The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-10-26
Nc in THE AFRICl
Isl CHURCH. &
SPEECH BY HON. J. M. LANGsToN,
= 7-zza or OHIO.

on him at the depot ana lie was escorted to
his rooms in carriage by committee of
colored gentlemen, and the Rev. MIR. Fiske,
Superintendent of Schools for North-C Car
DINA. -
On Wednesday evening, Mr.. Langston
consented to address the people in re-
lation to the matter of his visit, to wit: the
education and elevation of the colored
people.
Due notice having been given, a large au-
dience of both races-one of the most atten-
tive and orderly we have ever seen-assenl-
bled at the appointed place at an early hour
We observed among the whites, Gen. Mel
son A. Miles, Col. J. V. Bomford, Supt.
Fiske, Chaplain Pepper. 1t. Granger, Gov.
Holden Hon. G. L. Harris, and Col. Taylor,
and very many others too numerous to men
ton, who were all accommodated IN the best
manner by the excellent officers of Mr.
Brodie's congregation.
During the interval ere Mr.. Langston ar
rived, there were sung several hymns, whose
soul-stirring melody excited emotions of the
liveliest character, and chief among them
that noble anthem, " Sound the loud Tim
brel." -..-...-.-
Shortly after the house had been filled,
Mr. Langston arrived, accompanied by
Messrs. Jas FL. Harris and John r. Caswell,
and took seat in the pulpit.
A fervent prayer was then. made by Rev.
Robert Lucas, when
Mr.. JAS H. Harris arose and introduced
Mr.. Langston to the audience in few brief
and appropriate remarks, as the colored Ed
ward Everett of America. [Applause.l
We shall not attempt to give the words of
Mr. Langston, or even to cite all the hume.
rous rich illustrations with which he adorned
his Grafton. 1t shall only be our cndeavor
to give the body of this admirable address.
Mr. Langston said that it was an almost
unaccountable thing to him, reared as he
was in abolition society and sentiments, that
he was permitted to stand before an audi
ence of colored people, in the capital of this
State, and address them freely. He would
speak words of truth and soberness on this
occasion, and he trusted with becoming
moderation. However, he would advertise
his audience in advance that reconstruction
was not the theme which he proposed to
cultivate, but that he would contine himself
to discussing the education and elevation
of the colored people. If at another day,
he was lucky enough to return in this direc-
ton, he would then give his views upon re-
construction and the political topics of the
hour.
He would here remark that he spoke as
an American citizen, Il native of the soil.
1t is true that he was not quite coored
enough to pass for negro always-lndeed
he sometimes had trouble to convince per-
sons that he was not white man, but all his
interests were with his race, and he glorled III
the fact that he had been born slave. ZAP
plause.) His origin had been humble, but it
had given him an opportunity to struggle up,
and he held that no mans light was valuable
unless that man had met and mastered OPP
L Ill n,,0
Grant and Chief Justice Chase illustrious;
and he held that the colored people could
never be truly great, as individuals or as u
nation, until they too had mastered strong
opposition.
As they stepped out of slavery into liberty
and the rights of American citizens, the ques-
ton naturally arose what is liberty 2" Some
said tits beautiful play thing-some said, in
liberty 1 shall do as 1 please -another said, 1
shall rest But there Is no rest in liberty
it means eternal activity-eternal digging,
digging, digging. (Applause) The law is
common to both races in the sweat of thy
brow, &c. There could be no Sinking of
work in liberty-the happiness of wife and
children depended on hard labor. (fes, yes
and applause.)
In slavery this was not so-for the slave
was fed and clothed and leaned upon mas
ter. Now he stands upon his own feet and
leans upon God. God says dig and I'll feed
you-dig hard and I'll feed you we'll
dig harder and rll feed you better
1t is root pig or die. UaughterG The
moor white man does that watch him and
see if he doesn't Ten years ago he wasdig-
ging-to-day he is digging-twenty years
hence he will be digging, and in thirty years
be will be rich man. CHATS so.G Then
everybody says, he is nice man, though
they never noticed him before. Q4aughter)
Money is the power that lifted hia mp. tYes,
yes.) 1t can be made the power to lift you
up also. (Yes, yes.)
Now the colored people are, the equals of
the whites, politically and cixilly-but they
are not their equals in achievement. Where
are the farms owned by black men-the
stocks, the money,-where are their schools
and fine arts? Where are the black judges
the colored men of scienee2 In achievement
the whites are far superior to our race, and
necessarily so.
But all that I claim is that the avenues to
advancement be opened-giNe US liberty at
this end, and we will show you equality OF
achievement at the other {Applause)
When the colored people came out of sla-
very, they were naked-they had neither
country or God say this not to
discourage you, but to- stimulate you to
greater eXertlOn., StHpthtuSS.)
I say when you came out of slavery, you
had no established characters. " Tom was
a good slave, and Aunt Suky, how beautiful
ly she docs pray /" Oaughter) That was
about all. But how else could it have been3
How could we make character, where wife
nor sister were ours, nor daughter What
angel guarded the sanctity of your hearth.
stones You were powerless-body and
soul you were bound to another man.
1t is your first duty, therefore, to make
character for fidelity and integrity. Let
your word henceforth be your bond. Each
of you is in some degree responsible Tor the
of the ether-the character o. your
whole race is in every ones keeping Guard
# we'll. Grow no more yellow boys and
s Of white fathers and Sdn o,ae sSppos and
nroteot them, and make them beautiful
wives and daughters. [Applarse.l Get
good characters and your faces will be
and lovely even in DEATH, -. 1880.
Then there is education Boys and girls,
old men and women are alike ignorant.
.,Il GOV, m ali learn RI roa6-if ia never