:ng and reliant citizens, who
share in the wealth we have produced and
md the glory of the republic, of which we
are, as DR.. David Gregg, of Brooklyn, re-
Gently affirmed, among the first families, and
n whose past achievement and present glory
n war and in peace. we claim. by right of
honest labor and sacrifice and devotion, q CO.
equal share, and participation.
1t seems to us strange and unnatural that
We should have to turn from the magnificent
'ecord we have made as slaves and freemen.
n peace and in war, to specific grievances
which go at the very roots of our citizenship,
nanity of a portion of our fellow citizens to
he Justice and fairness and Christian char
ty inherent in the heart and the soul of the
%. We do it with a confidence born Of
Christian faith and 250 years of education in
American law and precedent that we shall
lot appeal in vain. We have lived in darker
American justice sand fair play go through
Ire and death and devastation and GENE out
purified by the faith that abides in the Col
!!gain: Our optimism is as expansive as
American love Of justice and fair play. And
vhen properly appealed to, when properly
an furnish a sublimer reply than it can and
Will give. And we do not look to one Gee
ION Tor, response but to all sections, and
specially to the South where we know that
We have friends who have been tried in the
urnace Of experience and found true, and
Who will be faithful in the FUTURE as they
ave been in the past, if we shall be true to
UT OF the Egypt of slavery into the Judea
But. no race has ever risen out of the shad-
". into the sunlight without fierce oppo-
dtion. We have been no exception to the
ule. And all the way to the top Of the lad
Ter, where Daniel Webster declared d. there here
vas plenty Of room, however long it takes
ND time is the most important factor in the
economy Of God in working out the destiny
# races and nations-we shall encounter
lerce antagonismS but we shall win in the
air play on our side. -
In view OF the present condition of affairs
= which we find ourselves we beg to direct
ttention to the following facts:
1. Since 1868 there has been a steady and
determination to eliminate us from
ne politics of the Southern states. We are
warranty, and not a privilege to be conferred
withheld by the states. We are not OPP !
osed to legitimate restriction of the suffrage, |
ut we insist that restrictions shall apply
IKE to all citizens Of all states. We are
illing to accept an educational or property |
ratification, or both. We insist that neither |
these was intended or is conserved by the |
ew constitutions Of Mississippi, South Caro-:
nd did disfranehfse. majority of their citi- l
enship because of race, color, and previous
and. we therefore call upon the !
ongress to reduce the representation of |
lose states in the congress, as provided and |
!ade mandatory III section 2 Of article XIV. |
the constitutions We call upon Afro Amer
le determinationato deprive them Of their |
Mirage rights. III 1t is necessary to accom-
lish this vital purpose to divide their vote |
! q given state we advise that they divide it. |
he shibboleth Of party must give way to |
re shibboleth Of self preservation.
2. The increase of mob and lynch law in |
le republic must be source of regret and |
REF to every lava abiding citizen. It has
ecome source of reproach at home and |
broad. We feel that this cancer on the body |
Dlitic is breeding a. contempt for law |
1,hnlo I,ndxr o.