The colored American., 1899-12-09

against our best friends. Wrongl Sup
pose we grant it true, though do not,
that Mr.. McKinley's attorney general
was, and is, right in saying that 1.-THE
case Of Hose has no federal aspect" ls
this true Of the Baker case? Will any of
the eminent gentlemen Of the counsel
for the defense urge that there was no
power IN the President to have acted
in the Baker case, and furnish federal
protection to him. If there be and was
such power, then the President is
chargeable with failing and neglect
to perform duty by law imposed upon
him, and such failure and neglect is
nothing short OF crime. That was a
single case we are told, and being the
first, he is not chsrgeable to any great
extent Wrong again! Verify, the
Scriptures do teach, "He that is guilty
OF the least, is guilty of the whole"
Remembering this will we let bygones
be bygones, simply because he speaks?
The President will speak, and the
President will recommend, but why
will he. He has been forced-yes
against his will, forced to speaR. He
sees now as he never saw before that
the Negro has begun to move in his own
interest. The Negro has discovered
by profoundly eonferrlng together first
in Washington in December, 1893, and
again in Chicago In August last, dis
covered the power he has within him
self to right his wrong, He has heard
how Prof. Booker t. Washington has
asked sis it not worth our while to
consider the question of division Of
our vote" He has heard His Grace,
Bishop Alexander Walters say, and
how his words were repeated through
out the land ''The time has come when
we must divide our vote" He has be-
come recollecllve and remembers how
BENJAMIN Harrison was bolted and de-
feated, because he was false to the trust
the Negro reposed in him. And be-
cause he will recommend that ap-
propriate legislation be passed by the
forth, coming Congress making lynch
ing crime, shall we give him full
absolution without attaching any
pensnce? Shame, shame upon US il
we do!
Our own Edward E. Brown Of Boston
has taken the initiative, Congressman
Whlte-noble representative ofs loyal
and noble people, stands ready to pre-
sent the measure. This Mr.. Mckinley
should have done. All things are now
made ready for Congressional action.
He who speaks now but becomes one Of
a great and mighty chorus. 'Tis he
who leads when others halt, when
there are none sdy olloW, that Is
due great praise. he who JOINS in when
all have started, but takes the pace Of
an humble follower.
Must we now pen up all our indigna.
ton, silence every voice in protest,
withdraw every demand, cancel every
claim, and be content because Mr. Nc.
Kinley speaks, or mus he still answer
for the wrongs chsrgeable to him? In
word shall we support him for re-
election?
Four months ago you would not have
gotten up torch light procession OF
Negro youngsters to "whoop 'em up for
Mckinley" An, then Negroes were
thoroughly aroused. They were saying,
"Rad we but have known him in No
vember 1896 as we do now, he would
not have had on vote" How much
better will he be after December the
4 ID than he now is?
"Divide!" says His Grace Bishop
Walters. "No, divide never" is Lhoed
back by press, pulpit and pen. Divide
and you 90 to your worst enemies, they
say. Are our friends to be judged
alone by what they say? Then let me
ask you hear again these words, and by
the same judgment you Judge Mr.. Nc
Kinley and his party, judge the party
to which belong the the man who ut
tered this:
"In the administration OF a govern
ment pledged to do equal and exact
justice to all men, there should be no
pretext for anxiety touching the pro-
lection Of the freedmen in their rights |
or their security IN the enjoyment of
their privileges under the constitution
and its amendments, All discussion |
as to their fitness for the place accorded |
to them as American citizens is idle and
improbable, except as it suggests The
necessity for their improvement. The
fact they are citizens entities them to
all the rights due to that relation and
charges them with all its duties, obi
cations and responsibilities. "-First
inaugural address of Grover Gleve-
land. Messages and papers of the Presi-
dents vol. s, page s0s
"Braver words" said our dear old
man, Frederick Douglass, "have
,o,,ar hoop cold ~ Douoloss spoko q