The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1906-11-29
Wilmington Messenger.

The negroes and their pretended
friends at the North are still keeping
up the fight on President Roosevelt
because OF the discharge of the negro
! troops.
The negroes OF the District of Co.
lumbia held a mass-meeting a few
nights ago on this subject at which
some very violent speeches were made.
One OF the speakers, Calvin Chase,
who was a delegate:to the Republican
national convention in 1900, made a
very bitter speech. He declared that
Mr.. Roosevelt always had been and
always would be the enemy OF the
negro. In order to prove his charge
he read receipt from Mrs. Bullock,
the grandmother of the president, for
eight hundred dollars, paid for q ne
gro sold by her, and he declared the
negro was sold to raise money to buy
the trousseau of Mr.. .Rooseyelt's moth
er and he assigned this absurd rea-
son for Mr.. Roosevelt's hostility to
the negroes.
Rev. DR.. Walker, another of the
speakers, said that unless the presi-
dent rescinded the order he would
urge the ten thousand negro preach
ers of the country to preach that no
colored men enlist in the army to
take the places of those discharged.
We do not suppose he could please
the president, the Administrations the
army officers and q large majority of
the white people better unless it
would be to advise no negro to enlist
in any army organization and those
already in service to apply for their
discharge. The negro soldier is a
white elephant on the hands of the
administration and the war depart
ment and they would like to get rid
OF him.
The fact that negroes are charging
Mr.. Roosevelt with being an enemy
to their race shows to what extremes
their prejudice against the white peo-
pie will carry them. AS long as the
president was giving them Offices at
the South and they believed he would
take their part in any alteration
with white people OF this section they
worshiped him and looked upon him
as their leader and best friend; but as
soon as he infiicts just and proper
punishment on some of their race for
fragrant breach of their duty as sol
diers he is denounced as ali enemy of
the entire race. Here is a specimen of
the language Of the negro press OF
the North on the subject. 1t is taken
from the New York Age, one of the
leading negro papers OF the country:
1t is carrying into the federal govern
ment the demand OF the Southern white
devils that innocent hnd law-abiding
black men shall help the legal authori-
ties spy out and deliver practically to
the mob black men alleged to have COM
mitted one sort Of crime. The principle
involved is not only vicious and contra
~ to the spirit OF our constitution, but
is an outrage upon the rights of citizens
who are entitled in civil life to trial by
jury and in military life to trial by court
martial.
Any black man in any part OF the
United States who offers to enlist in the
United States army to fill the places o:
these innocent but dishonorably dis
charged men should be hated and spurn.
ed by the Afro. American people at large
and any member of the Twenty-fifth In
fantry whose term expires should not re-
enlist in the service, which has 50 little
regard for him that it gives him no pro
motion in the army however meritoriouf
his service, and no protection in his civil
ian rights when a mob of hoodlums in q
Southern town seeks to do him bodily
injury and he retaliates as he should and
as all Afro Americans should, under sucf
circumstances.
The determination OF certain citi
/ zens of Chicago, New York and Phil
adelphia-not of Texas-to keel
these discharged soldiers togethe
and take them to those cities ant
Others at the North to exhibit then
as martyrs to Southern prejudice j
going to have q woful effect. Wha
bad results will flow from this actor
no one can foretell. In addition, tn
action of the men who intend t.
make this tour of the North wit
these negroes is q direct and mos
outrageous insult to the president {
this white mans country, q defanc
of his authority as commander !
chief OF the army and an effort t
arouse the anger OF the peop
against him on false charges for ha'
ing done his duty.
The situation is already grave an
the conduct AMI language of thos
negroes, who, by reason OF their ed
cation and high standing, should /
looked up to for guidance to bette
conditions by the masses OF the
race, are daily adding to the dang
that now threatens some sections
our country. II serious confiic
should arise it will be those lou
mouthed negro preachers and lea
ers who will be responsible for II
Inonsonnonnos f0 the less pnliOhtenl