The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1870-05-31
COlOred Orators.

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Not the the least remarkable result at.
tending the emancipation and subsequen,
enfranchisement of the Southern negroes
is found in the unlocked for intellectual
capacity developed among them. Before
the war the number of colored men in the
country with regulations for ability as
writers or speakers was few indeed. But
since emancipation their numbers have
augmented greatly, and to-day there is
scarce community in the South that
does not have its colored orator and lea.
der. Some of them, to be sure, are rude
of speech and uncouth in demeanor but
there are among them men who can spea k
eloquently and logically and with as much
regard for the rules of grammar as will
be found among the majority of white
orators. In view of the abject ignorance
sought to be imposed upon all African
blood in their veins during the days of
slavery-a policy rigidly adhered to for
u century and a half-such development
so soon after attaining freedom is struly re-
markable. Taken with other facts-the
moderation with which the. negro uses
his new privilegcs-the scene of respon-
sibiity he displays-his utter lack of all
petty feelings of revenge toward his late
enslavers-his thirst for knowledge and
the sacrifices he is willing to make to at
tain it-who shall gainsay the wisdom of
the policy which, having secured his
emancipation, followed up the work by
endowing him with all the rights and pri-
villages of citizenship? If there was,
prior to the development of these facts,
good cause to apprehend danger from the
sudden enrolment of so large a number of
voters, but yesterday slaves and therefore
ignorant, the danger is fast disappearing
in the light of these facts to-day. For
the ignorance which alone renders the use
of the ballot dangerous to its possesor and
to the cause of good government, is being
dispelled, and the black man is not onl Y
learning how to vote, but also how to d-
rect others to do so. He is learning to
talk well and to write well to use the
forum and the press in the advocacy of
Of those principles to which he owes his
eEfranchisement. We scarce take up a
Southern paper of anti Bourbon proclivi-
ties, wherein there is not mention of some
colored man who has developed remarka-
Bile talent, either as speaker or cores
pondent. Here is one, for sample, taken
from the alabama State Journal publish
ed at Montgomery;
1--WE shall publish in full tomorrow
morning the speech delivered by James
L. Rapier, Esq, at the celebration yester-
day. Mr.. Rapier is colored man Of
fine education and highly polished man.
ners. He has clear, logical mind, and
fully understands the great political issues
OF the day, as was amply demonstrated to
every one who heard him yesterday His
speech should be read by every man in
this broad land, for it contains an in
telligent exposition of the true feelings OF
the colored men. We prcdic, for Mr..
Rapier bright career"
The editor of the above named paper
was formerly an officer in the rebel army
and it is evident the colored man who
could draw out such an encomium from
- - ----- III.
les of no common order. And with such
things done in the green tree what may
not expect in the dry? If to-day We have
coored men full-hedged as orators and
leaders of their kind, who shall put a
limit on their attainments after years ot
freedom shall have enlarged their powers
and matured their intellectual endow-
mrnts