Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1886-08-12
NUMBER :
IRONTON. MO, THURSDAY. AUGUST T. 1886

sessed rich literature, which was de.
stroyed by the various invasions o
foreign nations. TO Africa we mus
look for the inventor Of the alphabet
to Africa we must look foI the carlies
patrons of art, science. and literature
To Africa we must go in order to Sc,
the grandest specimens of art known
to Africa we must go in order to SCI
the finest specimens of the animal anC
vegetable kingdoms to Africa we mus
60 in order to see the ruins of tie
grandest buildings ever erected by
man think of Thebes with her hun.
dred gates and 10000 war chariots
think of Egypt with her catacombs, her
Pompey's pillars, and her pyramids,
and you will readily conclude that the
boasted modern inventions and pro-
gress of the age are but reproductions,
simply, of the " lost arts. " (See lecture
by Windeil Phillips upon the Lost
Artsl. Phillips In his lecture showed
that the needle was invented by Ne
gro, and that the Emperor, Nero,
watched gladiatorial contests through b
an opera glass. No wander that Solo.
mon, the sacred historian, says, that
there is nothing new under the sum-"
After centuries of oppression and de-
generation of the Negro, the white
man made his appearance upon the
shores of Africa; not as an angel Of
light. but as q selfish spesulator, and
by triskery and various devices, and
even by brutal force. began to take
possession of the homes of simple
minded natives, and to deprive them
of their God-given rigAts==life, liberty,
and the pursuit. Of hnppiness.
Hepae, in 1882 the Portuguese began
the pefarious crime Of stealing and
selling tho natives Of Ethiopia, and in
their wake came the English, in 1863,
and began to people their colonies with
men and women who had been ruth
lessly carried FROM thair native home
and ladAaed ia slavery in strange
land. After 2T0 years Of unrequited
toll on English plantations in the West
India Islands, England at sacrifice
of $4,000 600, procured the emaneipa-
ton of her slaves, which act we are
here to.daasy - celebrate, and to return
thanks, not to England, but to an
overruling Providence, from whom
cometh every good and perfect gilt.
Again, in 1919, slavery was intro
duced in America by the Dutch, at
jamestown, Virginia, and the pesni.
cious practice continued Ga.Il 4 900 900
slaves toiled in TO rice swamps and
the cotton rfelds of the south, until the
desert, did indeed, blossom like q rose.
Yet, again; in 1868, after two hundred
and forty -four years Of ohattel slavery,
the hand of Providence interposes, and
that beloved man, (Abraham Lincoln)
of sacred memory, wrote the following
precious words: by virtue of the
power and for the purpose aforesaid,
do order and declare that all persona
held as slaves within said designated
states ani parts of states, are, and
henceforth shall be, Free" Toe result
Of this writing was, that four millions
of slaves went forth as freemen and
raised their voices in praise and thanks
giving to the God Of a!l nation.
In what condition did these slaves
60 forth 4? In answer let me quote the
words of Frederick Douglsss, the dis
| tinguished colored stateman aud cham
pion Of freedom No man ever en-
tered the paEtais of freedom under cir.
cumstances more unpropitious than the
American freedmen. They were flung
overheard in an unknown sea, in the
midst of storm, without planks, ,roI es
oars, or life preservers, and told to swim
or perish. They were without money,
without friends, without shelter, and
without tread. The land which they
had watered with their tears, enriched
with their blood, titled with their
hands, was owned by their enemies.
They were told to leave their old quar-
terra and seek food and shelter else
where.
In lieu of this condition Of things, ,tb e
marvel is not SO much that they have
made little progress, but that they are
not exterminated,
will now take up the Negroes his
tory as a freedman. What did he
prove himself to be at the beginning OF
his career. q shrinking coward and a
BOBBY? Nay, but instead, We hear
him singing these beautiful lines j:
"Give US a flag SO pure, and we'll fight
to defend it as our fathers did SO braye.
Fremont told the people when the
war first began, how to save the Union
and how it could be done. Fremont
had his ways and old Abey had his
fears, and he called upon the help OF
the colored volunteers.
| And will add here that the wal
records show that over 2O0, 900 respond.
ed to the call of Father Abraham and
fought like heroes for the confirmation
of their freedom: Would you know
how we'll the Negro did his part, con-
suit the graves occupied by hundred
thousand dead heroes of African de
scent and soothe your thoughts will
these comforting lines: "Brother tho,
hast gone and left US, here thy loss w
deeply feel, but tits God that hath be
rett US, he can all our sorrows heal.
paac caf,,l ha fhv Silont sluu, ha,