The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-03-31
TUESDAY,. MARCH 81.
PRITCHARD'S RECLAMATION.

In the opinion of The News and OBJ
server Senator Pritchard had TO ear
dirt and say he liked it, too, before the
president would agree TO &c back on
Postmaster Wick. 1t says: THE WASH
fngton Star, the organ of the Roosevelt
administration, prints he appointment
of Person as postmaster at Wilson in
such a way as to show that Prltchard
was forced to eat dirt etc.-blackI
dirt at that, and a plenty of it. If The
News and Observer and the Roosevelt
organ are correct Senator Pritchard had
TO humiliate himself, not only to the
president, but before the public, as is
shown by the following letter from the
senator to the president regarding the
formers attitude towards the appoint
ment of negroes to office. The letter
was made public at the same time as
the notice Of Persons appointment, pub
lished as above mentioned, in The
Washington Star. The president, it
seems, was not satisfied with an oral
statement from the alleged lily white
party promoter, but must have it in
black and white over his signature.
Here is the letter:
Dear Mr.. President: Referring to
conversation in regard to Wick the other
day, 1 beg to call your attention to the
fact that j. 3. Catus, a leading colored
man. is postmaster at Winton, n. c.,
n has been since the republican party
came int power the last time. l Under
stand that his administration of the Of
fee is entirely satisfactory to the peO-
pie of that community
"The postmaster at GAINESVILLE, a viii
lage just across the river from New
BEN, rs Il cOlored man. There is also a
colOred postmaster at Biddle, in the
county of M~ecklenburg.
"A. f. Johnson is clerk and assistant
in the district attorneys office for the
Eastern district of North Carolina;
Colonel James H. Young, who served
in the Spanish war, holds a responsible
position as clerk in Collector Duncan's
office at Raleigh, and John Taylor is
chief clerk in the collector of customs
office at Wilmington. 1 secured the ap-
pointment of n cOlored man as consul
to some place in Africa, and he is now
serving his second term.
Il also secured the appointment, as
you know, of J. c. Dancy as recorder OF
deeds of the District of Columbia, and
there are two or three prominent posi-
tons now being filled in the recorders
office by cOlored people who were APP
pointed on my recommendation. I have
secured the transfer and promotion of
a number of COlored people from North
Carolina who are employed in the de-
partments. and l am satisfied that 1
have obtained the appointment of not
less han twenty cOlOred men as labor
ers in the various departments in this
city.
al also call your attention to the fact
that I have secured the appointment of
Captain Gilmer as a lieutenant in the
Philippine scouts. and in this onnec
ton 1 ask you to read the inclosed let
ter from Professor James B. Dudley,
president of the Agricultural and Me-
chanical college for the Colored race Of
North Carolina. Professor Dudley is
one of the best cOlored men in the south
and yields a powerful influence in be-
half of his race.
Very truly.
j. c. PRITCHARD."
There was also given out the follow
ing letter from Professor Dudley:
Permit me to express to you the
pleasure that it gave me to learn that
after a severe ordeal you are beginning
to Your advice. and also 1 de-
sire to express to You the great pleas
ure it gave me to find, Notwithstanding
the severe denunciations which you
have received from many of my people.
that you are friendly enough and broad
enough 10 recognize their claims as is
evidenced by the recent appointment of
Lieutenant D. J.. Gilmer in the regular
army. The conditions with which we
have TO deal are Very delicate. While
l may somewhat differ with You upon
minor matters, 1 have newer for once
felt a disposition to question, in my
mind. the sincerity of your friendship
to the negro: nor the wisdom of the
policy which you represent"