The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-01-27
IndidnOld
Continued from First Page.)

candidate for the office. He also read
la letter from J. L. Davis, mayor OF In
Idianola, who wrote the inspector that
he thought the best way out was for
Mrs. Cox to resign, adding that he
WANTED no unpleasant affairs to deal
with as mayor"
The mayor was a partner and broth
Ier-in-laW of Weeks. He also read a
I~portion of the report Of Inspector FitZ-
Igerald. detailing an interview with the
sheriff and mayor. The former ac-
Iknowledged that he had been correct
lily reported in the inspectors report
concerning the postoffice affair. Mr..
lSpooner reverting to the president
Isaid he hoped he would continue his
~|course until the people Of Indiaola re-
|gain their reason. The war, he said.
was for the one principle Of the right
Iof the federal government to control
Its affairs everywhere, without the
Iconsent of the states.
Mr.. McLaurin, Of Mississippi, said he.
had not in his former speech discuss.
ed the propriety or the improperly of
1.-THE president in closing the postoff1ce.
lat Indiaola and he contended that.
nothing he had said, had justified the
remarks OF the senator from Wiscon-|
sin. He had not, when he first spoke,
believed that the people Of Indianola
lTu :" IliS pllilCl u a NlCoS LII
brutal which had been applied by the
presidents secretary n he repeated
THAT it had not ever now been shown
THAT the charge was justified. On the
contrary, he commended that the best.
feeling existed between Mrs. Cox and
the people of Indianola, barring the
Iprejudice Of race. That his prejudice
~lexists. the people had freely admitted
and there was no disposition to deny
lit. 1T exists" he said, Throughout;
1.-The south, aye" he added, land
throughout the north also"
The people had exercised their right
to petition n 1t had done no good
land he had never before heard ii
Iargued in the senate that the people.
had not the ripht tn asenrhle anGI
make known their wants. In this cas-
the petitioners did not want Mrs. Cox
las postmaster and had frankly said
so. Moreover it was their right to
present this petition to Mrs. Cox if
They preferred to do so, and there was
no ground for charges on that ac-
lCoUnt.
Mr.. McLaurin stated that notwith-
standing three-fourths of the people
Of Indianola are colored, five-siXths
lof the mail received at and sent from
the postoffice there is to and from
white people.
He req the petition to Mrs. Cox
lcOntending that the address was in
Livery way respectful. His Informal
ton was that the meeting at which
the resignation had been accepted had
been attended by each of the eighty
five white men in the town, except
Mr.. A. D.. Weeks who had gone owe
Ito the republicans in order to secure
Ian office, as is the case with most
linen who go to the party" No doubt
1.-THE people wanted the woman out of
l. g 1o Hoon,,rA of hnr oO10~ h,If ~ did
mot follow On that account they felt
any hatred toward her on account Of
Icolor. The prejudice was due, he said,
Ito the inferiority of the colored race.
HE contended that the charge made
by Mr.. Cortelyou had not been direct
led at a minority Of the people of In
l~dianola, but at all Of them as all had
participated in the meeting. The pres
lident had shown a disposition to shut
ears to the other side of the question.
Mr.. M,Lauril said he had not seen
AL the correspondence in the case
that he had requested copies OF it, blu
had been refused by the postmaster
general and had been referred to the
president. When he received a note
from the president he had requested
Ito be shown all the papers, but haze
mot seen all the documents read BY
MIR. Spooner before the senate today
HE asserted that there had been nc
threats of personal Violence" and he
added, none can be found unless it be
found in the fertile brains of the pres.
lident, postmaster general and the
Ipostotice Inspectors"
Even granting there was intimida'
Ition, was it not still the duty of tn
president to furnish the people thu
ibest possible postal facilities In direct
ling that the Indianola mail be supplied
from G~reenville. The postoffice au
liberties had placed upon the people
iof Indianola an additional hardship.
Mr.. McLaurin sad he did not believe
the people of I%ndianola had don
wrong in trying to get rid Of a post
master of an inferior race, but RICH
or wrong, they still had the right t.
ask for relief. That they had done
land only that, and only the orator.
lof the senator from Wisconsin coul
idistort that into an act of duress. II
conclusion Mr.. McLaurin said he hat
mo feeling of enmity toward the col
|ored peole, but that on the other han'
lhe always commended for the protection
,of their rights.
After an executive session the ena
adjourned until Monday.
Letter 10 H. G. Mcqueen, Of VIII
mingtOn.