The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1908-04-02
SEN. SCOTT
Commended by his
Constituents
wheeling Negroes Endorse His Atti-
tude on Brownsville ARRAY and
Thank Him for Support OF Ne
gro Soldiers.
Wheeling, w. Va,

I =
day evening, March 23, to commend
senator N. B. Scott for his manly
stand on behalf Of the soldiers who
| were charged with shooting I'M
Brownsville
| The meeting was called to order
by Austin Jackson, who was elected
chairman; w. l.. Jones, secretary.
| Speeches were made by Rev.
Snothers, Geo. Booker, e. Palmer, D.
Daney, Squire Norris, John Jackson
or Steubenville, Austin Jackson, w.
l.. Jones and others.
A committee on resolutions was
| elected as follows: Thos. Norris. II.
| b. Clemens, Rev. Snothers, Chas.
Yates, Brown Berry, who reported
the following resolutions, which were
| unanimously adopted and ordered
printed in the daily press, also in the
! Advocate, and a copy sent to Sena-
| tors Scott and Foraker:
Prelude.
The cOlOred citizens of the city Of
Wheeling, w. Va, held a large and
enthusiastic meeting to commend the
| course pursued by Senator N. B.
/ Scott in his endeavor to procure for
the First Battalion Of the 25th u. S.
infantry fair and impartial judg-
ment with reference to the shooting
ARRAY at Brownsville, Texas.
The following preamble and reso-
lutions were unanimously adopted:
Whereas, A shooting affray oc-
Cured in the town of Brownsville,
Texas, on the 13th-14th Of August,
1905, and the coiored soldiers of the
First battalion, 25th u. S. infantry
were charged with the commission
| thereof; and L.,
.. Whereas, A military investiga-
tlon was held by Gen. Darlington.
Land only t. ex parte testimony was
heard from the citizens of Browns
Vile, which resulted in placing the
guilt of the shooting upon Compa-
nies B, G and D, Of the First Bat
tallion, 25th u. S. infantry, and
| thereupon Gen. Darlington recon-
mended the discharge Of said SOL
diers from the U. S. army without
honor and to be prohibited from fu-
ture re-enlistment and employment
by the government in any civil capa-
city; and
Whereas, The president Of the
United States endorsed the recon-
mendations Cf said Gen. Darlington,
based solely upon the eX Darte testi-
mOny Of the citizens of Brownsville,
and issued the sweeping order sum-
marily discharging, without q hear
,,Nr1 p,,~1 fl1<> l. VIA -
States, the soldiers Of the First bat
TALON 80 accused; and
Whereas, BY resolution Of the q.
s. senate, the committee on military
affairs was empowered to Investigate
the said shooting at Brownsville, and
thereby fix, if possible, with a degree
Of certainty, the guilt of the perpe-
traitors; and
Whereas, After a thorough inves-
tigatiOn, testimony being heard from
the accusers and the accused, 1t was
clearly shown tnat the said soldiers
had no connection whatever with the
said shooting affray; this view being
emphasized by the failure Of grand
jury Of Brownsville citizens, inter-
ested in the Indictment and convic-
ton Of said soldiers, to find suffi-
cient evidence to even remotely con-
meet the soldiers with the shooting
affray; and
Whereas, The president has pub
licly proclaimed his strict adherence
to the doctrine Of Fair Play and A
Square Deal" and on many occa-
4 1t.
power in favor Of even-handed JUS
tice for the humble and exalted
alike; therefore. be it
Resolved That we earnestly con-
demn the summary dismissal OF said
soldiers, who have ever been loyal
and patriotic ,as unfair unjust and
, subversive Of the policy Of Fair
| Play and Square Deal"
Resolved, That the subjOined bill
| to the supplementary report signed
by Senator's Warren, Lodge, VIM
Warner and II. A. Dupont, Is but q
partial step in the proper direction
| toward restoring to the soldiers the
rights Of which they were summari-
| 1y and illegally deprived.
| ke8OlVeu. nat we nearby com
mend and applaud Senator NJ B.
Scott, Of Wheeling, w. Va, for the
| broad and stateSmanlike position taxi
en- by him in defense Of the honor
and integrity Of the soldiers of the
| First battalion, and that we. his
| neighbors and friends. extend to him
our sincere appreciation for his en-
deavor to remove from the record Of
| the Negro soldiers who had served
| their country long and served it
well, the badge Of dishOnOr and
ahame so arbitrarily placed upon
them.
Resolved, That we also feel crate