New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1873-04-17

! with the Board entirely. They certainly
have no right to appropriate money commit
| ted to their care to any other than educa-
tional purposes. Ny complaint Is that they
have construed the law under which they act
with UareasondJle and unreasonable strict
ness in the present instance. Education is a
| large word, and means much more than some
men imagine. There are tongues in trees,
/ books in the running brooks. sermons in
stones, and lessons of education in protraiis.
A picture OF Charles Sumner on the walls Of
I the Sumner School Building would be q
tongue, Applause book, Applause, aud
sermon trencwed applausel to every be.
holder. IL would have told our dusky chill
dren the story of their deliyeranee in sub
stance aud in detail, and through what labor
and suffering that deliverance was wrought
out.
a refusal to place it there, vote TO coun-
teunand previous order for placing it there,
looked like an effort to tear from the pale
brow Of Sumner a well-earned and never
forfeited laurel-a rude insult to a lifelong
benefactor--an ungracious rebuke where only
grateful commentator was deserved. Mind,
do not say that this, or that anything like this
was intended. Mems motives, Ike the ways
OF Providence, are often mysterious and past
finding out. 4 voice, ''Now you're talk
ing."l speak simply of the action itself.
Upon its face 1t was a rude and disgraceful
response to the manifest claims of gratitude
all the more reprehensible because il seemed
to second the effort made in other quarters
to degrade and discredIt the man at whom it
was aimed. Mr.. Sumner is a sick man. His
life is suspended upon double thread. ANY
moment the lightning may fash the sad
news to the country that the great Senator
Of Massachusetts has finished his course on
the earth.
am not here to invoke a compassion for
him, TO praise him, or to solicit a monument
for him while living or when dead. His con-
sciousness of life well spent lifts him be-
yond range Of our pity. His praise is re-
deemed and regcncrated nation, and his
monumcnt-the broken letters of four mil
lions of our race. prolonged applause
1t is said that by calling this meeting TO
express our dissent from the action Of this
Board we unduly magnify its importance.
This is 4 great mistake. This Board is sup
posed to represent the very best intelligence
and moral worth Of the colorel citizens OF
this District. [Derisive applause To their
hands are committed the progress and en-
lightcnmcnt of our children. Laughter. |
Their proceedings are given to the swift
wings of the press, and their influence is not
merely Territorial, but national. 1t is, there
fore, Of very great Importance that their ac-
it is the duty Of those who feel themselves
aggrieyed or misrepresented in a proper
spirit to set them right, and to undo, if pos
sble, whatever wrong they may have COM
mittcd.
Happily for all parties in the present case
this can be very easily done. We, the col
ored citizens of the District, poor as We may
be, can raise the $500 to purchase this pic
ture without touching one cent of the school
fund. We shall thus relieve the Board Of
Trustees from any embarrassment on the
score of improper appropriation, commend
the sentiment that men ought to he just be-
fore they are generous, and at the same time
prove TO the world that we ale worthy of our
advocate, beneiactor, and champion, who is
even now suffering from assassin blows tire
mendous applausel received for daring to
stand up in our defense when friends were
few and foes were many and strong. This is
the true and proper solution Of the question
between ourselves and the Board, and it is
one In which we can unite and all can rest
satisfied.
He closed his speech by suggesting that
the money be raised then and there for the
purchase Of portrait of Hon. Charles
| Sumner.
Mr.. G. T. Downing made a lew remarks,
after which 4 subscription list was opened,
| the result Of which was that more than the
! amount required for the purchase Of a por
| trait Of Mr.. Sumner was obtained at once.
! Professor Langston then made a stirring
address in aid of the object of the meeting,
after which Messrs. Frederick Douglass, G..
T. Downing, Isaac Cary, Z. NJ. Mathews
and John Ii. Cook were appointed q CON-
mittee to control the fund.
!