The journal of industry., 1880-10-09

pr, fl by the knowledge and wisd m of
he people among whom your lot is
cast
Iam not sure. that had l been con~
suited should have had the courage
to have counsellcd the holdir this
exhibition. ] should have been afraid
Of the th:nness and poverty of the dis
play. think the result shows that
vnu havebeen wise as we'll a. brav".
You have shewn that you are not
ashamed Of your a. Movement, and ike
the great Oliver Cromwell, you are
will .nE 10 be painted as yon are.
By holding this exhibition you ad.
vertise and inform the world Of your
farewell TO the past,-your departure
from the no oral, social and intellectua
sagnation Of . by gone condition and
have taken up your line at march /,
with all the free peoples Of the world,
under the banner Of lib rLy and pro-
Hress
congratulate. You again-apd with
Increased emphasis. up n the auspicious
point Of time. at which you have en-
tered upon this race of civilization.
You have taken the tide at its food.
No century of human exertiou mar been
crowd with so much thst is valuable
a. this nineteenth century now draw
ing to a close. Agricultural and mo
chanical industries have reached 3
point undreamed of-even ono hundred
years ago. Invention and discovery
have wrought wonderous changes in
oil the conditions Of human life. You
may DOW walk by sight where an
earlier generation walked BY fa tn.
Like fortunate general you have
como upon the field when victory is
almost within your grasp. Your agri~
cultural and mechanical implements
are cf world approved patterns. The
toll and drudgery of ancient farming
have vanished from the firld. The
heavy cradle which wore out your
manhood and the sikcle that beat your
bodies to the ground have gone with
tho old times. The old fashioned
hoe, broad, heavy and cumbrOus, aud
the old plow with its " woOden mold
board. which kept yon constantly be-
tween the field and the blacksmith's
shop are now no more. Science the
noblest and grandest artificer OF hu~
man welfare, tho source and explana-
ton of human progress, has been busy
of late, in unfolding the nature of
plants, soils and everything else.
Even the weather has been shOrn of its
mastery, by dispelling its mystory.
We have a man at Washington, who,
without conjuration Or magic, can
toll you many hours in advance what
storms are in the sky, and when aud
where they will spend their force and
fury.
''Its time to cock your hay and corn
When the old Darkey blows his horn,'
has disappeared from the Almanacs,
and We now look at the newspaper to
know when we may plant aud reap, Oh
begin other work where the weather is
q consideration. You have begun
your work with light everywhere.
You have only to open your eyes to see
the essential conditions Of successful
exertiOn.
Fellow citizens, we have suffered
as a race from two opposite causes.
They are wanton disparagement on the
ono hand, and extravagant praise on
the other. In what l have now to say
l shall not, l trust ever on either side.
As a people and especially ss free
people, we are to-day on trial. The
question is asked by friends and by
foes, and should be asked by ourselves,
what is to become of the eolored race
in America VIII they advance or re-
cede, will they rise or fall, survive or
perish, die out as the Indians are dying
out? 1t is a great question, and no
body can answer, but ourselves.
Depend upon it We cannot stand still.
We must advance or recede. Each
generation must improve or degenerate.
Even il we could hold on at the point
of social we'll being in which We now
find ourselves. the progress OF the
void about US would soon leave N
far out of sight. To keep up, We must
move ON. To stand still Is to retro
grade.
1t is not . very cheerful thought, but
it Is nevertheless q true one-that We
are to day far in the rear Of tho white
people, inknow ledge, enterprise, busi-
ness ability and wealth. We are in
manv vavs wearing tho old clothes Of .