The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1884-08-16
iCOmmIInIcated.l
ROBERT B. ELLIOTT.

On Saturday laSt, IN new orleans,
this distinguished colored man de
parted this life. He was a black
man of unprepossessing aspect and
awkward ways. These facts in Il
world where prejudice is strong aud
beauty is worshipped, must have
necessarily impeded his progress in
life. Had lie been of white com
plexion and blessed with handsome
features and graceful movements, he
would have possessed qualities that
would have made his progress to-
wards fame and popularity easy and
rapid. Such is The vanity of our
world and our times. His color and /
his want of physical attractions We're
doubtless the cause Of greater study |
and application,and that modesty Of
deportmeat which never failed him. |
He had received q good education
whether through his own exertiOns
or by all of others is not known. The
fact that he had, in early life in
Boston, been a printer ana editor,
accounted probably Tor The happy
selection OF words and flushed style
ofsenCences in his eG-teRp0reSpeeches
He had held some high offices, offices
which at first blush, seemed too high
aud intellectual for Il coored man as
colored men had generally been
raj ed and educated. He had been
a Congressman and Attorney Gen
eral of Solth Carolina. With what
efficiency lie discharged tue duties
of these positions We do not know.
From the pertinacity with which
cnlOred men under the Re. conSlruc-
ton era sought Offices for which they
had no qualifications u strong pref
ndice against the race WAS created.
From what We knew of the intellec-
+. tual qualities of the deceased We
conclude he must have been an
I exception to the rule.
q He was generally well informed,
was slow and modest in his deneanOr
and safe in his conclusions. AS All
!. orator he ranked high. among
; colOred men we know of but one who
rqualled or surpassed him in splendid
oratory-Fredcrick Douglas. Per
haps as speaker on political OIL
miscellaneous questions Douglas
excelled him; but iii dignified power
. ful argument, or the legal style o
; speaking, Elliott was his superior
. His reasoning was calm and convin
9 cling; his English pure and eloquent
K and his appeals to the tender strings
{ Of the heart were grandIy iinpa'
v stoned aud effective. The first time
'e we hail the pleasure of hearing min
u in the defence of murder se. W,
7 were greatly disap. oinled. F.-nn
L having heard many col0led men il
our Legislative, Conventions am
D, meetings, we had formed the idle
y that they all aimed at using larg
Is words, often new, Outlandish words
s. of curious sound and doubtful
TT meaning. We eXpec ell somcthin!
a OH this order from him. But OIL
w surprise was truly great when W
VI heard him handle legal qu' stion
w with the philosophy OF IL ROseiE
is the dignity of II Grymes, and til
H. eloquent English of Benjamil
The thought then involuntalily q
ri Cured to us what a giant he woul
ge have been acknowledged were it NJ
he for the senseless prejudice again'
ng color and its accompanying disa
y vantages. He lived before his Tim
he In another generation from nov
IN. when the prejudice OF color will hay
re died out, and when every man wi
ny be justly and fairly tried on his ow
merits; when the weight and atte
zee ton received by a lawA er from
of judge or jury will depend OH tt
or quality of his learning and not G
til. his race status, man of Elliott
rv. talents as lawyer and orator
nd though his skin be bIack-wou
me have fair show and receive dl
An credit for the strength of his reaSC
sail ing and the brilliancy of his orator
he Let us hope the day for such justi'
nd may not be distant; and in Il
,ok meantime let the success Of Ellio
no in the acquisition of learning and
RS: the powers of speech be an eXanp
Sm to the young colored' men of O
or: country, and an incentive to ha
m. study and application i'll efforts
eel intellectual and professional success
te: M. 81.