The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-02-28
r E l. S.


The New COl0red senator and his Career.
Senator Cameron, in the course OF the protracted
debate on the admission OF the Hon Hiram Il.
Revels to seat in the Senate said tn It in cpnver-
satlon with JeT. Davis, just before the litter lie
serted hs post at washington 10 plrtcip tts In thc
Rebellion, he assured the destined Pre5ldeu of the
Slave Contederacy that some day, In the jistije OF
God his seat would BE- occupied by negro.
Although the Pennsylvania Senator reloced tn st he
had lived to see the day when this prediction has
been fulfilled his passion for Sact poetic II justice
had been thwarted in measure, for Reycls the
sable Senator who Friday took the OATH OF Office
as member OF the Senate elected for the
term ending in 1871, aS the regular successor to
Albert c. Brown. the colleague OF JeG. Davis, while
General Ames having been elected for the term
ending in 1915 becomes the actual successor OF the
great Mississippi traitor The seating Of Reyes,
however comes near enough to the mark to render
the prediction OF Camerol not unworthy the fame Of
prophet
Hiram Rhodes Revels like great many people
who are clsssed as negroes, is not as much OF an
African as he might be. In personal appearance he
is threeiourths white, and twenty years ago, are
told by Senator Sherman he enjoyed the privilege Of
a vote in Ohio, under decision OF the Supreme
Court OF that State, then composed mainly OF Demo-
Gratis, declaring that the words "a white citizen
meant one who is nearer white than black His
father, the Rev. Elijah Reves, who was parsonage
OF no Inconsiderable Importance in hts diY, Is sail
to have been OF mixed African and ChOctaw blood
80 that the aboriginal Inhabitants OF the country
come in for a share OF the honor which tne Missis-
sppi Senator reflects upon his ancestry.
He was born in North Carolina precisely when o
where cannot be said, for one account gives Fay
ette and another Chatham county as the place
his birth; while, according to some OF hts biOg
raphers, he first saw the light on the 18th OF June
1920 and by others is made to date back his caree
to 1892 only The events Of his early life, like the
date and place OF his birth, are Obscured by contra
k.f.. aIIa hat d
completed his schooling at Knox College, Galesburg
Ill., at the mature age of thrty-six after which he
devoted ten years or 80 to moderate dissipation,
followed 10y soourns In Baltimore Louisville, and st.
Louis until 1860 found him transferred to Vcksburg,
whence he removed to Leavenworth, Kansas then
to Louisville again. and finally, ate the close OF the
war, to Natchez.
Another more circumstantal, and probably cor
rect narrative, which locates his birth in Fayette in
1922 states that he remained in tnat town until his
twenty second year, when he removed to Liberty,
Indiana, and, after passing two years in Quaker
Seminary there, completed his studies, preparatory
TO entering the Methodist ministry, at the Darke
County Seminary, in Ohio. He then devoted several
years to preaching, teaching, and lecturing among
his people in the Western States, and In 1861 tC
be found stationed in Baltimore.
He entered at into the struggle for the Union
and assisted in raising the first two colored regr
ments In Maryland and Missouri. In 1868 and 1854
he was engaged In teaching school In st. Louis
from which place he removed to Vieksburg, where
he assisted the provost-marshal In the management
of the freedmens affairs, and in organizing churche;
and schools. He followed the army to Jackson, but
subsequently journeyed Northwest, and passed two
years in Kansas and Missouri, engaged in preaching
and lecturing Settling finally in Natchez, he was
in July, 1862 appointed by General Ames u member
of the City Council Of that town, and at the election
held last November was sent to the State Senate.
On the assembling OF the Legislature OF Mssis
ha iUah Q yOtp mt tnf tnta
of 49, for United States Sen ator for the term ending
March A. 1871, but 80 OF those who voted for him be
longing to the same race. He proceeded, immedi
atey after his election to Washington, and devoted
the greater part Of his time while awaiting the read
mission of the State to being "intervewed" by the
correspondents OF the press. On February 23 his
credentials were presented by Senator Wilson, and
after the Democracy had exhausted their stock
objections on the Of color and the lack OF tht
qualifications OF citizenship for the constitutions
neriod was admitted to his seat on the 25th by
vote OF 4s to g. In which the party lines were SHARPLY