The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-05-04
NATIONAL LEADERS FORCE UPON
NORTH CAROLINA REPUBLICANS.
NEGROES DEMAND THEIR RIGHTS
Orders from Washington to Give Them
Full Showing Local White Republic
cans Anxious to keep them In Back
Ground, but Unable to Do So.-Dis-
orderly Scene I'm District Convention.
Negro Delegates Withdraw The
Whites Denounced.
Especial to The Messenger.)

(Specia1 to The Messenger.)
Raleigh, n. c., fay 1.-The Fourth
district republican convention was
held here this afternoon and ended in
wild disorder, after the white dele
gates and the black ones har had a
quarrel and the latter had retired. Ed.
A. Johnson, colored, presided as district
chairman.
The convention was called to nomi-
nate delegates to the national conven-
ton.
The negroes made a demand that one
was not done they would knife the
white republicans by staying away
from the polls. Speech after speech
was made by the excited and angry .
negroes, James H. Young and David
A. Lane leading in this.
c. t. Bailey, postmaster here, and
]. M. Milliken were elected delegates;
F. D. Jones and H. B. Pearson, alter
mates, all whites.
The negroes then left and the white
men met and elected WinSlow district
chairman M Giles, Of Chatham,
member of the executive committee.
The white men claim that a few ne
groes remained and voted with them.
Ed. Johnson was interviewed and
said: Il was reelected chairman by
the whole convention. The white del
egates drew the color line on us. They
opened the attack. Every negro dele
gate left. / am the legal chairman.
We don't regard the after meeting as
being anything. When we left the con-
vention ended. The whites had a cau-
Gus before the convention n fixed
up their slate to freeze us out. We
told them plainly that they could not
rally us at the polls; also that we might
me- NIL h. l;-f-a h., e
as by men who pretend to be our polit-
ical friends. They planned to freeze us
out after we had, upon their earnest
urging, stood out of the way as dele
gates to the state convention. They
have begged us to keep in the back
ground"
Senator P%ritchard is here. He was
interviewed regarding tomorrow'S state
convention and said Congressman Lin
ney had written him declining positive
ly to accept the nomination for gov
ernor, adding that he could not afford
to take the place and that it did not
suit him.
1t is learned from other sources that
Linney's desire is to be renominated
for congress.
Spencer Blackburn claims that he
will get the nomination, and he may
do so.
Many republicans are pressing Sena-
tor Pritchard to accept the nominal
ton for governor, and he would accept
if he were not in the senate, as, &C
cording to his view. the republicans
will win.
Senator Pritchard was asked his
opinion as to the convention. He said
he thought it would be the largest ever
held; that it would positively declare
against the constitutional amendment,
denounce the election law, declare for
an increased appropriation for public
schools and would heartily endorse
President Mckinley and his policy.
Inquiry of delegates tonight "a to
the belief that since Linney's declina-
ton, William P. Bynum, Jr., of Green's
boro, will be nominated for governor.
A well-known white republican says
tonight that the white republicans here
are trying to get rid of the negroes,
but hat orders have come from Wash
ington that the negroes must be given
a full share of the lOaveS and fishes.
He Says, further, that his party is
making a fatal error in arraying itself
against the constitutional amendment.
Negro delegates are gathered in
groups this evening. There seems to
be wide differences n sharp feelings
between them and the whites, but all
these things may be mere simulated.
Tonight white republicans are claim
ing that there will not be over twenty
negro delegates at the state conven-
ton. 1t is now fully confessed that
the whites have moved eaven and
earth to keep the negroes in the back
ground. ;
The republican state committee this
evening was making up the roll of the
convention delegates, of which matter
it has absolutel control. There was
only one contest, from Waynes, there
being two sets of delegates, one of
whites, the other of negroes. Postmas-
ter Dodson, of Goldsboro, heads the
White delegation.
At 10 o'clock tonight the situation
has so changed that it appears Sena-
tor Pritchard will be nominated. Del
egation after delegation is calling on
him and insisting that he accept the
nomination, telling him he can poll 5000
to 10000 more votes than any one else.
w. p. Bynum, Jr., sent word that he
thought the convention ought to force
Pritchard to accept and that he could
poll 10000 more votes than any other
republican.
Pritchard is replying to these dele
cations and messages that some one
else can be elected. He does not say
tonight that he will not accept, though
he said so today. He is told plainly
hat he ought to give up two years in
the senate If by taking the nomination
he can defeat the amendment.
Some leading republicans are now
freely declaring that Pritchard will be
the nominee.
Richard Pearson and Attorney Gen
eral Walser have been talked of tonight
as possible candidates for governor.
There is quite a lively contest be-
tween James E. Boyd, Richmond
Pearson, T.. B. Walser n Charles
McNamee for delegate at large to the
national convention. 1t was not un-
derstood until tonight that Boyd
wanted this. Senator Pritchard is
being urged to decide this contest, but
refuses to take a hand in it.