The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1882-05-25
From Slavery to CONGRESS-.

A noticeable feature of the present Congress
is that the colored race have once more a rep
resentative in one of their own people, ont
worthy the honorable position, from the fac
thathis unaided exertions have elevated him
from the lot of slave to his present seat in
the o. s. Congress, and from absolute litter
acy to q legislator of more than ordinary abil
| ity. The forty fifth Congress was the last one
in which colored men had seats-Messrs Cain
and Rainey-both representatives from South
| Carolina. e fed
John Roy Lynch was born, in slavery, in
Louisiana, September 10, 1847 BY hook or
crook he received knowledge of letters, but
| was thirteen years old before he could read
and seventeen before he could write. The an
| Gent regime OF slavery was to blame for that,
| and not want of ambition or energy on his
part for as soon as the opportunity offered
he pressed his studies and has since pressed
them. In 1854, when seventeen years of age,
he was employed as waiter-boy in Natchez
photograph gallery, but in two years, acquir-
ing a knowledge Of the art, be managed the
entire work, and was successful photog-
Tapber until 1869.
|, When twenty -one years old Mr.. Lynch en-
tered actively into political affairs In the
spring of 1869 the Military Governor OF Mis-
sissippi appointed him justice of the Peace for
Adams county, Natchez being in his iurisdc-
ton. In November of the same year he was
elected 10 the Mississippi State Legislature as
ia Republican by 2 900 majority, and was re-
ELECTED in .187l-serying the last term as
Speaker of the House, when only twenty
three years OF age. At the close OF the ses-
sion the Democratic and Republican members
presented him q gold watch and chain, in
scribed Hon. ]. r. Lynch, Speaker of House
of Representatives Of Mississippi; by the
members April 10, 1873, p on which occasion
the usual complimentary resolutions were Of
ifered by q Dem ocrat.
Mr.. Lynch was nominated as Republican
and elected by over 900 majority to the
Forty.third Congress, only attaining the con-
stitutienal age of an M. G. two months before
the election. The same constituency re-elect-
ed him to the Forty.fourth Congress. When
Mississippi was redistricted he was elected
from wbati is known as ''the shoestring dis
tric'' to the Forty-ffth Congress, but was
counted out and prevented from taking his
seat. The Republican Convention re-noml-
mated him for the present Congress, and at
the election be received about 10000 majority
of the votes polled and 563 of those returned
by political machinery votes enough were
thrown out, as was thought, to defeat him, but
q Republican Congress gave him the seat he is
now filling 30 satisfactorily.
A city contemporary gives the following pen
picture of the colored M. G.. Lynch has an |
rather striking face. He is a |
mulatto, of q hgh coffee color, and his face and
head-but for the color of his skin and rather |
prominent cheek bones-are the face and head |
Of q Caucasian. He has broad and we'll |
developed forehead, large and expressive eyes,
and heavy, black mustache, and crisp, wavy |
hair His address is pleasant and his speech |
is always correct. AS writer and speaker |
he IS considerably above the Congressional av-
erage."
Mr.. Lynch, while in his State Legislature,
attained considerable prominence by his strong |
advocacy Of our public school system, as also
by his opposition to the bill favoring convict
labor over free labor-which latter bill passed |
but was vetoed by the Governor. He owns
and has under successful cultivation valua-
Bile plantation near Natchez.- Washington
Gbo.or,sczo