Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1920-08-07

tended it so, but such was the iney.
liable effect.
But he says we had no ground of
complaint or cause tfor contest In tho
First Congressional District. Now.
let us see If wo did have ground for
Il contest. The National Committee
requires that every call for n Repub-
lican mass meeting, district or state
convention shall be published in
some newspaper Of general circulation
IN the place where the meeting is to
be held, and it is also provided that
all persons believing in the principles
Of tho Republican party shall be vel
como in said meetings.
Now, tho meetings 10 elect dele
gates lin Newport News was held
without any published call, in tho
Salvation Army Hotel, an exclusive
~ white section from which Negroes
were barred and not permitted to
cn:cr.
AT Cape Charles the mass meeting
that elected G.. G. Smithcrs, The far.
famed Willy White was held at East
Vile without published call whatever
and after Mr.. Smithers had been seat
cd at Chicago, because Mr.. Pree would
not contest his seat, he hoasted to Il
large delegation Of colored men on
Inc outside Of the Convention, that no
picked up two or three niggcrs on
his way to Eastville, ana had himself
certified MS n delegate to the ConveD
ton"
1t was impossible for the Negroes
tn appeal from the decisions rendered
H. these meetings and conventions, be
cause they had no notice OF the meet
1ngs until after they We're held and
therefore would have no standing at
the Roanoke convention. Besides
Chairman Hays announced, through
the public print, that all technicalities
would be waived aside and each case
would be heard on its merits. There
are at least fifteen Negro votes to ev
DRY white Republican vote in the First
District, so that it will be seen by
even school boy that it is incon.
coivable that this district would have
elected only Lilly Whites" to the Con
vcntion if colored men had been noti-
fled and allowed to participate in tho
meetings.
From these facts it will be seen that
when Mr.. Pree wrote to Chairman
Hay to the effect that we had 10
grounds Of contest and said that he
spoke on behalf Of the cOlored vot.
ers OF the First District and that he
ropudiated the entire movement, he
either spoke without knowledge OF
the facts in the case, or did not thor
oughly comprehend their Significance.
Now, just word as to the entire
movement against the Lilly Whites"
in the State. In the city of Petersburg
in the Fourth Congressional District
the district that elected the Hon.
John Mercer Langston to Congress-.
the only Negro who has ever hold
that distinction from Virginia, the
District Convention was held in
private room of a white hotel, with
only six white men present. and no
Negroes were allowed to enter. This
Is tho district where Col Matt. N.
LOWS led the fight for the election
Of Mr.. Langston against overwhelm.
ing odds, putting the writer In charge
Of the campaign in Sussex and Green
esville counties when he was only a
boy fifteen years Of age, one of tho
largest and wcalthiest Negro districts
in Virginia, where the colored vote
is twenty-five to ono Of the LILLY
Whites," and no notice was given to
these loyal black men and, therefore
not delegate. or even an alternate