Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-10-02
A Lecture at Fisk University
Advice 70 COIored People.
Nashville American %.

" NASHVILLE American,zy.
A large audience assembled in Liv.
ingstone Hall last night to listen to an
address by j. N, Langston, Minister
to Hayti. President Cravath occupied
the chair. The first exercise was the
rendering Of piece of music by the
Glee Club, Of the University. Prayer
was offered by Professor Spence. Miss
Mabel Chase sang solo.
President CravAth introduced the
speaker, not emily as a distinguished
man in the United States, but as a
friend of his boyhood with whom be
used to go to school, and from whom
he had borrowed money when in q
pinch. - NJ
Mr.. Langston said that he had prom
ised himself not to make a speech
when he left home, but that resolu,
ton had been broken. He recollected
that his feet were resting on sacred
and classic soil. He had been in
Fisk University before, and he was
glad to hear that the students OF
Fisk were making 50 good name. As
a minister Of the United States gov
eminent, | have a constituency of fifty
millions of people, and the next pow
erful client on the face Of the globe.
| remember when my teacher, a beau.
tiful white women, was rotten -egged 10
Ohio for teaching me. We were poor.
extremely poor. The sane God that
has watched over you watched over
me. -
Education makes a new man OF one.
The educated man becomes self reli-
ant and learns to lean on himself.
The Haytians are blacH but they are
selfsreliant and self>possessed. We
are to feel that we are to be that kind
Of men in this country. And you stu,
dents Of this university are becoming
that kind Of men.
Mr.. Langston gave an amusing and
graphic description OF young man
who went through college on his
aw-busk. II you have d thick lip
education will thin it; thick tongue
education will thin it. The speaker
told several thrilling incidents
illustrating the effect Of culture
lilo developing q man. Contact with
letters tend to purify the thought anC
feelings. You can tell a cultured
man wherever you see him. II yor
would dovetail yourselves socially int
the population Of the country, yor
must educate yourselves and purify
yourselves, and you will be received
without question. Old Democrats
said to me, we like you, but we d.
hate thosenig- colored people," Maxi
as much Of yourselves Is you can anC
| you will conquer The walls Of par.
tition are being broken doFn. W.
must prepare ourselves TO takethe DO
siuons open to US AT last the worE
Of being men depends uponyourselves
want you to take the same thor.
ough course the young white man
takes TO get to eminenoe. Avoid all
office seeking I have been in office
for twenty seven years, and speak
from experience What figure
would a colored man cut as Vice Pres
dent Of the United Statesl We mus
have full grown men ID. such posi-
tons. Colored men got into Congress
and into the Senate too early
They could not stay there, We
are not fit for these offices till we ar,
thoroughly qualified for them. What
ever you see other men doing, do. L
other men are becoming lawyers OIL
doctors orpreachers or making money
DO Just those things yourselves. q
uetmoney and Keep il. We drink
and smoke too much. We are moi
able 70 smoke a ten cent cigar, nor Il
drink ten cent drink. / had lee
tured against smoking once and after
wards went smoking through The
streets. | was rebuked by an OLD
colored man as ineonsistept, / have
not smoked since. 40 "
would like TO have monument Il
my memory just like Livingstone
Hall n The Jubilee singers are magni
fieent people. lThey sabs building
into existence. We can MAKE money
and it is our duty to DO it. We car
take care Of ourselves and need ask
no odds Of any one. FTT7 a. ~
We are to recOllect that We arc
American citizens, and we must vote
with the party that will defend our
rights. am a Republican from prin.
ciple, and | could not DO q Democrat.
| have no quarrel with Democrats.
You must vote according to your own
principles Under no circumstances
sell your votes, nor allow anyone else
to do it. The coiored people arc
going to divide, and when il comes it
will be for the best. Our color, our
kinky hair will be lost sight of 10 the
fact that We are American citizens.
He exhorted the students to study
French to fl themselves for consular
duties. 0W VICE. aAaa 3
Mr.. Langston, 10 closing, expressed
his hearty sympathy with Fisk Uni.
yersiy. The orator was greeted with
long aud continued 2 applause as he