The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-03-17
THE MAIDEN SPEECH or THE NEW
NEGRO SENATOR

NEGRO SENA TOR
The speech delivered in the United States
Senate yesterday by Revels, the negro Sena-
tor from Mississippi, marks an era in the his
tory of the race he represents and in the
politics of this country only second IN i'm
portance to the issue of the Emancipation
Proclamation. The coming man has come
He has made his debut in the highest tribunal
of the land, and, awakening the profound at
tention of his colleagues and the crowded
galleries, he has carried off the highest ora
torical honors. The Democrats are endeavor-
ing to weaken the significance of this tri-
umph by asserting that the speech is not
original, and it is alleged that photographic
reporter is ready to swear that its leading
points were dictated by Governor Bullock.
That there may be some color of truth in
this allegation isnot improbable, for it would
have been foolish in Revels to violate the usual
custom of the Senate by making set speech
SO soon after his entrance into that body
without taking counsel with his friends The
greatest of white orators often do the same
thing, and dozens of white Senators and Con-
gressmen habituslly employ the ready-writers
who abound in Washington to prepare their
speeches. 1t is well-kaown fact, however,
that Senator Revels is fine orator, and
abundantly able to deliver effective speeches
of his own composition, so that we should
not be at all surprised if his effort yesterday
was substantially original. That it was won
derfully well delivered no man pretends to
deny. There is nothing at all strange in the
development of good negro orator. Fred.
Douglass, as public speaker, was, in his
palmy days, the peer of any orator in the
land and there is scarcely a Democratic
speech-maker now in the country who can
equal him on the stump or the rostrum.
Whatever may be the deficiencies of the negro
race, they are certainly not deficient in voice,
nor, when properly educated, in oratorical
power. They are even more likely to pro-
duce fine speakers, under favorable circum-
stances, than the Anglo-Saxon race, which is
more noted for its working than its talking
capacity. Revels got off good speech, q
very good speech, in the Senate yesterday,
and this is comparatively rare occurrence
even in the Capitol where white speech
makers most do congregate. There is world
of difference, however, between oratory and
craftsmanship, and the political speaker only
rises into really important and useful per-
sonage when he combines both these capaci-
ties. Revels as a speech maker, is far supe-
rior to either Grant, Washington, or Jeffer-
son. 1t remains to be seen how far he COM
bines practical wisdom with his other gifts
and whether his race, when entrusted with
power, will be unlike the merry monarch
"who never said a foolish thing and never
did wise one." The immediate object of
the demonstration yesterday was to defeat
the Bingham amendment which had passed
in the House by the votes of the Democrats
and the conservative Republicans. The lead
ing provision of this amendment is that none
of the offices now filled in Georgia shall be va
Gated, whereas Revels wishes to take a new
departure in the reconstruction of that State,
and especially to turn out of Office the judges
who decided that negroes were, under the
State laws, ineligible to Office. The appeal
made to the feeling of the Senate to promote
this end was adroit and powerful. The story
of the position, conduct, and claims of the
colored race to protection was never better
told than yesterday; and if strong words
well strung together can gain the desired
object, Senator Revels may win the rare
honor of seriously affecting the deliberations
of the Senate on an important question. II
remains to be seen, however, whether the
judgment.of the House will be reversed and
the whole reorganization of Georgia torn ur
by the roots. If this is really done, crown.
ing seal will be placed on the triumph Of
Revels; if it is not, his speech will pass into
Congressional history, with thousands ol
others, as fine but fruitless effort.