The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1875-07-10
COLUMBIA,S.C.
Saturday Morning, July 10, 1876.
Freedmen's Declaration Of independence.
A number Of colored people celebrated


independence day at Hillstlalo, near
Washington city, on the 5th instant, and
had for orators two Of the most celebrated
colored men in the Union-John N.
Langston and Frederick Douglnss. The
statements and sentiments of these CO.
lored lenders are so significant, so ex-
pressivc Of the deep dissatisfaction of
the negro population with the hypocriti-
col Radicals that have so mislcd them,
and so abused them, that we think it will
bo both interesting and instructive to
our readers to see the salient points
made by the orators. Langston led of.
He is professor in Howard College, in
Washington, and is nearly white, having
in his veins only enough Of negro blood
to swear by, and yet enough to exclude
him from white society, which fixes his
fealty to tho black man; and hence he
talks as strongly in favor Of the colored
people as though he were n thorough
bred African. lie is, nevertheless, q
very good speaker. His theme was
'sclf-respcct" and "self-reliance" among
the colored people. He preached up
independence, .self-government," and
urged the reputation of that of the
white man, ''thc self-copstitutcd guar
dian Of the negro" Who he meant by
this ''self-constituted guardian" was
plain. Langston assailed body of
"Congregationalis preachers" that met
Mt Atlanta, Ga, on the goth Of April last,
and, he says, came to the conclusion
that the negro "was failure" and pro-
ceeded to tako charge of him rs incapa-
bic of taking care of himself; and they
also proceeded to collect money for that
purpose, q measure Langston considers
always of first importance in the action
of these 'self-constituted guardians"
These Congregationalists were of Repub-
lican persuasion. Langston says they
exclude negro representatives from their
deliberations, and he charges upon them
that they have done great deal to de-
stroy the negroes self-respect and self
reliance. Langston said:
''The colored man is always to be
made to feel his inferiority to the white
man. And besides all this, these white
men fill up their treasury by saying to
the giving public: The negro is dan
gerous animal. He must be educated,
try who can do it. I'VE Congregational
lists have q society for this work we have
n college at Nashville, and schools all
over the South. Give us money, and
place the negro into orr hands, and we
will take care of him.
''Mr. President, nm here to enter a
solemn protest against the recent doings
of the American Missionary Society. 1
am here to-day to declare my indcpend-
cnce and independence for all who are
my followers. The hour is come when
We must throw off this yoke Of oppres-
sion, and stand up for our rights MS free
men. The signs of the times demand
that we shall prove our fitness for all
the duties OF citizenship.
''The same gentlemen who met in At
lanta have ut last succeeded in getting
the Howard University into their hands.
One Of their number is elected Drcsi-
dent. And thus the university that was
founded upon the hard-earncd money of
our fallen colored soldiers, and dedi-
Gated to the education of their children,
has passed into the hands OF the greatest
proselyting society in the country. Like
Lincoln University, founded as n school
for the education of our youth, who have
knocked in vain at the doors of white
colleges, like Lincoln, also, it has de-
MED the men whom she has graduated,
or graduates from other and older insti-
tutions, to become tutors or professors
there.
"Fcllow-citizcns, we will no longer
endure such indignities. We will no
longer consent to follow our interiors;!
We will no longer send our children to
schools marred by men who, in CONVEX
sation, declare in elaborately written ad-
dresses that the negro is q failure-in the
body polite, in religion, in school, and
in every department Of life. No; we
here and now declare ourselves a full
and Independent people. Free to work,
free to think; in the church and in the
State, in the school and in the home.
And may the God of our fathers help us
70 IL; Il II. -.