The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-01-11

memOST and individually that he would not be- tray 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. presume. for the ceremonies to begin, remarked Mr. Hotchkiss. First we will elect officers of the league. and suggest that the Hon. orabie Jeremiah Tomiin be made presi- dent.
 pats risht,'; .'He sho Is de mani! 'No needs fer ter put dat ter de aues- tion." were some of their Endorsements 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 offering up brief prayer of thanksgiving. He rose | In his place. however,
 "Mr. Cheer, thank you an deze frien's nightly for de renomnation CT my name, an de generl endossments CT de balance CT dege gentermen. So fur. so good. But, Mir. Cheer, 'fo' we gits right spang down | ter bisiness, moves dat some CT de br'ers be axd fer to give der idee CT dis plan which have been laid befo' us by l our hon 'bul frien'. moves dot we hear | fumi Br'er Plato clopton. of so be de sper- ret is on him fer ter, gr us his, sesso." | Uncle Plato. taken somewhat by sur prise, was slow In responding, but when he rose he presented striking figure. l He was taller than the average negro. and there was simple dignity--an air of rentility and serene affability-in his attitude and bearing that attracted the attention of Mir. Hotchkiss The Rev. Jeremiah was still standing. and Uncle Plato. after lowing gracefully to MT. | Hotchkiss, turned with smile to the negro who had called on him.
 You know mighty we'll. Br'er Jerry. dat ain't sech a talker ez ter git up an, say my say des dry so, an let it go at dat, Howsomevcr, laid off ter say somp'n, an I aint sorry you called my name. In what's been said dey's heap dat I gree wid. I b,llevc dat de cullud | folks oughter work tergedder, an stan | tergedder fer ter hep an be holped. But when you call on me fer ter turn my back on my marster, an go hatin' I'm, you'll hatcr skuzen me. You sho \ will"
 'He ain't yo marster now, Br'er Plato, an yo' know it, said the Rev. Jeremiah. | "I know dat mighty weil.' replied Un- cle Plato. but of 1t don't hurt my feel | in's fer ter call him dat it oughtn't ter poster yuther people. How 1t may be wid | you all dunno: but me an my marster i wus boys tergedder. We uster play wid | one an'er, an fall out an fight, an I've whipped him des ez 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 1 matter in hand. The colored race is fac ing crisis "a crisis that has no parallel in the worlds history"
 Dat Is, suttinly SOL" the Rev. Jere- miah ejaculated. though he. had but a dim notion of what Hotchkiss was talk ing about.
 "They have been made citizens" pur- | sued the organizer. and it is their duty to demand all their rights and to be satisfied with nothing less. The best men of our party believe that the rebels are still rebellious. and that they will seize the first opportunity to re-enslave the colored people,"
 'Ah-yi!' Acclaimed the Rev. Jeremiah, triumphantly.
 Does you reeiy b'lieve, Brer Jerry. dat Pulaski Tomlin will ever try ter put you back In slav'ry?' asked Uncle Plato.
 The inquiry was a poser. and the Rev. | Jeremiah was unable to make any satis- factory reply. Perceiving thls, MT. Hotch- kiss came to the rescue. You must bear in mlnd," he blandly remarked that this is not question of one person here and another person there. It concerns a whole race. Should all the former slave owners of the South succeed in reclaiming
 their slaves, Mir. Tomlin and MT. Clopton
 would be compelled by public sentiment to reclaim theirs. If they refused to do so, their former slaves would fall into | the hands of new masters. It is not l question of individuals at all."
 Well. suh, we'll fin out alter awhile da we'll natter dc like de. white folks Eve'y tub'n natter stan on it's own bot tom I'm des ez free now ez wuz twenty year ago
 T can we'll believe that, after what you have said" Mir. Hotchkiss inter rupted.
 The tone of his voice was as smooth as | velvet, but his words carried the sting | of an Imputation, and Uncle Plato felt it and resented 1t. Yes, suh-an' wuz des ez free twenty year ago ez yu all will ever be. My marster has been good I ter me fum de word go- l ain't stayin' wid i'm hekase he got money. Ef him an Miss Sa'ar dina have a dollar in de
 worr, an no way ter git 1t, I'd work my arms of fer i'm. An eff l fused ter do it, my wife d quit me, an my chillun
 wouldn't look at me. But I'll tell you
 what I'll do: when my marster tuns his back on me I'll tu'n my back on him"
 I'm really sorry that you persist tn
 making this question a personal one when 1t affects all the negroes now living and
 millions yet to be born, said Ar. Hotch- kiss.
 'Well ,suh. les look at 1t dat away" Uncle Plata. insisted. "Spoz'n you ban terRedder like dis, an try ter tu'n de white folks ag'in you. an aey sec what vou up ter, an tu'n der backs, den what 1 vou Rwlne ter do? You got ter live here an you got ter make yo Twin here. Is you gwine ter cripple de COW dat gives de cream?"
 Uncle Plato paused and looked around He saw at once that he was in hope less minority. and so he reached for his hat. I'm mighty glad ter know you, | suh.' he said to MT. Hotehkiss, with bow that Chesterfield might have envied. | ''but'u halter bid you good night" With | that. he went out. followed by Wiley l MiIlirons and Walthail's Jake, much to the relief of the Rev. Jeremiah. who pro- | ceeded to denounce white folks nig- gers" and to utter some violent threats
 Then. in no long time, the Union League was organized. Those in the closet failed to hear the words that con-
 stituted the cereEfony of initiation. Only low mutterings came to their ears. But