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

of color was elected to the National.
Convention!
In the Third Congr essional District
i n largo force OF policemen were sta.
toned Mt the courthouse In South
Richmond where the meeting was
held with instructions from the Lilly
Whites" 10 allow no Negro to enter
the convention. And Mr.. Lawrence
Groner, on the floor before tho Ma.
tional Committee admitted that Ne.
grocs were kept out by policemen, but
said that they were disorderly per-
sons kept out to prevent them
from disturbing the peace. And this,
notwithstanding the fact that tho
colOred men seeking entrance to tho
convention were composed of such mo
as Joseph r. Pollard. one Of the lead
ing colorcd lawyers in the State; DR..
Ferguson, Il refined and wealthy zen
tlcman Of the city Of Richmond; Mr.,
Price one Of its leading business mel,
and a host Of the most representa-
tive Negroes Of the Capital City.
When old man Lghtfoot IF Cul
pcEer county. veteran Of the Civil
war, presented himself at the con-
Vcntion and demanded to know why
H. was that he, who had shed hia
blood for the freedom Of his rncc
ana attended every convention since
emancipation, had had 10 notice Of
the meeting, he was brutally told
that the reason why they had not
published notice OF the meeting was
that they did not intend to be both
cred with "niggers."
Mr. .IOSopb u Rro5u u-boeo c,tl,
CT was honored by the black men of
the old Fourth Congressional Dis
trict himself now clerk of the United
States District Court Of the Eastern
District of Virginia in published
statement declared that the time had
come for the Republican party in Vir
gin1a TO become 4 white mans party
TO the exclusion Of all Negroes in
the party councils.
Similar Irregularities and express
sions from Lilly Whites" all over tho
State were made concerning the black
Republicans, as was shown by hun.
dreds OF affidavits filed with our
brief, and not denied by the brazen
Lilly Whites" whose seats we were
contesting at Chicago.
Knowing these things, I said pub
ncly, and now repeat, if the Negroes
in the Southern States are to be hu.
initiated, oStracised, and read out of
the Republican party in the South by
a small gang Of ofiice-seekers, then
their brethren in the North, whose
votes are coulSed. will punish the
Republican party by the election Of
its-riyal until it returns to the land
marks laid out by the fathers
Joining as IN this attitude at Chi
cago were Hon. William II. Lewis,
ex-United States Assistant Attorney
Genera who spoke out boldly before
the National Committee; Mr.. Edward
H. Wright, corporation counsel for
the city Of Chicago. and almost the
entire Negro press of the United
States takes this same position.
Now, just a word as to the local
campaign. AS to who authorized J.
Thomas Newsome to say that the COL.
orcd people would bring out no can
didate, I gave the same answer that
was made to Col. Matt. N. Lewis
some time ago in the following Ian
guage: well, the answer is simple.
Every colored man who voted little
over year ago for sInipIffled form
Of government authorized J. Thomas
Ncwsome to make the statement.
The very heart Of the new city char
ter, for which We all voted, contains
Continued On Eighth Page.)