The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1871-07-15
From tho Mobile Register, July |, 1871
The Power OF EIOquence.
A LIE C 7 u II L.


to see how tho colOred citizens were man.
a"ins their own institutions, led us at once
to accept tho invitation. We found very
spacious church, gas-lit and tho balus-
trades of tho galleries copiously hung with
wreaths and fcstoons of flowers, and
large audience of both soxcs, which both
in appearance and behavior, was respect
able and decorously observant of tho pro-
prieties of the place. The services were
opened, as usual, with prayer and hymn,
tho latter inspired by powerful lungs, and
in which the musical car at once caught the
negro talent for melody. The lecturer
was then introduced as Mrs. F. E. W. Har-
per, from Maryland. Without moments
hesitation she started of in tho flow of her
discourse, which rolled smoothly and unin-
terruptedly on for nearly two hours. 1t
was very apparent that it was not cut
and dried speech, for sho was as fluent and
feIicitious in hor illusions to circumstances
Immediately around her as she was when
she rose to moro exalted pitch Of lauda-
ton of the "Union" or of execration of the
old slavery system. Her voice was remark
able-as sweet as any woman's voice we
ever heard, and so clear and distinct AS to
pass every syllable to the most distant ear
in tho house. Without any effort at atten-
tive listening we followed the speaker to
the end, not discerning single grammati-
cal inaccuracy of speech, or the slightest
nl,f; IF faa in mai matter.
At times the current of her thoughts flowed
in eloquent and poetic oppression, and often
her quaint humor would expose the ivory
in half a thousand of open mouths. We
confess that VIC began to wonder, and we
asked tino-looking cololed man before us,
"what is her color? Is she dark or light %
He answered, 'sSho is mulatto; what they
call a red mul..tto" The "red' was new
to us. Our neighbor asked, GLOW do you
like her?' We replied, "Sho is giving
your people tho best kind and tho very
wisest of advice" Ho rejoincd, 81 wish l
had her education" To which we added,
"That's inst what she tells you is your
great duty and yonr need, and if you are
too old to get it yourselves, You must give
it to your chrldren.'
Tho speaker left the impression on our
mind that she was not only intelligent and
educated, but-thc great end of education
she was enlightened. She comprehonds
perfectly the situation of her people, to
whose interests she seems ardontly devoted.
The main theme of her discourse, the ono
string to the harmony of which all tho
others were attuncd, was tho grand oppor-
tunity that emancipation had afforded to
the black race to lift itself to tho level of
the duties and responsibilities enjoined by
it. "You have muscle power and brain
power, she said "you must utilize them,
OR be content to remain forever the inferior
race. Get land, every one that can, and
as fast as you can. A landlcss people
must be dependent upon the landed people.
a few acres to till for food, and roof,
however humble, over your head, arc the
castle of your independence, and when you
have it you are fortified to act and vote
Independently whenever your interests are
at stake" That part of her lecture land
there was much of it, that dwelt on the
moral duties and domestic relations Of the
colored beople was pitched on the highest
key of sound morally. She urged the cul-
tivation of the "home lifo," the sanctity
of the marriage state "a happy constrast to
her strong minded, free-love, white sisters
of tho North, and tho duties of mothers
to their daughters. "Why," said she, in
voice of much surprise, 81 have actually
heard since have been South that some
times colored husbands positively beat their
wives do not mean to insinuate for a
moment that such things can possibly hap
pen i'll Mobile. The very appearance of
this congregation forbids it, but 1 did
hear of a terrible husband defending himself
for the unmanly practice with, 'Wcll, l
havo got to whip her, Or leave her. -
Again the white ivory showed that a
chord was struck in tho audience. We
heard a darkey near us say, elf she will
just stay here a few days she will find
plenty Of them sort of husbands
There were parts Of the lecturers dis
course that grated little on white
Southern car, but it was lost and forgiven
in tho genuine earnestness and profound
good sense with which tho woman spoke
to her kind in words of sound advice.
And whom we came to consider her educa-
ton, we had to conclude that the grating
passages woro comparatively mild. She
was educated among Abolitionists before
the war, and was trained and practicod
lecturer in tho anti-slavery crusade. And
yet, to judge from her talk, she is less
bigoted and less embittcrcd to-day than
ninc-tenths of tho white Yankees of that
school.
On tho whole, we are very glad VIC ac-
certcd the lions invitations. 1t gavc us
much food for new thought; reminded u.s.
perhaps, of neglected duties to these poo
pie, and it impressed strongly on our minds
that these people are getting along, getting
onward, and progress was star becoming
familiar to their gaze and their desires.
Whatever the negroes have done in the
paths of advancement thoy have done
Soly w IL
ly," and yet the whito people havo helped
them to build their churches and to pro-
mote tho honest in thoir undertakings.
But politics and white pride have kept the
white people aloof from offering that ear
nest and that moral assistance which would
be so useful to a people just starting from
infancy into a life of self Independence. The
white people have held back from race
who had given up their political consciences
and their suffrage power to strangers and
to notorious enemies of the South, and have
p cferrcd to let them do the work of open-
ing the eyes Of the black people to their
true relations and interests in society and
politics. But for the interloping carpet
Dagger, who camo between the two races
to mako strife, and to stoal and plumber by
means of a suborned negro vote, we have
never doubted that happier relations would
have existed between the two races since