Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1873-04-18
THE NEGRO AS A LEGISLATOR.
How He Looks and How He Acts
His Efuepcy liza Debate-A Bur-
Iesque OF Legislation.

Iesque OF LegislatiOn.
A correspondent of the New Yorl
Tribune is writing q series of letters
| from South Carolina, giving the re
suits of careful examination into the
present condition of affairs in that I'M
fortunate State./ In his last letter he
tells the Northern people, in vivid Ian
guage, how the colored brother looks
and acts as Legislator, and how he
often makes burlesque of legislation.
We make some extracts
One of the things that first strikes q
casual observer in this negro assembly
is the fuency of debate, if the endless
chatter that goes on there can be dig
nitied with this term. The leading
topics of discussion are all well under
stood by the members, as they are of
practical character, and appeal di-
rectly to the personal interests of
every legislator, as well as to those of
his constituents. When an appropria-
ton bill is up to raise money to catch
and punish the Ku-Klux, they know
exactly what it means. They feel it in
their bones. So, too, with educational
measures.
The free school comes right home to
them; then the business of arming and
drilling the black militia. They are
eager on this point. Sambo can talk
on these topics and those of kindred
character. and their endless ramifca-
tions, day in and day out There is no
end to his gush and babble. The III
tellectual level is That of bevy of
fresh converts at a negro campmeet-
ing. OF course this kind of talk can
be extended indefinitely. 1t is the
doggerel of debate, and not beyond
the reach of the lowest parts Then
the negro is initiative in the extreme.
He can copy like q parrot or a monkey,
and he is always ready for trial of.
mis- skill. He believes he can do any
thing. and never loses an opportunity
10 try, and is just as ready to be
laughed at for his failure rs to be APP
plauded for his success. He is more
rivaciOus than the white, and being
more volatile and good-natilred, lie is
correspQnaiHGlJ E4ure lrrepressible.
His misnscs of language in his imita-
tiOns is at times ludicrous beyond meas
ure. He notoriously loves joke or an
anecdote. and will burst into a broad
gutfaw on the smallest provocat on
He breaks out into III. incohcrent har-
angue on the floor just as easily, and
being without practice, discipline, or
and wholly oblivious of
Lindley Murray, or any othe: tc-
straint Oh c0mpt,sitiua. he Will go on
himself, dancing as it
Va 10 = n
ro.ce, forever Ie WI spetH.
hall Il dozen times on one question, and
every time say the same things without
it. He answers completely t.
the description of a stupid sDeaLC.. IN
one occasion. 1t was said of him that
he lid not know what he was going to
say when he got up; he did not know
what he was saying while hewas speak
ing, and he did not know What he had
said when la sat down.
HIS ArrNEss IN LEGISLATIVE PRoCEED-
INGS.
But the old stagers admit that the
cOlored brethren have a wonderful apt
ness at Legislative proceedings They
are ''quick as lightning" at detecting
points of order, and thev certainly
make incessant and extraordinary use
t. tall Eve minutes without INTERRUPT
ton, and one interruption is the signal
for another, until the original speaker
is smothered under an avalanche OF
them. Forty questions of privilege
will be raised in a day. At times, moth
ing goes on but alternating questions
of order and of privilege. The ineffi-
cient colored friend who sits in the
Speakers chair cannot sIpptess this
element of the debate
S:o.ae of the members of the deepest
dye exibit a pertinacity of intrusion in
raising these points of order and
questions of privileg, that fow Nhite
men can equal Tteh. 'slrt,ggles to
get tue Ao>.f, their bellowings
ana physical contortions battle
description. The Speakers hammer
plays perpetual tattoo all to no pur-
pose. The talking and the Interrupt
tions from all quarters go on with the
utmost license. Every da1ay estecins
himself as oooI - lis neighbor, and
puts Ia, nta oar. apparently as often for
love of riot and confusion as anything.
1t is easy to imagine what are his
ideas of propriety and dignity among
a crowd Of his own aol2r, aid these
are illuminated Wilhout reserve. The
Sreas,4 nfttors a member whom he
has discoveredt to be particularly unruly
to take his seat. The member obeys,
and, with the same motion that he sits
down, throws his feet on his desk.
hiding himself from the SPEAKER BY
the s"les e st4 tootS.. In an instant
le appears again on the fioor. After
a few experiences of this sort the
Speaker threatens in laugh, to call
the ''gemman" to order. This is con-
sidered Il capital joke, and gutfaw
follows. The laugh goes rQun,i, and
then the peanuts ari cracked and
munqhed faster than over; one hand
being employed in fortifying the inner
man with this nutriment of universal
,:-e. while the other enforces the views
of the Speaker. It is this laughing
propensity of the sable crowd that is a
great cause of disorder. They laugh
as hens cackle-one begins and I'll lol
low. ="
AN lNsTtuor1vE BURLEsoUE.
Aas underneath all this shocking
hurlesque upon Legislative proceed
ings, We must not forget that there is
something very real to this r.,c3,~s.t.th
and untutored multit,yx]-.. 1t is not
all sham. ncs all burlesoue. They
havy :. senuine interest and genuine
earnestness in the real business of the
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