The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-02-20

! confirm the nomination of DR.. Crum,
man of ability, good education and
irreproachable character, whose APP
I pointment is opposed solely on the
ground of the color of his skin. 1t
would be an unheard of thing for the
party of Lincoln to ratify the position
of the South on this question, and
thus side with the extremist form of
Southern prejudice and formally con-
sent that the door of hope, of oppor-
tunity is to be shut on man, no
matter how worthy, purely upon the
grounds of race or color.
Resolved, That a committee of fif-
teen, consisting of DR.. G. t. Walker
W. II. Brooks, Bishop Derrick Bishop
Walters, DR.. G. S. Morris, Rev. J. II.
Gordon. Rev. Granville Hunt, G. A.
Dorsey, S. r Scottson, w b. Buckley,
G. w. Anderson, Rev. r. A. Motley,
and Rev. DR.. j S. Cooper, be and are
hereby created, known as the New
York Conference Committee on Negro
Suffrage, fully empowered to do all the
acts that in their judgment seem best
calculated to bring to the aid of the
negroes OF Virginia and the disfran-
chised South the full political power,
prestige and assistance of the negroes
of the state of New York
Resolved, That we appeal to the
great heart of the nation, to her cour-
age, her conscience and her Christian
ity, to her sense of fair play that has
again and again trampled upon and
triumphed over race prejudice, to lend
aid and sympathy through press, pull
pit and In every way in the negroes le-
gal contest against the resurrection of
the ghost of slavery, in the South, in
form more dangerous and purpose the
same as Of yore, to the end that states
rights shall not again divide this
country. unsettle peaceful conditions,
nullify the constitution and menace the
perpetuity of the union"
Rev. w. II. Brooks of st. Marks
Methodist Episcopal Church presided.
James II. Hayes of Virginia, former
slave. told of the spread of the dis
franchisement movement.
Bishop Walters said the question
whether or not the negro shall be al
lowed civil and equal rights is an i'm
portant one, which the enemies of the
colored man took advantage of because
of the silence on that subject during
the administration of the late Presi-
dent Mckinley. He said, however, that
the man now in the White House has
taken his stand against the elimination
of the negro from politics.
Talk about negro suffrage" said
Bishop Walters. Had it not been for
the negro these thirty years the Re-
publican party would not have been in
power. We ask for office because we
contributed to party success. We have
a right to hold office.
They told us to be quiet and we
ceased our agitation, and when, while
we were silent, state after state went
on DISTINGUISHING the negro. Let us
contend for our rights until we get
them"
Bishop Derrick, who was warmly
greeted. said i'm part:
Famous men who in the years past
stood on this very platform fought
with all their might to have the
shackles removed from negro limbs
But there is work still to be done. The
shackles Of political slavery have yet
to be removed
Are not we citizens? If we are not
then the American republic is a most
colossal liar. If suffrage with the ne
gro is a failure, then the white mans
government Is a failure.
we are not here tonight TO abuse
the South, but We are here 10 ask the
American people to help us get our
rights. We have shown ourselves
worthy Of them"
Moncure d. Conway described him