The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-11-20
A NEGRo's ADVICE TO NEGROES

The negro Baptist Educational and
Missionary convention met at Dixon
vile church, near Salisbury, asst week.
There were present about two hun
dred delegates from all parts OF this
state and from other states. DR.. G. N.
Brown, of Winston, is president |
The president in his address deplored
the condition of unrest SO generally
observed among the people produced
by persistent agitation of the race
question and the wicked cultivation of
race prejudice" He said that in many
places his people were almost panic
stricken and were losing hope; that
1.-THE times are exceedingly perllous and
demand the Wisest leadership; that
the charge that negroes conceal crimes
and protect ,>.slsss harsh and cannot
be sustained by racts. He said that
the negro ministry was ready to go to
extreme measures to repress wrong;
that they sincerely regretted that there
we're negro criminals among their race
and would gladly rid it OF them, but
that nothing could cure the existing
evils but genuine application OF the
principles of religion; that politics
could not settle the race question Or at
ford the relief 1--WE SO deeply yearn'.
He said the negroes asked only a fair
chance in the race of life and meant TO
secure the same by honest, manly ex-
ertions. He urged the negroes to take
a bold stand for right living.
In the way of advice to the negroes
as to their conduct and mode of life
Were the negroes as a race to heed
such advice and live up to the prsoepts
set out they would accomplish a great
deaA in their uplifting morally and
financially. When it comes to purging
their society of the criminal class of
the race and of those who, though net
criminals themselves, instinctively
Sympathize with and shield a negro
who has committed a crime against
the person or property Of a white per-
son, they must do than make ad-
dresses and pass resolutions in order
to convince the white people of their
sincerity. When they lay the baame
upon white people for the distress
ing restlessness produced by the per-
sistent agitation Of race prejudice, as
Stunning the role Of martyrs, struggling
Fo- hottar nra h;rhoy fhinOC thAy
greatly injure their cause with those OF
of the whites who are willing and able
to assist them. That part OF President
Browns address devoted to h moral
and sensible and if it were followed
would soon put an end to all talk OF
race prejudice and unjust treatment OF
the negro. Does President Brown
think such a resolution as the one
given below, adopted by his church con-
vention, is calculated to impress the
white people with the idea that the
members Of that convention are strlV-
ing to put an end to wicked race
prejudice? Does he think the senti-
ments expressed are calculated to fos-
ter a friendly or an u~nfriendly feeling
oward the whites? While negro
preachers and church representatives
adopt such resolutions they should not
accuse the white people of causing
enmity between the races:
1t has ever been the aim of the state
- ~~fn rood hi
and inculcate obedience to state and
national laws. Patriotic and faithful,
we strenuously protest against the un-
precedented arbitrary and brutal &C
ton of President Roosevelt in approx
ing of the ~dishonorable discharge of
several companies Of the 25th infan-
try of the regular army Of the United
States. thereby Furnishing the innocent
and the guilty alike. We have only
words of condemnation for criminals,
but we demand that the rules of army
discipline be applied to white and col
ored soldiers alike. Such action was
never taken with white soldiers and no
one for a moment believes that these
companies would have been dishonor-
ably discharged if they had been
white soldiers. If extreme measures
had been necessary, this present time
of tension between h races, and Of
fear, ~forebodings, uncertainty, unrest
ana H0dTtdCUSS OH Xix pail VI LAX Col-
ored people was the most unpropitiOus
that could possibly have been found.
The ohinf executive of a great nation
has estranged ten millions of his hith-
erto ardent admirers and supporters,
and it is the sense of the convention
that a committee be appointed to con-
fer with similar committees through
out the United states to a steps nee
essary to have the action Of the presi-
dent reviewed by the highest tribunal
of h land or brought to h action OF
coagzesS.