Woodrow Wilson Papers Microfilm Reels

Brooklyn, N. Y. ____________ 191

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its orders from him, no matter how much real service that organization might have rendered to the party. As it is my desire to have my name considered for some post under President Wilson’'s administration I naturally feel that I should like to have the President know the circumstances uuder which I was removed from the position of Deputy State Superintendent of Elections and the penalty I had to pay for doing all in my power to advance the cause of Democracy anong my people. I am sending you clippings from The New York Age and Washington Bee the two leading newspapers edited by men of my race which will testify as to the truthfulness of these representations.

With best wishes for your success in your new position, I am, with great respect, yours very truly,

Ralph E. Langston, 24 West 132nd St., New York City.

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Brooklyn, N. Y. ____________ 191

to the United Colored Democrary that this club was organized, but rather in a spirit of cooperation and for the purpose of bringing to the support of our case and candidates every colored man who could possibly be won over. Bichop Walters will inform you of the service rendered by our organization to the ticket. During the campaign we worked harmoniously under the Leadership of the Bishop and in cooperation with the National Colored Democratic League, but as soon as the election was over, Robert N. Wood, Chief of the United Colored Democracy, sought to have all of these useful agencies made subordinate to the organization of which he was the leader, and aspired to be the boss. I was naturally adverse to dropping the organization of which I was president, and for that reason incurred Mr. Wood's displeasure. Whereupon he demanded of Tammany Hall that the Superintendent of Elections, in those office I was serving as a deputy, should remove me from service. Superintendent Voorhis reluctantly complied with this demand, but did me the honor of attesting to the satisfactory manner in which I had performed my duties. Bishop Walters protested against this injust and un-Democratic action, but to no avail. The leader of the Colored Tammany Auxiliary (the United Colored Democracy) could endure no organization which could not take

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[stamp] ACK'D MAR 18 1913

[stamp] THE WHITE HOUSE MAR 18 1913 RECEIVED

152

Hon. Joceph Tumulty, Secretary to the President, Washington, D. C.

My dear Mr. Tumulty:-

I hope I may secure your pardon for the intrusion of this letter, but I know of no other way of getting some facts before the President, and am, therefore, relying upon your good office to call them to his attention.

1 have seen a clipping from the Washington Evening Star in which my name is alleged to have been presented for the position of Assistant Register of the Treasury. I desire to state that I have authorized no one to present my name for any office nor am I a candidate for this position.

During the last campaign I organised and was elected president of the Wilson Colored Democratic Club of Greater New York. I was prompted to organize in this way because it was apparent that members of colored men in this city would vote for Mr. Wilson who would not join any organization affiliated with Tammany Hall--as is the United Colored Democracy. It was in no spirit of opposition

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COPY

# 406 "H" Street, N. W.,

WASHINGTON, D. C., Nov. 9,1812

His Excellency, Gov. WOODROW WILSON, Sea Girt, N. J.

Dear Sir:

Please accept my heartiest congratulations upon the magnificent and overwhelming victory you have achieved in being elected PRESIDENT of the UNITED STATES.

It was simply an uprising of the American People to bring the government back to themselves and make it a "government of the people, for the people, and by the people."

It is enough for me to know that you represent that type of "Virginia Gentleman" whose sense of honor and justice will not allow him to be swerved from the path of duty. For twenty years I have been hooked up in the Democratic harness and working like a "trojan" for democratic control of all branches of the government. My fondest hopes have been realized--, The mantle has fallen upon your shoulders.

Hoping that your administration may be peaceful, happy and prosperous, believe me to be

Most respectfully yours, (Signed) Wm. P. Morton.

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in the race of life, and count for something in the community in which we may live.

The eyes of the world are now turned upon the incoming administration, and we hope that the confidence which the people so largely expressed at the recent election will not be misplaced, and that those who will soon take charge of the "Old Ship" of State will stick to the principles of the Fathers of this country, that this shall be a government of the people, for the people, and by the people.

William P. Morton. Washington, D. C. February 13th, 1913.

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or a toothless serpent. SHAME! SHAME!! SHAME!!!

No man who knows the open-hearted honesty, trustworthiness, integrity and moral standing of the former slave, would for a moment be afraid to trust him with the ballot which made him feel that he was a man, and an American citizen. Where does he stand today? Would you march an army into battle without guns and amunition for self defense and expect to win a victory? The ballot has been and is today every man's strongest weapon of defense. Take that away and you unman him and leave him helpless and defenseless. No race is prouder of the government of the United States than the negro, and in proportion to numbers and material conditions, vies with any other race in a quick response to a call for its defense and support.

It seems to me that taxation and defense without representation, (the right to vote) is wrong. In many of the states we have the educational, the prepayment of taxes, and the property qualifications, as prerequisites to voting. If the negro had had the fruits of his labor and an equal chance in the race of life, since he has been in this country there would be no word of complaint against it. It is unreasonable to expect of the race in fifty years what it has taken other races all the ir lives to do. If the negro had been let alone, and had he divided his vote as other races, he never would have been disfranchised. I know this to be true, as I had the honor of attending and delivering an address before the Constitutional Convention which met at Richmond, Va., in theyears of 1901 and 1902, in the interest of the race.

For the last twenty-five or thirty years I have been a strong advocate of a division of the Negro Vote, because he has tried concentration and was made a political slave.

Following the same motives that promted me in the past, I spent a month in the campaign of 1912 in support of Messrs. WILSON and MARSHALL. The results of that campaign were so flattering and astounding that I am proud that I was in the fight, and my fondest hopes have been realized.

From the training, high character and christian sentiment expressed by President-elect WILSON, before and since his election, 1 see an OPEN DOOR OF HOPE for the Negro. I have often thought why it is, that so many hard, humiliating and discouraging things are said to keep the negro in the back-ground. We did not come to this country of our own choice; but since we have been here, we have served as BONDSMEN and FREEMEN. How well we have done both, will yet be written by the impartial historian, and acknowledged by all who love JUSTICE and RIGHT.

If the negro is to be repudiated and made the bone-of-contention, in the future, God will continue to open other doors of hope until we shall be recognized as American Citizens; and through the aid of those who may be in power, be given an equal chance

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COPY xxxx THE FUTURE OF THE NEGRO IN POLITICS. xxxx ------------------- o -------------------

"AN OPEN DOOR OF HOPE."

Just fifty years ago, January lst, 1913, Abraham Lincoln, emancipated four million slaves. None but those to whom the glad tidings came could know what visions this sublime act of the Great Emancipator opened to their inner souls.

Having been a slave, and then to know oneself afterward forever free; who shall imagine the soul's tumult of joy and expecation in that hour when it all stood forth a reality? Has my race fulfilled the promise of its friends? No man who has acquainted himself with the facts, will for a moment, deny that it has.

The progress made in half a century in education, in the growth of self-respect and self-confidence, in the production of distinguished leaders and in the accumulation of property, has astonished both our friends and enemies. Many promises and guarantees were held out to the race soon after the dawn of freedom, but those promises have been left unfulfilled and those guarantees have become mere idle words. It were better that they had not been made, and the negro left to fight out his own political salvation, and as he fitted himself, then, adjust himself to the body politic.

It takes a great race and a christian race to deal fair with a weaker race; but I am very sorry to say that a bitter and unchristian prejudice seems to have taken possession of the minds of those who ought to be our friends North and South, and they have shamefully neglected the promises and witheld the guarantees made fifty years ago. Is it the color of a man’s heart or skin that makes him black or white in the sight of heaven and of the noblest manhood?

The first half-century has past and with it many of our friends; the second half-century since the emancipation begins with ominous clouds still darkening the eastern skn where slowly the sun of hope has been rising for the negro. But these fity years will see forces at work that will right many a cruel wrong; inspire a larger faith and hasten the day that must come since God is just, when it shall be acknowledged that men are brothers; the world over.

The negro is not wholly responsible for solidifying his vote in the past; there were those who taught him to hate and humiliate his neighbor, by voting for the carpet-bagger during the period of reconstruction in the south, upon false promises and hopes until as a last resort these neighbors began to disfranchise my people, and they became as harmless, politically, as a finless-fish

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[stamp: March 16, 1913]

406 H Street, N. W. Washington, D. C., March 14th, 1913.

152 Colored

[stamp: THE WHITE HOUSE MAR 15 1913 RECEIVED]

His Excellency, Prest. Woodrow Wilson, Washington, D. C.

Dear Mr. President:

I enclose you an article written by me prior to your inauguration, to which I have given no publicity. After carefully reading your inaugural address I hope I am not violating any rules of propriety in submitting this paper to you.

I don't know what consideration you are going to give the Colored Citizens, who actively supported you, and the cause of Democracy generally, but somehow I have full faith and confidence that we will have nothing to regret for the course we have pursued.

My politics stand next to my religion and I have been very conscientious in the stand that I have taken and am willing to stand or fall on my past record.

The enclosed copy of my letter of congratulation will remind you that you have heard from me before.

I am a graduate of the Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute--have taught in the public schools of Virginia for twentyfive years and have won the respect and confidence of the best white friends of the State.

Should this communication be worthy of your consideration a line from you will gladden the heart of

Yours most respectfully, Wm. P. Morten

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BOSTON, MASS, ___________ 191

I did my utmost to further your election among the Colored voters. Let me add that my father, the late Lt. James M. Trotter, was Recorder of Deeds under Pres. Cleveland in his first term.

From my responsible position in this cause as editor and leader 1 greatly desire to have your confidence, and to know and be granted the privilege of consultation on your general policy where we are concerned.

I should esteem it highly to receive word from you on such matters at the beginning of your administration, and to be accorded the privilege of assisting the success of your administration in any way possible through the Guardian. As Secretary of the National Independent Political League I have a personal representative in Washington in the person of Rev. A. W. Adams, who did such successful work for your election as our league organizer for Connecticutt, his home, his address being 421 Q Street, north-west, who would call at your invitation for consultation as my representative. I mention this because 1 am here in Boston, but I would come any time at your command.

We believe we can be of assistance as far as the Colored voters are concerned if we are consulted.

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21 Cornhill.

[stamp: MARCH 13, 19]

BOSTON, MASS., March 11, 1913.

152

[stamp: THE WHITE HOUSE, MAR 13, 1913 RECEIVED]

Hon. Woodrow Wilson, President of the United States, Executive Mansion, Washington, D. C.

Honorable Sir,

Permit me to congratulate you upon your inauguration as president of the United States, and to wish your administration full success in the truest sense.

You will doubtless recall hew earnestly I labored for your election since the day at the state house in New Jersey when you assured a delegation of us from the National Independent Political League that as president you would carry out the constitution in it's letter and spirit and in the spirit of the Christian religion and be the president of all the people without distinction as to section or race.

As editor of The Guardian, which alone of the few national Colored, newspapers published unqualifiedly supported you, as President of the New England Suffrage League which endorsed you from a racial view point, as corresponding secretary of the National Independent Political League and Manager of its Eastern Campaign Headquarters

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