The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1903-05-09
The National Afro.American Council
AnDREss TO THE COUNTRY.

It is evident to the thoughttul amons
us that we are passing through one OF the
most critical periods OF our exlste1n!ce IL
This country Questions that Immediately
CONCERN the liberty and we'll being OF one
eighth of the United States and scarcely
to less degree the whole population OF tne
country are pressing f9r Of
mankind teaches that in public matters
the equality of each is the surest guar
antee Of the liberty and safety OF an the
members of society," II 1t De frye fr rna' and e
half slave it follows as necessary coroi-
lary that the manhood Of no state can
with safety be divided, in nearly equal
parts into voters e ana non heen ;naner-
ated on the part ii the South which has
for its object the Withdrawal of the fran.
chise from the Afro Americans OF that
of absolute subse1viency in al! the rela
lions of life. Even college graduates ana
men of business and Wealtn HI I've. p Seen
openly declared by some OF me moS 81
prominent leaders of the South thet It
was the intention of the trainers OF the
Afro Americans al possible and lea ave
every Caucasian III full possession OF the
suffrage. The effect has. been, that not
only has the American been as
number of Caucasians, who. previous to
the adoption of these constitutions par
ticipated in electiGnS have ceased 70 reg
ister and yote and thus the ve have been
We contend ior our constitutional
| rights on the ground that the right or
yiduai sovereignty of the American citi-
| zen, which in turn is the oasls. OF tne aS. E.
! gregate sovereignty of the Whoie oody
| polite. has been conferred upon It's CIV III
| zens by the Federal Government. The
! powers of the Federal Government were
| not conferred by a single state but oy al
| of the states, therefore the National COY
! eminent can enforce the provisions. OF the
| We heartily commend the Afro-A meri-
| cans Of Virginia, Alabama, Louisiana,
and other states, who are seeking re9res ss
pledge them our moral and financial sup
port. : -
We denounce the mob murders now so
We cali the Attention Of the country to
| condition of service on many larnss N
| a number Of the Southern states resem-
bling very much the ola peonage .syste5h
and in violation Of the Thirteenth Amend
ment to the Federal Constitution, ana ask
for legislation looking to the remedylng OF
the evil ~. =. ,r.,A !. ~ ..l&
fair practices I'M the transportation OF
passengers in Southern states, 5dlscrlm-
mating unjustly against Afro Amerlcans,
requiring of them the highest rates TOT
accommodations in carriage; and we m
woke the exercise Of the powers OF the
Interstate Commerce Commission: oy
that tribunal to prevent discriminate tons
in rates and accommo dations against IN
ter-state passengers. = s =
We appeal to the Congress of the Int
ed States for favorable action upon the
several measures now pending therein en- i FOR
the appointment Of commission TO IN
quire into the condition OF the AFRO
Americans of the country A,5 70 u.
We heartily endorse the deIverances5 OF Q
President Roosevelt with references ]. 70
the fitness for appointment to. ONCE, ana
the attitude of the Federal Government
toward all of its citizens, regardless !. OF
race or color. He has impaired neW.il re
and vigor to the stime-honored pranelpies
and traditions of human rights, ana ma
given hope and inspiration to a people
struggling heroicalIy beneath h the burden n
Of hate and prescription. We commend zen Z
Theodore Roosevelt to the affection and !
confidence Of om people regardless q
party utilization. iae q Z, 800
sAIEXANDER WALTER5,
Chairman Executive .Comm1ttee.
& So So secretary.
:VILIaI PLEI GER
Acting President, rational Afro american az