Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1878-04-26
For the FREQ Pres, and Time.
The Long Ago.

| BY o. C. W.
| What student of those days does not re-
member poor Harris? The University was
ahead of most colleges, in regard to ad-
mitting colOred students to its privileges.
Still, it was more or less subscrvient to the
public opinion of those times. Harris was
black, o how black There could not have
been even homeopathic tincture of
| white blood in him. We had some genius,
| never knew who it was, who drew an ex-
cellent, but appalling life-sizs portrait Of
him on the college walls. Though so fear
fully black, he was good looking, and one Of
the best of men lie was in the class of
which President Pease, of blessed memory,
was q member, and had more than the
average scholarship and talent Of the
class. may be mistaken as to
tho class, but | am sure Of his stand
ing in his class. The aristocratic
students felt outraged that colored man
should b, permitted to enjoy the privileges
OF the institution. As fresh as if it were
yesterday, there comes before nv eyes the
scorn of one ci them, who subseq quently be-
came an editor, and there falls upon my ear
his outrageous talk, which made Harris
nearer and dearer to me than ever. Great
disgust was expressed because the poor fel-
low presumed TO attend prayers in the chap
ell And if ] remember rightly, protest,
prompted by the beautiful and popular son
of Member Of Congress, was presented to
the Faculty. against the permission to Har-
ris to hear the prayers OF our professors and
president He became member Of the So
ciety for Religious Inquiry, and was hear
tiy welcomed by the religious students, and
few, if any performed their part there more
ably or acceptably than Harris. lie was
not allowed to appear on the stage, and if
he ever received any instruction in public
speaking it must have been in the private
parlors Of the professors.
Poor. prudent, sanity. patient, long-sui-
iering, dovout. noble Harris! though the
iron was drawn through and through his
uncomplaining soul. he graduated. bscsme
a Presbyterian minister, and was early re-
leased from his great burden and taken up
to Heaven. where | doubt not, be stands
mimea> urably higher than his tormentors
who have gone somewhere, possibly to
Heaven, since
If the Faculty had given Harris his true
place, and made no discrimination against
him Oh account of race and color, l do not
know what woald Rave happened possibly
the college would have lJst nearly all its
patronage.
Happily. Harris was modest and unobtru-
sive, understood the gr0undless prejudice OF
which he was the innocent victim, and
though he felt the wrong, never thrust him
self where be knew be was not wanted. nor
pressed his claim 20 equal privileges with
other students. He found sympathy among
Christisn students and the few aooitonists,
and it was joy to his heavy heart.
1t is not to be wondered at that the stu
dents felt and acted as they did. Their
fathers and brothers at homo ielt the same
wicked and cruel prejudice, and the boys
had drawn it from their mothers breasts.
Public opinion all around them, outside of
college. upheld them and would have scorn-
ed them. If they had not debased their young
manhood, in sub-eryiency to the spirit Of
the times.
This moral debasement was all but uni
versal. The opposition to abolitionists from
ministers and churches, as well as pOliti
clans, was firm and unrelenting. The South
demanded this sacrifice of Northern manli
ness, but canno; think they ever respected
US more for our pitiabls trucking. 1t
should not be unmentioned, however, that
the bitterness of the opposition. on account
of the ferceneSs OF their own assaults and
the want Of that charity (which endureth
all things" Like all Others who see the
truth 80 plainly. they could not have
patience with the apparent dullness and
heartles-ncss of the prO-slavery people
Tney tursot hOw long they had been among
the tbergs themselves.
Doubtless those who are living and have
any recollection IF their former feelings
concerning slavery wonder now, as much as
We did then, at their own stupidity.
Learned professors IN theological semina-
ries, bishops. and prominent men, IN all
professions, FASTENED to volunteer their
services to show not only that slave-holding
was not sin, hut that it had the und0ubted
sanction Of Holy Writ.
Abolitionists, red hot with indignation
agains: slavery, were lifted to White heat OF
wrath against NOrtherners who prOstituted
the precious Book. by drafting its sacred
pages into SO foul and cruel a service. Mu-
tually mad, truth compels me- to confess
that few of Us cherished the lamb IN our
feelings, although We thought there was too
much mutton in the heads Of some, who had
the unaccountahle duilness not to see that
robbing fellow mortal of his humanity
and converting him into a chattel was an
Outrageous and unpardcnable wrong. Char
ity was tot leading virtue OF those times.
1t Wa, hardly safe to be an Outsp0ken aoo-
litiUnist nYwhere-eertainly not safe to
ones reputation and standing in church or
sOciety-and vet they, as a rule. were more
kindly disposed toward the South than their
mIlIgner~.
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