The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-01-24
A vraoRoUs L4rrE;R
Written by Late Marshal Simmons

Written by Late Marshal simmons
 to the President.
 The Advertiser in compliance with several requests, reprints the letter wrfttsn by former United States Mar. shall Simmons, of the Southern dastne1 of Alabama to President Roosevelt: ofhce of the United States Marshal
 Southern District of Alabama MO-
 bile. Ala. November 9. 1908.
 Gir-Op or about the nrst of the pres ent month of November was nottfed by the representative for this district of Maesrs. W. F. Aidrich. Charles H. Scott and Joseph c. Thompson, known as the PreMdent's referees for Alabama, that the above-narned referees woaid Dc In the city of Montgomery on the tenth ana eleventh instant, and would be glad 10 meet and confer with myself and other Republicans of the district and State. The object and purpose of tse meeting or conference was left for me to con- 3eeture. except was notiaed that the meeting wculd b. informal aud private
 In accordance with the above invita- tion went up to Montgomery on the morning of the tenth and mt In en in- formal way the aheve-named referees and about dozen others.
  for the Southern district Of Alabama ex- pires on January 2o, 190l, was eonsid- ering the question as to whether would be an applicant for reappoinfment or not, having the assurance of the support or the leading and representative Republt- cans Of the district who occupy places of honor and trust in the party coun- sels.
 Before making formal application I deemed it proper to confer with your referees on the subject, which I did. and was notified that 1t would be neces- sary for me to have the endorsement of the few registered so-called Republican negroes In the district, none of whom hold positions of party authority in the counties. district or State. and praetic- ally all of whom are known to be Demo. crats. and were registered because of that fact and none of whom are loyal to the Republican party.
 My emphatic reply to this requirement. was s1f that is the price Of the position I do not want it and win not accept il. {"
 On the next morning, the eleventh in- starit, there appeared in the papers the resolution hereto attached. with the statement that the same had been unan- imously adopted the evening before at a meeting presided over by Referee W. Y. A46flcH.
 D have labored for the past twenty years to the extent of my ability to obiiterate the color line in the Repubii- can party, and to as far as possible that flame of race prejudice that knows no quenching in the South, and have never denied or attempted by word, vote or act to deprive the hum blest negro in the land of any political right or privilege claimed Dy myself. still accord to the negro every right guaranteed to him by the constitution and laws of the land as an American citizen, but nothing because he is a me- gro.
 The policy expressed In these resolu- tions and the positive statement made to me by your referee, does not admit of but one construction, and that is that the color line is drawn. and because he is @ negro. and the door of hope closed to the white man, especially the self respecting white man. On that issue, thus clearly made. there shall be no doubt as to where stand.
 In view of the foregoing, which I un. derstard embodies your policy, as prac- tically enforced by your referees, and to which will not subscribe, I beg to herewith tender my resignation as Unit ed States marshal for the Southern die- tr'cs of Alaeawa, espsetfuiIy.
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