The weekly Louisianian., 1874-05-23

l
mon sense Of the people to restore th,
normal condition of affairs.
Seven colored representatives from
the South have seats in the presen'
Congress, and they certainly are NJ
discredit to their race or to the body
in which theysit. We have notnoticei
that any one of them has said a wore
or performed an act that was beneath
the dignity of a Representative in
Congress. The opponents of emanci
patton and enfranchisement used te
terrify us with terrible pictures of the
degradation that would overtake uf
when negroes sat in the national
councils. They were false prophets.
Neither the country at large nor Con.
gress has suffered in the least by the
presence of these seven dark skinned
gentlemen in the Lower House. One
Of them occupied the Speakers chai,
a few days since, and presided with rs
| much dignity and fairness as any
other member could have done. It
was striking commentary on the
course of events that a South Carolina
freedman should be chairman Of the
Committee of the whole in the House
of Representatives on one day, and
that on tho succeeding day Mr.: L. @.
G. Lamar, of Mississippi, fierce fire.
eater of the -bellum period, should
deliver a eulogy on Charles Sumner.
OF the seven members of the House
of Representatives of African descent
four are from South Carolina. Mr..
Elliott the leader of the delegation,
and perhaps the ablest colored man in
Congress, is an unmixed African, and
has the complexion and features which
belonge to that race. He was born
in New England, and received his edu-
cation, first in the common schools of
Massachusetts and afterwards in one Of
her best academies. After he gradua-
ted at the Holborn Academy he went
to England and studied for some time
at Eton. He belongs to the class
designated as 'tcarpet-baggers" in
South Carolina, and very probably he
went there for the purpose of taking
part in politics-but he has been an
exceedingly useful man to his race,
and has kept himself aloof from the
rascals who have plundered the State
Treasury. On the floor of the II ,use
he has proved himself ready and
effective debater, and in the only alter
cation that could be called personal in
which he has been engaged he utterly
discounted his antagonist, to the great
delight of all lovers of fair play
and courteous manners. It need not be
said that he is stout, resolute aggres-
sive man, who holds himself ready to
resent an insult or repel an attack, by
whomsoever made.
Mr.. Rainy was born slave, and of
course enjoyed no educational advan-
tages, but managed to learn to read,
his master entirely ignorant of the
fact In the early day of the war he
was pressed into the Confederate
service, but in 1862 he made his escape
and took refuge in the West Indies,
where he remained until after the sur
render. Since 1867 he has been an
active politician, and served several
terms in the South Carolina Legisla-
ture before he was elected to Congress.
Mr.. Ransier is native of Hayt,, but
he has taken an active part in South
Carolina politics ever since the enact
ment of the reconstruction measures
by Congress. Mr.. Cain is Methodist
preacher, who got his education and
religious training in the North. He
learned something about politics after
he went South, and is an exceedingly
shrewd and able mai. His pnlpit
experiences have made him a lively
debater, and there are not many stump
speakers who would care to go into
joint discussion with him unless they
enjoyed the sensation of being Aayed
alive. The other three colored mem
bers, Mr.. Lynch, of Mississippi, Mr..
Rapier, of Alabama, and Mr.. Walls of
Florida, have not made themselves
CONSPICUOUS in the House, and those
who frequent the galleries know but
little about their peculiar traits or
abilities.
In closing on this subject I must
say that I am sorry that the action
of the q. S. Senate at date has not
seated the colored Senator from my
State, Gov. Pinchback, for I per-
sonally know that he will stand first
among the big and true men Of his
race, in caring for their interest, as
we'll as looking after the well-being
of the Republic; for in all the pub
Lie stations in which he has been
called on to fill he has proved him.
self master Of the Office in careing
for the requirements Of the laws;
hence I assure you that his race
and our people will be pleased with
the, acts of this, soon to be MOST
noted Of the colored Congressman"
The Judiciary COMMITTEES Of the
House Of Representatives. submitted
on Wednesday, . majority and mi
nority report on the condition of
affairs in South Carolina The ma
jority Of the Committee say that
from the facts before them, no suf6-