The Washington bee., 1908-09-12

the party OF freedom, the party that
gave us the Thirteenth, Fourteenth,
and Fifteenth Amendments to the
Constitution the party that has Civ
en- Us every right that we enjoy !?
This IS the question that the Negro
IS TO decide within the next few
weeks. We have therefore met today
10 hear some of the brainiest men
now of our race upon these questions.
I have the honor of introducing 10
YOU Judge E. NJ. Hewlett, who will
speak to you"
Judge E. NJ. Hewlett said in part:
The Democratic party has always
been the party of oppression; the
party of disfranchisement the party
of Jim Crowism, while the Republi-
can party has always been the party
of freedom. 1t was the Republican
party that freed the Negro; that
made him a citizen and gave him the
ballot; that erected the schoolhouse
where the auction block stood; that
gave the race representation as for
eign ministers, United States LSena-
tors, members of Congress, Registers
of the Treasury, and the like Why
then are we asked by prominent men
of our race to to desert the grand old
party? 1t is on account of the
Brownsville incident No man re-
grets more than | do the discharge OF
those gallant boys; no man is frmer
believer in their innocence than |
am. Still | as firmly believe that the
President acted in perfect good faith
in this matter, and that the color
Of the skin of the soldiers had moth
ing whatever to do with his action.
He has always stood for justice and
right, regardless of the color of the
skin. Judge Taft is condemned be-
cause he carried out the order of the
president. How ridiculous! Does
any man honesty believe that Judge
Taft, born of abolition parents, par
ents who were prominent workers
with the underground railroad, that
carried many a poor, weary slave 20
freedom, could possibly be anything
other than friendly toward our race? !?
His sympathies have always been, and
always will be on the side of the op-
pressed, and, if elected president, he
will know no man by the color OF
his skin. Shall we, on account of the
discharge of these soldiers, sacrifice
the interests of ten millions of our
race? No. no; a thousand times no.
Editor w. Calvin Chase, of The
Bee" that veteran journalist of the
Negro race, also delivered a powerful
address urging upon his hearers the
great necessity of voting for the @.
10. P. No man in all the country
speaks with more power, convincing,
swaying and determined in his ora
tory, than w. Calvin Chase, whose
voice rings out clear as the sound
OF a clarion upon the morning breeze,
whose physique is as commanding as
that of Bismarck, and whose manner
is as assiduouS as that of Doug ass.
The sitting cheers that greeted his
remarks manifested that his hearers
drank deeply from the fountain of his
brilliant essaylng.
DR.. A. Wilbanks, pastors of Friend
ship Baptist Church, Chaplain w. H.
Colston and others concluded the
speech-making, which they did with
great credit to themselves and the
party. The meeting was great sue
cess from every standpoint, and was
largely attended, as the day was with
out blemish from an atmospheric
standpoint.
| The next speaker was DR.. George
Nv. Lee, pastor of Vermont Avenue
Baptist Church, whose very name
when mentioned called forth loud ap-
plause. DR.. Lee spoke in the weir
characteristic of himself, and which
has made him famous in these parts
Always to the point, mincing neither
words nor language, he went forth
with to the hearts of his hearers.