Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-04-22
United States Senator Warner Bakes
studied and Calm Analysis Of
Brownsville Affair.
NOT PREJUDICE AGAINST RACE
Speaker is Not Against Negro Sol.
diers Because They Are Negroes,
But Believes in Brownsville Affair
They Disgraccd the Uniform and
the Race.
the Race,
lRv Arsocinlc1 prossN

(By Associated Prcss.)
WASHINGTON. y. c.. April IL
A nainstaking analysis of the tcsti-
mony taken In the several invcstiga.
ti0ns of the Brownville affair which
led to the discharge OF number OF
negro soldiers of the Twcniy.nfth In,
fantry was presented to the Senate
today by Senator Warner, Of Missouri.
In the war of iSGi-iS65 served In
the same command with negro
troops said Mr. Warner. "rhcv
wear the button of the Grand Army OF
| The Republic ana 1t Is certainty
| that ] have no prejudice against
negroes AS soldiers because they are
negroes. believe that members of
tile Tweniy-flfth infantry ut Brown
| willie disgraccd the uniform and stain.
cd the honor and able record of their
| race as soldiers. Lawlcssncss Is not
Il distinguishing characteristic Of any
race or color"
The Missouri senator quoted freely
throughout his discourse from testi
mony taken In the several lnvestiga,
lions of the charge that the negro sol
diers shot ND the town.
1T is TO he regrettcd." he said
"tlat studious nnd systematic effort
has hccn made to arouse tho race
feeling of the negroes of the country
against the President because of Ills
action with reference to these com
panies."
Those who thus work to arouse u
race Issue have taken upon them
selves heavy responsibility for Their
action must necessarily serve 10 in
crease The race prejudice which now
exists TO an unfortunate extent. II
is incredible 10 mo that any intcll
gent man. white or black. should have
The hardihood to charge that tn.
President in Issuing the order dis
charging those soldiers. was innucnc
ed against them by reason of theil
color
Weighed Evidence Carefully.
He had endeavored. he said. [,
weigh the evidence in this case Will
a view TO doing even handed Justice
and he said guided BY this rule
am driven TO the conclusion tha,
members Of those companies who's,
identity has not len shown. made III,
midnight assault on the sleeping am
helpless citizens of Brownville."
He pointed TO the concurrence b,
Maior Penrosc with view Of the citi
zens committee at Brownvillc as Il
the guilt of the negro soldiers.
TO have these soldiers in the ser
vice with the stain of that crime rest
ing upon them would have been Grim
inal,' declared Mr.. Warner. IN,
community in which they might b,
stationed would feel secure. instead
of being regarded as protectors the,
would be feared as monaco.
II am convinced that the attitude o
the Brownville people toward The col
ored troops was unjust and that IN,
feeling of deep resentment against
The citizens which the soldiers hat
was but natural. yet such resent
mehi, however. justified. could furnish
no excuse for The attack which was
made by soldiers. hut the record Of
troops at other army points in In,
South ana West. whether the troop.
were white or cOlored, shows such IN
outbreak and shooting up of a tow
to be Il method OF revenge that natur
ally suggests itself TO men who hay,
arms AT hand and have ben trained il
the use of them.
THAT the negroes strongly resented
the treatment received there I.
abundant evidence"
Can't Believe Negroes Contentious.
In connection with The change o.
opinion on that part of the officer:
there is one fact which In my jndc
mont had an innncnce-ir not n cc,,
trolling inilucncc-on them, Tha
fact is the ordering of the court mar
tial to try Major Penross and Captain
Macklin on the charge of neglect Of
dn'y. in reference to the Brownysill,
affair"
] While there were special motive:
Tor the negroes To shoot up the tow
thcrc was, he insisted. All absence o
motive on the part of any one else /,
do IT,
"rhe contention" he added .tha
the saloon keepers OF Drownvillc sho
up the own finds no support in thei
evidence-in fact the claim that TIL,
J saloon keepers. in order to get rid o
tho colorcd troops, fired iMo III,
Homes Of their friends with "a reck