Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1918-03-02


Chairman Board of Directors: John
n. Shillady. Secretary.
February 20,-prcSidcnt Wilson OH
Tuesday afternoon received Il dele
CATION of four members of the New
York Branch Of the National Asso.
citation for the Advancement of Col
orcd People by special appointment.
The delegation placed before the Pres
.ident Il petition signed by twelve
thousand citizens Of New York IN
which the President was asked o
extend executive C.cmcncy to the
five Negro soldiers of the Twenty
fourth Infantry now under sentence
of death by verdict Of the court mar
tial which tried the Houston riot cas-
es and requesting the President 10
cause to be laid before him review OF
the cases of the ii soldiers of the
same regiment who were sentenced to
life Imprisonment by the first court
martial. The delegation consisted OF
James Weldon Johnson, Field Secrc,
tary of the National Association for
tho Advancement Of Colorcd People,
Rev George Frazier Miller, Rector OF
ST. Augustines Church, Brooklyn;
Rev. Frank Hydcr. pastor Of st. Jam
es Presbyterian Church, New York
City and Rev. T.. A. Cullen, Prcsi-.
dent Of the New York Branch.
Mr.. Johnson who acted as spokcs
man of the delegation, said
1--WE come as a delegation from the
New York Branch Of the National As
ISOLATION for the Advancement OF
Colored Pcop,c. representing the
twelve Thousand sgners to this pc
tition which we have the honor to lay
before you. And we come not only rs
tho representatives Of those who sign
ed this petition but we come represent
ingthe.scntimcnts and aspirations and
sorrows, too, Of The great mass OF
the Negro population of the United
States.
1--WE respectfully and earnestly re
quest and urge that you extend exc
cutiye clemency to the five Negro sol
diers Of tho Twenty fourth Infantry
now under sentence Of death by
court martial. And, understanding
that the cases Of the men Of the same
regiment who were sentenced to life
Imprisonment by the first court mar
tiaI are to be reviewed, We also re
quest and ure that You cause this re
Wow to b elaid before you and that
executive clemency be shown also to
them.
1--WE feel that the history OF this
particular regiment and the splendid
record for bravery and loyalty OF our
Negro soldiery in every crisis of the
nation give us the right TO make this
request. And we make it not only in
the name OF their loyalty, but also in
The name OF the unqucstioncd loyalty
to the nation Of twelve million Negro
es-a loyalty which today places
them side by side with tho original
American stocks that landed at
Plymouth and Jamestown.
"Thc hanging OF thirteen men with
out the opportunity OF appeal to the
Secretary Of War or to their Comman
dcr-in-c chief, the President the
United States, was n punishment so
drastic and so unusual IN the history
Of the nation that the execution of
additional members Of the Twenty
fourth Infantry would to the colorcd
people Of the country SAVIOR Of ven-.
goance rather than Justice.
"It is neither our purose nor is
this the occasion to argue whether
this attitude Of mind on the part Of
colored people is justified or not. AS
representatives OF the race We desire
only to testify that it does not
exist. This Slate Of mind
has been intensified by the signif-
cant fact that although white persons
We're involved H. the Houston affair
and the regiment to which the colo.
ed men belonged was Differed cntir.
ly by white men, none but cOior1l
mon, SO far as we have been able to
learn, have been prosecuted or con-
demned
1--WE desire also respectfully to call
to your attention the fact that there
were mitigating circumstances for
the action Of these men Of the TWEEN
ty--fourth Infantry Not by any pre-
medit;ated design and without cause did
these men do what they did at Hons
ton. but by a long series OF humilat-
ing and harrassing incidents. culmi
mating in the brutal assault on Cor
pOral Baltimore. they were goade1
to sudden and frenzied action. This
is borne out by the long record for
orderly and soldierly conduct on the
part OF the regiment throughout its
whole history up TO that time.
"And to the end that you extend
the clemency which we ask, we lay
before you this petition signed by
Write as we'll as colorcd citizens of
New York; one Of the signers being
white man, president OF New York
bank. 72 years of age and a native OF
1.exingl on, Ky.
And now, Mr.. President, We woult
not let this opportunity pass withcu!
mentioning the terrible cltr1gcs
against our people that have taken
pace in the last three quarters Of
year; outrages that are not only un
speakablc wrongs against them, but
blots upon the fair name Of our com
mon country. We mention the riots
at East st. Louis, in which the colored
people bore the brunt of both the
cruelty Of the mob and the processes
of law. And we especially mention
the savage burnings that have taken
place in the single state Of Tennes--
see within nine months; the burn