The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1904-09-17
NATIONAL COUNCIL
SEVENTH ANNUAL SESSION HELD
+ IN ST. LOUIS, SEPT. s, Z, 8.
An Excellent Harmonious Meeting:
: Officers Elected for Ensuing Year
Admirable Address to the Coun-
. try Unanimously Adopted.

tional Afro-American Council, in St.
Louis, Mo. last week, was a large and
successful meeting. The opening ses-
sion was held in Central Baptist
church, Tuesday, Sept. 9Th, at noon,
and was called to order by W. H.
Steward of Kentucky, acting presi-
dent. Addresses of welcome were de-
livered by Capt. C. H. Tandy,. Attorney
w. NJ. Farmer, Rev. D. P. Roberts, and
Prof. Peter H. Clark. Responses in
behalf of the Council were made by
Col. James Lewis, of Louisiana, and
Mr.. j. w. Thompson, of New York. A
committee consisting of Messrs. j.
Madison Vance, of Louisiana; G. w.
Keats, OF Arkansas; j. W. Thompson,
New York: F. F. Scott of Missouri; j.
c. Adams, OF Minnesota; Geo. l..
Knox, OF Indiana; and E. E. Under
wood, OF Kentucky, was appointed on
Credentials. The report OF treasurer,
j. w. Thompson, showed that $6S6.13
had been collected during the year
and S61O.O5 disbursed, leaving a bal
ance of $76.OS. &s8
The following officers were elected
for the ensuing year: President,
VIM. H. Steward, Kentucky; vice
president, John @. Adams of Minneso-
ia, Col. James Lewis Of La, Walter M.
Farmer of Missouri, j. T. Settle of
Tennessee, T. B. Morton Of California,
J. D. Wetmore of Florida. A. Aliens
worth of Montana, F. F. Scott of Mis-
souri,, and Mrs. R. Jerome Jeffreys of
New York; secretary, Cyrus Field
Adams, of Illinois; financial secretary,
w. A. Gaines, Kentucky; correspond
ing secretary. Miss Cecile v Rodney,
of Missouri; assistant secretary, Miss
Minnie York. Tennessee; treasurer,
John w. Thompson, of New York; ma
tional organizer, James H. Guy, OF
Kansas; sergeant-at-arms, S. Joe
Brown, Iowa; assistant sergeant-at-
arms. j. E. Bush. Arkansas; chaplain,
Rev. D. P. Roberts, Missouri.
Directors of bureaus-Education
J. R. Morris, Texas; legal, J. Madison
Vance, louisiana; business, E. J.
Scott, Alabama; ecclesiastical, Rev. r.
+. Pollard, Alabama; emigration, Mel
son Crews, Missouri; literary, Mrs.
Fannie Barrier Williams, Illinois, anti
lynching, George l.. Knox, Indiana;
newspaper. M. M. Lewey, Florida; vi
tai statistics, DR.. D. W. Scott, Mis-
souri,.
The reports of the several bureaus
showed decided increase in the work
of the Council. The public meetings
at st. Paul A. NJ E. church on Tues
day evening and at Music Hall on
Wednesday evening called out i'm
mense crowds of people and were ad-
dressed by Col. James Lewis, Hon.
Nelson Crews, Mr.. G. L. Knox, Bishop
]. T. Settle, and Bishop Evans Tyree.
These addresses aroused considerable
enthusiasm. The address to the coun-
try was reported and unanimously
adopted at the closing session Thurs
day.
After the adjournment of the Coun-
Gil Thursday the executive commit
tee met and organized by re-electing
Bishop Alexander, Walters chairman,
and Cyrus Field Adams as secretary.
The committee audited all bills and
paid the same and one of the most
pleasant and harmonious meetings of
the Council was at an end.
ADDRESS TO THE COUNTRY.
We the representatives of more
than 100000 of Afro-Americans
feel that we have a cause that ought
to have a fair and impartial hearing
at the bar of public opinion. We are
citizens of this country not from
choice or by adoption but by nativity
and as much a part of our composite
nationality. as any other element it
contains.
We have always been loyal in time
of our greatest national struggles. We
have never been numbered with the
enemies of our country but have al
ways been found on the side of law
and order We have never been num-
bered with the anarchists, socialists or
communists. who threaten the peace
and prosperity of our common cOun-
try, but have always been ready and
more than willing to discharge our
duty as citizens in each and every
walk of life.
We therefore appeal to all patriotic
and fair-minded citizens Of all creeds
and nationalities to give our cause q,
fair unprecedented and patient hearing,
and render us, that justice which we
merit at the hands of the American
people, Do this and we do not fear
the results.
That we are unalterably opposed to
the inhuman and indiscriminate sys-
TEN of depriving citizens of our coun-
try of life and liberty without due pro-
cess of law, and to the end that the
same be discontinued, we ask the peo-
pie of the United States, the pulpit
and the press, the state and national
to encourage crystaliza
ton of such a public sentiment and
the enactment of such laws as will
absolutely prohibit the preparation OF
these .outrages that blacken every
page of the history of this country's
civilization and places us in bad re-
pute at home and abroad.
Condemn Crime.
We wish the American people to
that we join hands with
phasiZing our condemnation of any
crime against the wonlanhood of the
land and have no sympathy for any
wretch who commits such a crime;
our appeal is in the interest of society
generally when we ask that the mob
be subordinate to the law.
In the South, because of intolerance
and race prejudice. great many Of
it's peaceful and laW-abiding citizens
are denied their civil and suffrage
rights solely upon the ground of their
color. Mean, proscriptive and humili-
ating legislation is continually being
made a part of the statutory laws.
against the Afro-Amer-
can is running riot
In the face of the organic law of the