The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1868-02-28
A Scene in the "Black and Tan
Convention of Alabama.

a "CofonED Cuss" has the hoor-th,
place is the Capitol building Of Ala
hama, the time November %, 1SG7-thc
orator is Julius Caesar Augustus Mare
Anthony Dyonisius squash, represent.
ing the most populous and wealthy dis
tIict Of the State. He "torks:"
"Mr. Speaker and Fellow Niggers: =
have listened pashuntly for de conscc-
utivc days wat hab introvened sence
we cum from lie ballot boxes of illus
trus cOnstituenshee--to brudder Bing-
ham and Griffin and Keffer, and dc I'D.
der respeckted white niggers, and
longed for de opportunity. to get UP
and shake myself loose for de salvation
oh de Lord and de glory OBJ de eight and
forty thousand what had trabbled to
Canyun! And here ! is--am you ga
Zin' ut me?
Niggcrs and Mister Speaker, dere hab
been somctin said in some of de moose.
papers about de bottom rail bein' on
top. Now, who am de bottom rail? Eth
Cm-ah! Dey means US, niggers, dc
down-trodden race, who, bre5s de Lord
and Massa Linkum, am on top! And
we'I gwine to stay dar till Gabriel sits
on lie Saints roost and blows his horn
fit y scare de debbil!
Whar am we now? Cast your delu.
dCd gaze about dis room. Five years
ago we was a totin' cotton, blackin'
boots and cuttin' har. Now-ki--we
and desc Yankee white trash is maxim
laws, for, in de language of IIoss Gree
ley, de bottom rail am on top.
Niggcrs is sumbody, and dc rebbil.
hab got to lay low or dey catch hell
We'se gwine to yoccupy de land-we'sC
gwine to hab our forty acres oh land
and n pair oh mules--we'se gwine tC
play gemplum, and de rebbils has got
to furnish de sponduix-dat's what.
| de matter, for de bottom rail am or
| top!
De white trash is played out. Didn'
we sabc de country? When Massa JET
was Il standin' on A-bra-ham's stoop ,
kickiu' de doah and threatenin' to bus
his head, didn't lis colored men put o,
dem blue clos an dose ar brass button
oh, no. guess not--and windercat
de hag-dat's why de bottom rail- an
on top.
Brutus Gumbo Sardanapulus Crow,
rise to pint of order!
The Spcaker-State your point, MI
Crow!
ruw-Theodosius Cassius Switched
has put his clamps on free of my MAJ
blcs-and-
Switchcll-Go way, you black raski
tell me hook your marvels, pune
you in de jaw. What do with yuI
: narvrls? Amt on de Kom.mittt
20 drag bill Nv rights? Say marve
20 me aud break your banjo obcr yol
rOnck
: The Spcaker-Gentlemcn will plea
preserve order and allow Mr.. Squash
proceed.
Squash-l am disgu,tcd wild you; in
clare for Goa dar's dose two mokt
from Eufalia aud Mobecl SCUM uslcel
while dat ar" no account Niger frol
Tuscaloosa stands by de window ticl
lin his shin wild his heel! Cora nit,
don't you know muffin Um-h-h! Bl
disgust such mizziblc niggcrs, an
percced.
We intend to do de voting; to go
Congress; to be Gubners and justices 9
de peace to be sujers wild brass buttot
and big ,ords like Boss Grant and She
man, ard we is going to West Pint IN
'Napois; TO ride in karS and 60
school, and churches wild de white tras
, for dc bottom rail am on top.
And we'sc gwine TO 'bolsh 'IIio an
Mime Sofa and Kansus fur rcfusin'
glib our brudders suffrage; and we's
gwine to 'boliSh Kopperhcads 'cau'
dey am white; and hab clam soup an
pigs feet cherry night, for de hottol
rail am on top.
An dat ar Ariel fclcr what says "
niggcrs am bCastuscs, without soul
wc'll send him straight to hell Il raiil
and II rockin' fore he can't twinkle di
eye, for ain't Babylon fallen;' ain
we got good sour apple trees don't d
fascinatin' ladies oh de colOred 'swt
, shun light this respecticle oh wisdol
and intelligence, and de pcrfOom Oh d'
olfartory sweetness ss--and-and-and {
bottom rail am on top.