The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1905-09-16


tional well being, and will continue to
do so, and that in the development
of this sentiment, aided by time, the
school and the church, together with
a persistent and a judicious conten-
ton for equal and exact justice in all
of the relations Of life, wrongs rooted
in the conditions of slavery will be
gradually supplanted by the accept
ance OF those fundamental rights
which inhere in the citizen and are
assured to all alike by the constitution
of the Republic; for we have faith
to believe that the spirit of God con-
trolls and directs the tendencies OF
this. nation towards the highest and
best in the: cooperation of men for
self-government and for self-help.
AS in all the Fast history of the
Republic the Afro-American people
have borne a conspicuous part in de-
veloping the Incompatible resources
in field and factory, and mine, and in
preserving it's integrity by deathless
valor in the army and navy in every
war waged from Bunker's Hill to
San Juan Hill, thus making for them
selves common heritage in the life
of the Republic SO do we cheerfully
look forward to a common effort of Ia
Dor and sacrifice in the further growth
of the Republic in wealth and moral
worth, and in prestige among the ma
tions of the earth. We feel that we
are part and parcel of the American
people in thought and effort and as
riration, and that what benefits them
benefits US, and that what Injuries
them Injuries u.s. We therefore ask
for justice and fair play under the
laws as legal right, and for an "open
are making for moral, social and ma
terial betterment as a common right
which cannot be withheld from us
without injury to the whole American
people. A reunition of national senti-
ment which does not include the Afro
American people will prove in the end
as much of a delusion and snare as
the long and acrimonious effort to
keep the nation half free and half
slave.
CD 1t is a noticeable fact that al
though there have been several ag-
gravated caes of lynch law in the i'm
mediate past, there has been an ap-
preciable falling off in the prevalence
of this demoralizing species of law
lessness. This has been brought
about in large part by the agitation
set on foot by the Council and by a
recognition Of the fact by the public
sentiment of the country, and espe-
cial1y of the south that such criminal
disorders not only reflect great dis
credit upon the Republic in the esti-
nation of thoughtful mankindthrough-
out the world, but steadily undermine
the foundations of social order. in so
far that government by law must ul-
timately give place to government by
individual license 1t is proper and
fair that acknowledgment of the fact
be made that many of the strong
newspapers, preachers and educators,
governors and judges of state and fed
eral courts have done much during the
past year to create a healthier public
sentiment with regard to mob law
lessness. While we relax nothing OF
our efforts to hasten the cOnsumma-
ton of result so much to be desired,
we express the hope that the time is
at hand when lawful authority shall
be respected in all parts of the land
by all the people, and that this more
general respect for the law may lead
to a decrease of all crime and the re-
&lization of that equality of right
which is the heritage Of every citizen
of the United States.
CD We urge the Afro-American
people everywhere to a closer union
among themselves, and to flrmer de-
termination to contribute OF their
abundance to testing in the courts all
laws of states which deny to them the
equal benefits of protection Of gov
eminent as guaranteed by the federal
constitution.
60 There must come a time when
Afro Americans shall cease to be the
objects of class legislation by states
of which they are citizens, but in the
conduct of which they have absolutely
no part because of disqualifying laws
obviously in contact with the funda-
mental law of the land, against which
we protest, and against which the
Aremican people will yet protest be
cause of the Injustice done them by
the preponderant political influence
enjoyed by the late slave states, be-
cause of a basis of representation
more advantageous to them than that
they enjoyed under the slave basis OF
proportionment in Congress and In
the electoral college.
(4) Reformation in the prison con-
ditions in the southern states is an
object of such vital moment that we
urge the thoughtful men and women
of the race to lend it their best
thought and effort by judicious appeal
to public opinion and to those who
make and enforce the laws providing
and governing penal institutions.
80 TO encourage Afro-Americans
to leave the sections Of the country
where they are most at home by rea-
son of climatic and economic con-
ditions because of vicious laws and
public opinion, and to move into sec
tions Of the country where the climate
is unsuited to them and where there
is no place in the economic life OF
their new neighbors in which they
can secure employment necessary to
live and properly care for their de;
pendents, is a grave question which is
provoking earnest discussion in the
responsible newspapers of the north
and west.
(6) To this end and that we may
have manhood and .w0manhO0d
rounded in all the elements OF
strength Of head and heart for the
serious work of life that confronts us,
we urge greater support and an en-
largement of our advantages both of
industrial and of higher education.
1t is a long way from the slave pen
IN +bo oroditoh1o mental moral and