Huntsville gazette., 1885-11-21
CABLE SPEAKS
Address by the Great Author ar the
Meriden Lincoln Club Reception.

The Lincoln Club of Meriden. Coun.. in
appreciation of the distinguished services:
to the colored race by the Author of ::'TL
Freedman's case in Equity" Tho Silent
South" Mr.. G. o. w. Cable gave IN ele.
CANT banquet in his honor Thursday. Nov.
s. Among the guests were many of the
distinguished public men of Connecticut.
and of the nation. Among the speeches Of
the evening we clip the following synopsis
Of the remarks by the honored guest Mr.
Geo. w. Cable, of Louisiana:
Mr. President, gentlemen of the Lincoln
Club and citizens of Meriden: My words
of thanks hang upon my lips. know not
how to express myself for this ill-deserved
testimonial Of your regard. When ac-
cepted your invitation did not think OF
meeting such gathering as this; I expected
to meet few citizens and to grasp their
hands in friendship. If had known of
such an assembiage would not have come
without written words But take me a. l
am and overlook whatever slipsI may
make. My position reminds me of the little
girl who insisted upon saying her morning
prayers in the evening. Her mother tried
to persuade her that she was wrong, but
the little one insisted, and ended by saying:
20. Lord that isn't right. bat I know you
can fix it - 1 believe it is sometimes tne
privilege of man to speak for himssh. ans
l presume that it Is my privilege OIL to
occasion. He emphasized the fact thai he
had written his essays. the "Freedman's
Case in Equity" and ''The Silent South,
not in the interest of the colored people
alone, but in the interest of the white race
as well. Whatever slavery might have done
for the colored race. tor the white race il
was simply degrading from first to last
For man to come to an appreciation OF
this tact and not to speak would have been
high treason to his own race, He spoke for
large, potential, silent minority Of the peo-
pie OF the South. The thoughts he had ut
tered were not his alone. The thoughts OF
Amid all the protestation and condemnation
that have come to him there have come
many words of encouragement and cheer
from all parts of the South. The men who
think with him are not few. They have
learned many things, They have learned
that slavery was horrible. They have
learned that the freedman is protected by
bis ballot end could not be protected with
out it. And they have learned that. with
the ballot education is necessity.
In speaking of the cordiality of his reoep-
ton, Mr.. Gable said that he fol the 6rst
time in his life listened to loud acclamations
of praise and heard the approving echo OF
applause for what he had done in this par
ticular case He,trembled with emotion.
for the experience was wholly new and un-
expected. He felt that what he believed to be
true and what he wrote had made him friends
OF the colored men, but if ever he might
find il his duty to speak truths. or write
truths that might startle and excite tho hos
tility of either race or community. he would
tell the whole truth if it lost him the last
friend on earth Suppose man OF my
convictions had the conceit TO stand before
the world and say that he is the only man
in the South who had discovered the truths
whose utternances has resulted in my being
bere Tonight. You could not credit bim
with any large quality except boundless
personal vanity. Yet'tbat is what a noisy
portion of the South is trying to make me
say. The colored race he said, is waiting
to-day for the higher education to develop
some man who shall be of such signal SER
vice to the nation that by that service be
will lift his whole race where it must per
force be recognized and valued by the white
race TO the color-d men. he said, when
the opportunity offered for them to work in
peaceful ways they should strike not for
their race exclusively, but in the name of
| humanity and the American people. have
not spoken, he sal !, ia the interest OF the
| freedman, but in tha interest Of the >.human
race, aad in that interest beseech you not
10 be tempted into ever drawing the color
line,
| In conclusion Mr.. Gable referred TO the
craze over industrial education. He said II
| was over estimated. Dexterity IL 9-l0
thi ing aud lilo the work of the fnaer
ends. The best education is moral and Ii.
| telectual If child is thoroughly trained
in this manper he will not 60 to the peniten-
tiary because be is not a good mechanic.
He urged the colered people not to let 60 the
higher education. II did not intend to
keep you SO long. but as Carlyle wrote TO
| Emerson, If had more time could have
been briefer:' This day and night will live
in my memory and in the memory of my
family and personal friends and many will
thank you for your appreciation ofiny hum
ble effort in your behalf"
Letter in the evening, at the conciu.io- II
Mr., Fortunes remarks Mr.. Cable cor eoted
statement OF that speaker which implied
that Mr.. Cable had changed his residence
from the South to the North because 10 Il 9
face of his writings il Was not congenial
locality. He said be owed the correction II