The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-01-18

by the sweat of your brows. It has been earned by you. not once, but many times over. The lands. the houses, the stocK. and all the farm improvements are a part of the fruits of negro labour; and when right and justice prevail, this prop erty. or very large part of it, will be yours"
 This statement was received with demonstrations of approval, one of the audience exclaiming: You sho is talkin' now, boss!"
 'But how arc right and justice to pre- vail? Only by the constant and continued success of the party of which the martyr ed Lincoln was the leader. The mission of the party has not yet been fulfilled First. it made you freemen Then 1t went step further and made you citizens and voters. Should you sustain 1t by your votes, 1t will take another step, and give you an opportunity to reap some of the fruits of your toll, as well as the toll of the unfortunate who pined away and died or who were starved under the in- famous system of slavery"
 'Ain't it de trufer exclaimed the Rev. Jeremiah, fervently.
 ''We have met here tonight to organ ize a Union league" continued MT. Hotchkiss. The object of this league is to bring about a unity of purpose and action among its members, to give them opportunities to confer together, and to secure a clear understanding. No one knows what will happen. Your former masters are jealous of your rights; they will try by every means in their power to take these rights away from you. They will employ both force and fraud and the only way for you to meet and overcome this danger is to organize. Ten men who understand one another and act together are more powerful than a hundred who get as individuals. You must be as wise as serpents, but not as harmless as doves. Your rights have been bought for you by the blood of thousands of martyrs, and you must defend them. If necessary arm yourself. Yea! if necessary apply the torch"
 There was a certain air of plausibility about this harangue a degree of earn estness. that impressed Gabriel and he does not know to this day, whether this hl-informed emissary of race hatred and sectional prejudice really believed all that he said Who shall judge?
 Hotchlsiss brought his remarks to a close. and then proceeded to read the constitution and bylaws of the pro- posed Union league under which, he ex- plained, hundreds of leagues had been organized. Each one who desired to be- come a member was to make oat sep- artely and individually that he would not betray the secrets of the league, nor dis- close the signs and passwords, nor tol- crate any opposition to the republican party, nor have any unnecessary dealings with rebels and former shareholders. He was to keep eyes and ears open, and re- port all important developments to the league.
 We are now ready, I presume, for the ceremonies to begin" remarked MT. Hotchkiss. First we will elect officers of the league, and I suggest that the Honorable Jeremiah Tomlin be made president"
 Oats rightY 'He sho' is de manr' "No needs fer ter put dat ter de ques- tioni" were some of the inducements that came from various parts of the room.
 The Rev. Jeremiah was immensely tickled by the title of Honorable that had been so unexpectedly bestowed on him. He hung his head with as much modesty as he could summon, and bearing in mind his calling, one might have been pardoned for suspecting that he was oe- fering up brief prayer of thanksgiving, He rose in his place, however
 MT. Cheer, I thank you an deze friends nightly fer de renomination CT my name, an de generl endossments CT de balance CT deze gentermen. So fur. so good But. MT Cheer, for We gifts right spang down ter business, l moves dat some CT de br'ers be ax'd fer ter give der idee CT dis plan which have been laid befo us by our hon'bul frien'. l moves dat we hear fum Br'er Plato Clopton. eff so be de sperret is on him fer ter gi' us his sesso"
 Uncle Plato, taken somewhat by sur prise, was slow in responding, but when he rose, he presented a striking figure He was taller than the average negro, and there was a simple dignity-an air or gentility and serene affabilty-in his att titude and bearing that attracted the attention of MT. Hotchkiss. The Rev. Jeremiah was still standing, and Uncle Plato, after bowling gracefully to MT. Hotchkiss turned with a smile to the negro who had called on him.
 You know mighty we'll Br'er Jerry, dat l aln't sech a talker ez ter git up an say my say des dry so an let 1t go at dat. Howsomever, I laid off ter say somp'n, an l aint sorry you called my name In what's been said dey's a heap dat I gree wid. I blieve dat de cullud folks oughter work tergedder, an stan tergedder fer ter hep an he holped. But when you call on me fer ter turn my back on my marster an go to hatin' i'm, you'll hater skuzen me- You sho will"
 ''He ain't yo' marster now, Brer Plato, an ye know it," said the Rev. Jeremiah.
 ''I know dat mighty well,' replied Un- cle Plato, but eff 1t don't hurt my feelins s fer ter call him dat 1t oughtn't ter poster yuther people. How 1t may be wid you all, dunno; but me an my marster wus boys tergedder. We uster play wid one amer. an fall out an fight, an I've whipped him des many times ez he ever whipped mean he'll tell you de same"
 But all this" suggested Mir Hotch- kiss coldly, 'has nothing to do with the matter in hand. The colored race Is fac ing conditions that amount to a crisis a crisis that has no parallel In the worlds history"
 Dat Is suttinly so!' the Rev Jere- miah calculated, though he had but a dim notion of what Hotchkiss was talk ink about
 'They have been made citizens," pur- sued the organizer, land 1t Is their duty to demand all their rights and to be sat isfied with nothing less. The best men