The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-04-24
NEGRO SPEAKER URGES
''AMtR|cA FIRST"
Tells Colorcd Men TO Serve Country
Either At Front Or At Home In
tho Fields.

Especial to The Richmond Virginian. }
Fredericksburg. Va, April 23.--"I
thank God that / am an American
NJ, d. r., of Chicago. H.. general
missionary of the National Baptist
convention, who Is spending several
days here speaking to his people. II
belong TO a race that possesses the
spirit OF Christ-we are not vindic-
tive, but ever ready and willing to do
our duty. feeling that this is our
country. and for ii we are ready and
willing to die
Our country, our flag. our presi-
dent. is in the hearts of every one
OF us today, young men, and If you
touch or insult either we feel II and
will resent It, We realize that the
blood OF our fathers helped to pur-
chase this country--yes the first
blood shed was that of Crispus At
tuck on the streets of Boston for the
iE Independence of our cuntry. and his
blood and spirit is handed down to
this young negro of today.
Respond to Corlntry's Gall
Just at this time I am pleading
with the negroes of the extreme
South to respond to the call of the
country, TO realize that we are in a
critical condition now and 1t Is no
time to be changing. Remain in the
South, and those who cannot go to
war, make food for those who are
lighting No need OF leaving. not
knowing where they are going. The
soil is calling for them now as never
before. and they must respond.
Coming up here Saturday l met
a negro on the train. 'gwyne Norf,'
and did not have money enough to
pay his way. He had with him his
wife. sister in-law and daughter, and
had bought two mileage books. ex
pecting that all could ride on them.
He appealed to me for help. told
him I would help him back home
in fact. would pay his way back out
OF my pocket II he would go back
and hitch up old Beck to the plow.
This he refused to do, and with his
family got off at Columbia. s. c.. hav-
ing money enough to get that far,
and with his signs and grips hoped
to make it to the North If 1t cost him
his life. Where he was going he did
not know, and what he was going
to do, he knew less. yet he was leav-
ing
Duty of All-Whitc and Black.
young men of my race, your coun
try is at war. and that means all of
us are in war. Remember this, and
America expects YOU TO do your duty
under all circumstances. do your duty.
Go TO the front. Every Southern
white man, or any other white man
who knows you, is willing to trust
you. Today young negroes guard the
entrance to Washington. they guard
the Capitol, and the president knows
that there is not a traitor among this
bunch of negroes. He knows that
when the negro was slave, he was
trusted with the flower Of the South.
and not a single case OF treachery is
recorded against US. Our fathers
would have rather to have remained
in slavery than TO have violated that
sacred trust We are the sons. and
we have i'm bihed that spirit. We are
not vindictive, but true to friend and
foe alike.
Take care Of your health. be true
to yourself. and you cannot be false TO
others. The South is full OF oppor-
tunities for you, and in the future
life and property will be safe. rou
viii be protected. and will he given
an opportunity to educate your chi!-
dren."
)r. stewart delivered specia! lee
ture this afternoon to the colored wo-
men and girls. appealing for the boys
OF his race. He wanted that mothers
and sisters should turn attention TO
sons and brothers. making homo in
viting to them. and helping them to
get on the right track. ut is utter
ly impossible to have good girls un-
less YOU have good boys to associate
with them he said land | would
have our young women understand
that they must live right. that one
dress tattered and torn, full OF patch
es, is worth more than all the silks
and satins representing debauchery."