The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-01-19
Will PRESENT IT TO-DAY
ASK THAT no UNFAYORABLE
LEGISLATION BE PASSED.
AN ADDRESS TO THE coloREO PtoPLs
Both the Memorial and Address Formulated
and Adopted at Conncil Of Co'ored
Men Yes.erdao. The Council
to be Perpetuated.


About fifty colered men, representing
thirty-siX counties, mostly Eastern ones,
met in the colorcd Presbyterian church
yesterday afternoon and drafted Il me-
mortal to the General Assembly which
will be presented to that body today.
They also formulated an address to the
the colored people of the State, which
they will have printed and largely cir
culated among the colored people of
the State.
1t was termed the Council of COlorcd
Men of the State and met pursuant TO
!; call issued some time since by Con-
gresham White and others. 1t was Il
representative body of colored men,
being composed Of many of the most in
telligent members of the colored race
of the State.
The memorial and address are con-
seryative. Those members who We're
for passing sensational and radical
address were sat down upon by the cool
or heads, who were largely in the ma
jority.
The meeting was presided over by
Congressman White.
The caucus the night before had prac-
tically settled the character of the me
mortal and address and not much time
was consumed in formulating and pass
ing them.
The bow-hards who wanted some
thing really warm were allowed to empty
themselves of their surplus gas and then
the council went ahead and did its
work without regard to what they had
said.
The following is the memorial adopt
cd and which will be presented TO the
General Assembly today by the follow
ing committee: j. II. Harmon, w. \.
Byrd, f. a. Johnson, A. NJ. Moore,
X. b. McRary, G. S. Brown, John o.
Savage, Chas. Il. Lane and John o.
Grossly.
Raleigh, n. c.. Jan. Is. 1890.
To the Honorable Senators and Repre-
sentatives of the General Assembly of
North Carolina:
Gentlemen: We, the undersigned
committee, appointed by the colored peo-
pie of North Carolina. in council, as
sembled in the city of Raleigh. January
18th, 1892 do most respectfully present
this memorial to your honorable body
for consideration.
In the light Of legislation recently
introduction of bills and resolutions. the
trend of which would tend greatly 10
affect our future welfare ana prosperity
in the State, we most respectfully ask
the General Assembly Of North Carolina,
now in session, not to pass any laws.
the effect of which would be to blunt
our aspirations. reduce our manhood.
and lessen our usefulness rs citizens,
other men to work out our destiny; and
we ask you to continue your friendly
aid toward us which has 50 marked the
good relations existing between the two
races in our State in the past.
I'VE are not insensiblc. but acutely
grateful to orr white ncighbors in Nor n
| Carolina for the liberal educational "a
cilitics so nobly inaugurated in our be-
half by the late Hon. Zebulon b. Vance,
fostered and encouraged by lts success
| sor, Governor Thos j. Jarvis and other
| liberal and broad-minded Statesmen of
North Carolina
I'VE also petition your honorable body
| to continue a generous appropriation 10
| our ileemosynary institutions, our dear.
| dumb and blind: our insane. ard our
| Orphan Asylum at Oxford, also our Me-
| chanical and Normal schools. While we
| hardly deem it necessary to make this
request in the light of your past gencr-
osity along these lines, stii! we do so in
order that our silence may not be- taken
| as Indifference in their BEHALF.
These requests are respectfully sub
mitted to your consideration with no in
| tcntion Of dictation or offense, bur as an
| humble. portion of the population. of the
| State that gave us birth. and Of Il land
| wherein the ashes of our ancestors rest.
! 1--WE love North Carolina. and we have
| at all times boosted Of her resources.
congcnial cline and conservative inhabi-
| tantS OF all races, and we sincerely
| trust that nothing will be done now or
| hereafter in the way of legislation that
will cause us to feel that it is necessary
| to remove to other sections.
"As slaves we were faithful to all the
| trusts imposed upon us, and as citizens
! we have endeavOred year after year TO
! improve our condition materially, cdu-
/ catiOnally and relgiOusly, and we lust
/ that no obstacle will be placed in our
way; that we may continue to bccom"
| better citizens, remembering that the
welfare of the State depends, for It's
| future happiness and prosperity. upon
| dli IT'S CONSTITUENT DdftS, anu ouI pOuS
| polite, like that of a human being, must
| suffer if any portion of its member are
manned or in any wise injured.
Trusting that this memorial may
meet your favor, and that your efforts
| in legislation for the good of the whole
! people of our beloved State may be
| crowned with abundant success
| After this memorial to the Legislature
( had been adopted, IN address was for-
INFLATED and approved, which Will 10
printed and circulated largely among
/ the cOlored people of the State. This
/ address is signed by the same committee
which will present the memorial TO the
Legislature. The address is as follows:
Raleigh, \. c., January Is. 1899.
Raleigh, \. c., January Is, 1898.
'To the Colored People of North Caro-
| lima. Greeting:
1--WE, some of the representatives of
1 our race in council assembled, on the
consideration Of the following state
mput.