Semi-weekly Louisianian. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1871-1872, 1871-09-24

sit was testified by the late Recon-
struction Committee of Congress that
the best speech made before them in
behalf OF the admission of Virginia
was that of a young negro named
Bland, who until the date Of emanci-
patton had been a slave; and it is re-
markable that on this occasion Bland
spoke in behalf of what was then called
1.-The white mans party" in Virginia,
and stood in company with some of
the most distinguished old politicians
of that State, whose oratorical efforts
he surpassed. He was only twenty-five
years old, land the promise Of his
genius was cut short by his untimely
death in the Capitol disaster at Rich
mond.
The writer had the fortune to hear
this sable orator but little while be-
fore his death. He was brown-colored
negro, slightly formed, dressed with
scrupulous neatness, and had an ease
and modesty of behavior that made
graceful combination, and at once con-
ciliated his audience. The occasion
was political convention at Lynch
burg, in which it was stated that
certain white man had obtained quasi
Independent nomination for Congress,
and threatened to divide the Radical
vote with the regular nominee. Bland
expostulated, but to no purpose; the
white candidate had evidently made
ur his mind to follow Mr.. Summers
advice to Secretary Stanton in the
matter of Office-holding, and to "stick."
Bland at last had recourse to denun-
citation. 1t was spectacle not to he
forgotten, one indeed that epitomized
a great social revolution, and was
worthy of historical distinction A
negro, elate with passion, pointing the
finger of scorn and of command at
white man, who few years ago might
have bought him n, cattle in the
shambles, and held lash over his
body; abashing one Of his former mas
tiers or drivers by superior virtue,
and presuming to rebuke him in the
name of "A great political party! He
spoke for twenty or thirty minutes,
sometimes in really choice language,
and with fuency in which there was
not single break, No report of the
exact words can be attempted from
memory; but the substance of the
speech was well defined and connected.
He said that office-seeking had been
alleged as a reproach of his race; it was
an honorable ambition to serve the
public land here he quoted senti-
ment from Daniel Webster's funeral
Grafton on Calhoun; "but" land here
he is reported) lit needed not Holy
Writ to enforce the lesson that the last
should be first, and that he only was
tit to govern who was able to obey"
He concluded eloGuently, but the
negro's characteristic fondness for big
words stuck in at the last. He wOuld
fasten upon the refractory white can
didate ''the worst name that the great
Republican party had for its worst
enemies, those who were enemies in
disguise; name that would follow him
to his political grave-the name dis-or-
g,m-i-ze'r' The weight of the last
word, with the emphasis and delibera-
ton bestowed upon it, was crushing
The best test of eloquence is its effect;
and the conclusion was that the white
aspirant got up, and said in a very
whining. mendicant tone that he
begged leave to say, after the address
of Mister Bland, that he begged leave
to Withdraw his name us that of can
didate for Congress"
And so, through his letter, does
this ingenious ex-slaveholder, bear
impartial, and therefore, valuable
testimony to the justice of the ne
gro's claim to the possession and
exercise of all of those rights and
privileges which are granted to
other races.
Obviously, it was not to be ex-
pected that whole communities of
men, whose lives have been spent in
looking on the negro as necessarily
inferior, and unfit for freedom,
would instantly have acquiesced in
the decision which the sword gave
to a grave and long disputed ques-
ton. But it is to be expected that
reasonable and thinking men will
acknowledge the existence of the
undeniable and irreversible fact of
negro freedom, that they will hon
estly examine and investigate the
results Of the experiment Of freedom
that they will scrutinize him as
strictly as they see fit, and ascertain
from actual experience whether or
no he is fit for freedom. This is
the ordeal that the negro can stand
and he invites the application of
such tests as ordinarily obtain in
such examinations.
The result will not be uncertain,
the South will discover that in every
department, Education, Industry,
Religion, Politics, Science, every
where, the negro has exhibited, and
is exhibiting the possession of quail
tiles which individually stamp him
as the equal of any other race, and
the titled claimant to equal rights
with all men.
We are the more anxious to wit