New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-05-16

The Coiored Members I'm Congress.
Washington Correspondence New York Globs.1

Washington Correspondence New York Globs.l
One of the first things our country cous
ms visiting the Capitol ask ON entering thu
; House gallery is, "Where is their member.
seat ?" next, where Ben Butler sits ?" anC
lastly as to the colored members places. r
IL. Elliott, who ably represents Calhoun.
district, has just returned from his winters
efforts at smoothing out the tangled web o.
ms tangled State politics. Looking at theil
dusky faces from the gallery, have tried tC
read therein some of the results of the larger
duties and loftier purposes this wider arena
has afforded them. Occasionally, as in the
keen outburst from Mr.. Rainey, replying t.
Sunset" Cox, they show their metal and
justify their representative character. They
are not sent here from Congressional districts
from a race. They differ from each other in
personal appearance as much as their white
cOnfreres. Joseph Ii. Rainey is quite hand
some fellow, with dark olive complexion
straight black hair, and regular features. He
Is dlgnihed and modest in manner. A native
OF Georgetown, South Carolina, his parents
were slaves, and himself barber until 1862.
BY stealth he obtained common school edr-
cation aud has succeeded in compelling re-
spact In his present position. Robert b. FL
liott, OF South Carolina is very black, with
strongly marked African feature, close curly
hair and receding forehead. He was born in
Massachusetts, educated in England, is a
college graduate, lawyer by profession.
Elliott is ready speaker, and the accent
peculiar to his race is not in the least percep-
tible. He has made fortune within the past
few years, lives in considerable style, drives
fine span Of horses, and spends his money
treeley. r. c. DeLarge was born in Aiken,
South Carolina, in lS42-has moderate edu-
cation, and is farmer by profession. lie is
OF short stature, of dark olive complexion,
with not particularly marked features, and
the least attractive personality of the five.
His seat is contested by G. G.. Bowen, who
seems to believe in'many offices as well as
many wives. Bowen will probably win.
Josiah L. Walls, who represents the State of
Florida, was born in Winchester, Virginia, in
1912, received a common school education,
and claims to be planter. lie is slight in
stature, of rather light complexion, close
curly hair-dresses well, and wears gay neck
ties. He has rather the airs and manners of
legislator, and he has not been in his seat
since the early days of the session. The
only thing known to the Globe from him is a
long speech, which he read with the manner
OF rustic schoolmaster. Benjamin Sterling
Surner, of Alabama, is large broad-shoul-
dered man, with a very large, fiat nose, curly
hair, and, in physique at least, intensely sug-
gestiye of plantation days. He was born in
Halifax county, North Carolina, in 1925 was
raised a slave and received no early educa-
ton !; he is entitled to great credit for clan
destinely acquiring what he was expressly
forbidden by his State laws to do-obtain an
education. He is very quiet, is seldom seen
conversing, is always present, never speaks,
always votes, and among his Republican col
leagues has considerable reputation for good
sense and political business sagacity. OH
clally these men receive recognition in pro-
portion to their ability to command it. At
first there was perceptible feeling among
shoulders, while the old virus of pro-slavery
disclosed itself in many ways; for instance
heard Radical member say the other day
after they were sworn in, 81 never knew
there was so much of that old Adam in me,
as L involuntarily felt come to the surface
when, casting my eye over my shoulder, /
found one settled in my immediate vicinity,
the words came rushing to my lips, what is
that niger there for? ''' Ali this has been
greatly changed, while settled conviction
has taken hold of both sides of the House that
there is an eminent propriety of poetic Justice
in this thing, and felt that men of this race
have come to stay.
Socially, there has never been, of course,
any of the long train of evils foreshadowed
by the fears of the dominant element, "mis-
social dsintegration, or even
I" social equality" With cOmmendable good
taste and manliness of character, they have
never in any way intruded themselves where
they were unbidden. Mrs. Elliott, who, by
the way, is an exceedingly handsome and
stylish woman, very light cOmplexioned,
scarcely darker than brunette, dressing
quite royalty, was shown into the diplomatic
gallery one day. This "pen" is generally
set apart for members and their families.
Mrs. S, the wife of an extremely Radical
member from the State of Ohio, (who him.
self has been strong advocate of negro suf-
frage, and now supports the Civil Rights
bill, } Indignantly lelt the gallery, where the
presence of Mrs. Elliott occasiOned quite a
fiutter. Madame" from Ohio, angrily
asked the usher "why he let that woman
into the gallery" He mildly replied that,
being members wife, she was entitled to
seat there, upon which the lady went off with
her feathers ruffied. Mrs. Elliott never re-
peated the offense; now, when she comes
to the House, she quietly takes her seat in
the other gallery, devoted to ladies who are
not members wives" 1t is difficult to de-
fine the subtle influences which control the
feminine organization. They arrogate to
themselves exclusive privileges, creating a
caste through sex which is beginning to be
felt in its aggressive tendencies, and which
may, through intrusive demands, reconcile
men sooner than all the influence of platform
orators, into allowing women to assume the
duties and responsibilities, as well as all the
privileges of civil life. Here, in the Federal
capital, we feel sometimes that to give women
the ballot will lessen rather than increase
their political influence.