The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-04-16
'USE THEN KICK THEM"
The Sentiment of the Negro Mass
Meeting Yesterday.
NEGROES AT REPUBLICAN CONvfN TONS
Dec are That Never Again Will They Vote For
Men WHO Desert Them in Ho ly
Contested Political
Ba'teS

Metropolitan Hall yesterday resound-
ed with condemnation of Senator
Pritchard.
The negro mass meeting there as
sembled use hot words against white
Republicans who had used them as
stepping stones for office, but upon
Senator Pritchard the vitrial WAS liber
ally sprinkled
When the final vote was taken to con-
denim his treatment of negroes there was
a unanimous vote for it, though some
two or three only voted thus in order
| to ask reconsideration.
The meeting was one that represented
the hest class of negroes in the State,
and there was ar absence of the usual
big run of loud-Voiced negro politicians.
Some were there. of course. bur they
cut very little figure. The contingent
that sought Senator PritcharG's scalp
got it, despite the efforts of a few to
keep his name from being mentioned.
The meeting was held in response to
call issued by Henry Z. Hagans, of
| Goldsboro; r. H. w. Leak, OF Raleigh,
and S. G. NeWsom. of Weldon The
me citing was to discuss the status of
the negro as an office holder i'll the Re-
p1tbliean party and to devise plans to
make his power felt by the white Re-
publicane his votes had elevated TO
power.
There were upwards of $50 delegates
present, eighteen counties being repre-
| senied. These came from many sections.
but the east had the larger number of
debates present.
President Hagans called the conven-
tion TO order, and after prayer by
Rev. L. B. McClain, of Concord. a com
! mit:ee on permanent organization report
ed as officers II, f. Hagans, of Colds
boro, president r. II. w Leake, of
Raleigh, vice president M F. Thorn
ton, of WarrentOn, secretary, and w. Z.
Merritt, of Sampson. assistant secre-
tary.
After sorae discussion. a com!nittee
on an address to the colored people was
appointed. The address had heen prac-
tically agreed upon and after a few
changes it was reported, c. Q. Fl.
Thompson, of Carteret, reading as fol-
lows:
To the Colored People of North Carolina
Realizing that this is our home where
our fathers and we have lived and toiled
for generations, contributing to the
wealth of the South especially, and to
the nation in general as farmers, me-
chanics, builders of railroads and by man.
ual and domestic labor of every sort;
realizing that numbers of our people are
! becoming discouraged and leaving the
farms and their homes and wandering off
in search of better conditions for better
wages, where they can feel safe in the
| free exercise and enjoyment of their polit
= ical rights.
Conscious of the fact that citizenship
without the ballot in this country is a
misnomer and that the disfranchisement
laws recently enacted in our State, put
us, the black citizens. however numerous.
at the mercy of the evil disposed in any
community who may have the ballot.
however few:
Further realizing that the i'll feeling
, against the race harbored and engen-
dered by political aspirants for office
who seem to feel it necessary to curse
and violently abuse the negroes in or
der to get the office, will sooner or later
run its course, and hoping that the era
of good feeling between the races may
soon return with such force and justice
as to wipe out all discrmina tions in the
! jury system which fosters juries, entirely
composed of white men, negroes not even
being allowed to try negroes in many
counties, having the effect of swelling
the criminal statistics of the race, about
which so much is being said and such
odious comparisons are being made, and
further, that this era Of peace and friend
to wipe out the unequal. unclean jim
crow car laws, which compel our wives,
sisters and daughters to ride in four
seated compartments on the public car
riers with strange men. into which also
often crowd the riff-raff from the white
departments, who drink, curse and even
insult our respectable women.
And finally realizing the necessity of
prompt action and wise direction to
quiet the minds OF our people, we have
accordingly assembled and do resolve as
follows:
Ist. That we believe it the part of wis
dom for all to remain, If possible in
North Carolina. to wait and quietly
work, save our earnings. ana become pre-
rared to buy homes here. or elsewhere,
aud become real occuriers and beauti-
fiers Of such homes, and to safeguard and
protect them with all we have.
2ld. We emphasize our belief in the IN