Middletown transcript., 1875-07-03

Burnt Cork.

i
Burnt Cork.
A few weeks ago man died in this
city who had achieved fame and made
much money by the uss Of burnt cork.
He used it to blacken his face He was
born white Irishman. He lived to
personate black African. He was q
negro minstrel: the leader of band oi
negro minstrels and the head of his low
profession Without genius or'witfor
merit, be followed the example Of
Christy. the founder Of this school Of
fun. and spent his life in entertaining
white people by making ridicule Of the
hlack s.si So saisa0'i fslsi Ats'gil8
As far as notoriety and money are
elements of success, be W. very soc1
csssfaL He drew crowded houses. The
fashionable, the rich. the learned, the
pions. asvell as the poor. the ignorant
and the low, thronged bis hall, and
ehserfullyo paid ,theirf money. for tthe
pleasurs Of laughing at the impersOna-
ton Of negro by white man black
ened with burnt cork. The fade music
Of the ,colored race in their low estate,
coarse jokes. stale and hvery stupid COS
nundrums. manufactured blunders and
initiated cachinstioasI sststhe company
into continuous roaFs. and they went
away with sides aching and resolutions
to come again, E Even the risasdls, ii's q, %
called. Of the negro, who talk the loud
est abeut his right to an equal standing
with all mankind joined freely and
often in the crowds thatapplauded these
mimicries Of the African, and thus they
aided 10 perpetuating that contempt for
the race which they profess to consider
a sin and d shame. lj.iigij
Even the "niggers" themselves went
in troops to see and hear the negro
minstrels. l was listening. 'one Ssb-
bath evening, to an eloquent sermon in,
this city, by colored preacher, to
colored congregation. He was appeal
ing to them to be earnest in seeking
chat moral and mental cultivation which
would enable them to rise in the social
scale and become power for good in
the world "But." he said with pathos
and truth. ''instead Of spending time
and money 70 improve your minds BY
schools and books. you will give the last
quarter you have to see yourselves
made laughing stock to those who
despise you"
The man Of burnt cork spent his
whole life in ministering to the low
taste Of the people, for the most refined
and religious have low tastes, and
crafty them in spite Of refinement or
religion. And when be died. it was
found that, Of the vast sums of money
be had drawn from the rich and the |
poor, the high and the low, be had
spent all. and his family were left des-
tisuss. Then the distinguished leaders
Of opinion in this enlightened city, held
public meetings and got up benefits and
subscriptions, and raispd - large sum
for the suppofs Of the widow ana chill.
dren Of the hero Of burnt cork fame
Fhe splendid eulogies that crowned his
obsequies. the golden testimonials
heaped on his name, and the resolutions
Of respect and grief that were spread
oet on the 3gcsasiou Of his death; could
not have been more fulsome and inflat-
I'd. if a ffst.class. patriot or philan-
thropist had been cut down in the midst
of bis usefulness. se =. ',sl'' y :" ai..'"
land said in mine heart: !: the right
sous perisbeth and nobody cares: but a
negro minstrel, and sham at that, is
aiken away, and the city is in tears.
Verify, man, at bis best estate. is
vanity.
Bnt this is the way Of the world.
Burnt cork is the emblem. nay. it is
he material element Of what more than
,alf the world calls success. 1t helps
% fame. to wealth, to place and power.
[t does more than this. It is Worship
,ed by millions, and heTwho lifts pp
lis voice, as | do !. now. to denounce it
is sham and shame. is regarded as
cynical, ascetio and peculiarly cold.
The man with an arti6cially black
ace, setting. himselfto the representa-
ion ofanother race, for the amusement
4 the people, Is doing an evil thing
degrading his fellow-meu perpetuatibg
be contempt with which they have been
sgarded; binderipg them in their at
empts't to rise in the scale Of being. and
chasing many who laugh toward The
tra
evel of those at whom they laugh i