The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1899-01-05
NOISY, NAUSEATING NEGROES.
Spirit Pervades "Afr'

and Uproar the Principal Features.
Especial Dispatch t" B fillmore SUM-
Washington. Dec. 30.-Excited and
Incorporate speech, disprderlv and
riotous action, have marked the pro-
ceedings of the so-called ''Afro-
American Council" ..American
has been q decided misnomer. for the
tincture of African barbarism has
had but an intinitesimal flavor of
American civilization.
Bishop Alexander Walters, of New
Jersey. presided, delivering lengthy
opening address, in which he re-
viewed the condition OF the negroes
from the time OF the revolution to
to-day The South. he said. must
treat the negro as it would have the
negro treat the South. The South
could no longer shield its barbarity
to the negro with the excuse of pro-
tecting its women.
Bishop Walters could not under
stand the motives Of those members
Of the race who counsel inaction.
With the President silent in his mes
sage upon their lots at Wilmington,
| the time had come for the cOlOred
man to act: to act with tirmness,
| calmness and after due deliberatiOn.
| Every reference to the need Of re-
forms in the South brought forth
thunderous applause and expressions
approval.
Some little scmblance of respect
for order and regularity has been
maintained on the platform, but in
the meeting and dense black mass on
| the floor the brawl and buster, the
tumult, turbulence and uproar. has
simply detied description. At times
it has been iiendish, and the sight
NAV well have caused dismay and
doubt to fill the breasts of those who
are sincere well-wishers of the blacl
race and anxious for its development
Improvement and proper protection
At ncarly midnight on Thursday, after
several hours of wranglng, shouting
kissing, violent denunciations of the
President of the United States anc
Others the presiding bishop summary
and in spite of protests, declare the
meeting adjourned and, with the
other officers, left the scene. This
morning, when the convention met
it was very short time before thu
aclmonv and disorder of last nigh
again took possession. After this
had gone on for two or three hours
and it was apparent no bushes:
could be transacted, the chairman wa
once more compelled to resort to thu
SUPPLEMENTARY procedure of de
claring the meeting adjourned, with
out motion to that effect having
been carried.
The element in control has lost NJ
opportunity since the opening of thu
sessions to testify it's disapprobatio,
of any and all sentiments atfectin!
the whites not of the most incendiar'
and malevolent character Cheatham
the cOlored recorder of deeds for TIL
District of Columbia, met with groan
and Kisses because of his advocacy 0
moderation and conservatism, ant
was tainted with being Mckinle,
ollicc-holder. Il. Thomas Fortune, tn,
man who so outrageously denounce,
the President at meeting in thi
city week or two ago, was one 0
the prominent agitators and dis
durbers- During his remarks, thu
President was repeatedly Kissed ant
hooted at.
Bishop Grant, of Pennsylvania
detiantly announced, amid grea
applause. 1--WE won't be satisfied
until we have all the white man has,
| fpr ut knr 81 3D. dc fro
any one and we are as white inside
as any one in the world" A woman
from Illinois followed in the sam,
strain. She had no use for 9TH
nergo who is content to be ser
want, and said 1.-the President is to,
busy looking after the Confederate
to bother about the negro
Rev. DR.. Marseli, Of Philadelphia
said the statement of Southern
negro, that the race had been give1
} the ballot too soon, was the "mOs
damnable heresv and the worst set
; back the negro had received since TIL
: war" He said he had no sympath
with the efforts to the President t.
conciliate the old Confederates. n
nation. he said could succeed tina
attempted to compound with tn
devil.
Among the objects of this Afro
American council, as set forth in it
) call. is .'to create healthy publ
sentiment i'll favor of fair play towar
the negro The course of it's pro
ceedings in this city, the capita
of the country. has not been c
a character to inspire ''healthy
sentiment toward the negro, bu
rather to sustain the contention c
; those who hold him to be incapabl
Of the proper appreciation and en-
joyment of the rights and privilege
of the citizen.
An eyewitness saws the brethren
simply rolled in eestacy as the
listened to the speakers who battle
aNed the white trash" This
? scarcely calculated to stir up tn
What has occurred has furnished a
, OBJ ject-lesson to such Northern men
: bcrs of Congress as are in the cit
Just now. Several of them were pei
l sonally present, and admit that it
: an astounding revelation for whic
! they were not prepared. 1t will hay
; the tendency to alter some of the
2 views. Staunch friends of the negr
;. are disheartened by representative
r of the race at the national capital.
Your friends may smile