New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1874-05-14
COlOred COngressmcn.

0reSS:
There were very few people in the North
who contemplated the election OF colprcd
men to Congress when they advocated the
reimbursement of the African race. Some
| of the more advanced abolitionistS regarded
such a thing as Il remote possibility, which
might occur sometime toward the close Of
the century, but there were none so bold or
so hopeful to predict that this generation
| would witness the singular spcctacleS of
emancipated slaves sitting in the House OF Re-
personalities vacated by their former mas
tiers. Ii must be admitted that the great
mass of the anti-slavery people did not desire
any such progress a this. They hoped that
| in the course OF years the colored race under
| the civilizing and clevating influences of free
| institutions, would be raised to- higher plane,
and that every now and then Il man of great
| ability would tower high above all the rest
and by reason of his scholarly attainment
| and his aptncss for public affairs would he
| selected as a iii person To represent the peO-
pie Of both races in Congress but no one
dreamed that i'll one section % the Union
| black men, five years after their cinaucllpa-
ton, would stand an equal chance with white
: men in the struggle for political honors, and
that they would secure their election to Con-
gress by manipulating primary elections AMI
managing Conventions luSt a. their eau
casian preceptors have done for half ccLtu-
ry. The revolution. however, soon got
beyond the control of the white people,
of the United States. The instant that TIA,
black man became Il voter he snapped the
leading strings that We're supposed to keep
him in tutelege, and up set business for him
self. In year or two colored politician
appeared. who proved themselves tn be per
feet adopts in all the arts by which the iguu-
rant masses are drilled into supporting men
who set themselves up as political leaders.
Their performances were sometimes bad
enough, but nothing could be done except 10
let them work out their own salvation or de
struction. In looking back over the seven
years that have passed since this struggle for
equal political rights began, the anti-slavery
people Of the country are satisfied with the
general result, although there has been such
protgacy and corruption in some ofthe States
as cannot be Justified, even on the plea that
the money was squandcred in promoting the
cause of human freedom. We need not now
discuss the causes that led 10 this political
Generalization ; i'll most instances it has
brought its own cure, and we may safely
rely on the common sense of the people to
restore the normal condition Of affairs.
Seven colored representatives from the
South have seats i'll the present Congress,
| and they certainly are no discredit to their
race or to the body i'll which they sit. We
have not noticed that any one Of them has
said a word or performed an art that wa
beneath the dignity Of a Representative i'll
| Congress. The opponents of emancipation
| and Acknowledgement used to ttrritv us with
| terrible pictures Of the degradation that would
| Overtake us when negroes sat in the nation
al councils. They were false prophets Meth
er the country at large Nor Congress ha,
suffered in tho least by the presence of these
| seven dar&-skinned gentlemen in the Lower
House. One of them occupied the Speakers
clar few days since, aud presided with a.
much dignity and fairness rs any other mem.
Der could have done. 1t was striking COM
mentary on the course of events that South
Carolina freedman should be Chairman of the
Committee of the Whole in the House of Re
personalities on one day, and that on the
succeeding day Mr.. J.. q. {. Lamar, of Ms
| sIsipp, fierce tre-eatcr of The ante beilu",
period, should deliver a eulogy on Charlie,
Sumner.
Of the seven members OF the House of Re
representatives. of African descent four are from
South Carolina. Mr.. Elliott, the leader o..
| the delegation, and perhaps the ableSt cOlOred
man in Congress, Is an unmXed African and
has the complexion and features which be-
long to that race. He was born in New
England, and received his education, first in
the common schools OF Massachusetts and
afterwards in one of her best academies
|
he went to England aud studied for some
time at EtOn. He belongs to the class desig-
mated as arpet-baggersr in South Carolina.
and very probably he went there for the
purpose OF taking part i'll potics-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 House he has proved
himself ready a effective debater, and in
the only alteration that could be called per-
sonar III which he has been engaged he utter
~ discounted his antagonist, to the great
delight OF all lovers ofiair play and courteOu,
manners. 1t need not be said that he is a
stout, resolute, aggressive man, who holds
himself ready to resent and an insult Ofrepel
an attack, by whomsoever made
| Mr. Ralney was born a slave aud of course
enjoyed no educational advantages, Hut man
agek to learn to read, his master being entire
ly ignorant Of the fact. In the early days of
the war he was pressed into the Confederate
service, but in lSG2 he made his escape and
took refuge in the West Indies, where he
renamed until after the surrender. Since
1867 he has been an active politician, and
served several terms in the South Carolina
Legislature before he was elected to Congress.
Mr. Ransier is a native Of Ilayti but he has
taken an active part in South Carolina poll
tcS ever since the enactment of the recon
stfuctlon measures by Congress. Mr.. Cain
is Methodist preacher, who got his educa
uon and religious training in the North. lie
learned something about politics after he
went South, and is an exceedingly shrewd and
able man. His pulpit experiences have made
alively depater, and there are not many stump
speakers who would care to 20 into joint
discussion with him unless they enjoyed the
sensation of being ilayed alive. The other
three cOlored members, Mr.. Lynch, ofMisss
slppi MIR. Rapier, of Alabama, and Mr. Walls,
OfFlOrlda, have not made themselves conspc
uous in the House. and those who frequent
the galleries know but little about their Pc
culiar traits or liabilities.
"A very rapid, safe and easy way to make
money, is to procure territory to introduce
the latest useful invention that is wanted
every day, by every one, every where, who
has family, full sized Sewing Machine with
Table and Treadle for only $40 that does the
same work as a Machine you would pay $50
tor, rapid, smooth and firm make a seam
so strong the cloth will tear before the stitch
es rip apart. Eight new attachments for all
work and the improved Button Hole Worker
used by us only. Agents only need show
them in operation to sell in every house they
enter. $50 and upward cleared daily BY
smart agents. No such Machine was ever
offered at any such price. 1000 sold last
year, 100000 Families use them. Demand
increasing evey day where they become
known. Ministers, Judges, Lawyers, Edi-
tors, Machinists, Tailors &c. recommend
them as perfect. Rights given free to first
applicants. If there is no agency in your