National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-04-17

residence amO ng you 10 assist IN tne gSlvpIh'
tlon of the abolition of slavery I'm the District
of Columbia. And while highly apprcciotethe
honor the and confidence implied IN your call
upon me 70 do So when ~ consider consider the im. a,.
In all sincerity, as | have said before, that
wish that your choice Of speaker had fallen
upon one Of our young mem quite I, as ., well oad
them coming TO the front as / am retiring to
the rear. Then the fact that have several
sss 9SdGSSse5 by hy y9g upon sppeG ys
anniversary is, Of itself, somewhat embarrass.
ing. II Is not an easy task TO speak many
times on the same subject before the Same
and sentiments. II, therefore, YOU find me
committing this offonse to-day, YOU will con.
slider the difficulty Of avoiding II, and also that
the same views and sentiments are rs pertinent
and necessary to-day as years ago You need
not fear, however, that shall inlet upon you
any one Of my former orations. ! an, not
bound by any such necessity. The field Is
broad, and the material Is abundant. The
phases Of public affairs touching the colored
people Of the United states are never stationary.
many times In the course OF single year
There is no standing still for anybody in this
world. We are either rising or falling. ad'
Last year, at this time, we were confronted
with an unusual and somewhat alarming state
of facts. We stood at the gateway of q new
and strange administration. After wandering
about during twenty-four years, seeking
rest and finding none, oitcn hungry and some.
times thirsty, aud, though not feeding swine
or eating husks yet not unirequenuy found in
very low places and wasting the substance OF
the national family-our prodgal Democratic
son, with one tremendous effort OF Will,
returned to the white house. and was received
with every demonstration OF parental Joy aud
glndness. OF course this did not take place
without murlnur OF complaint and disap-
proval. There was an elder brother here ls
elsewhere; one who had remained at home,
worked the old farm, kept the fences IN repair
one, who had done his duty and made things
I'm the old house comfortable and pleasant
generally. Indeed, but for his elder brother,
the Republican party, the house would have
been broken up. the whole family turned out
of doors and scattered in poverty and de,titu
cider brother saw the great doiugs at tho
white house one year ago, when he heard tho
music ana saw the dancing, and learned what
1t wns oil about he was not over.well pleased,
and thought his father not only soft-hearted, but
little soft-headed and n triile ungrateGu Il not
crazy wilhal. But elder brothers, you know,
are usually reasonable and patient, and are
generally quite submissive to parental au.
thority, and though he knew the bad character
of the young truant who had now come home,
he hoped he had reformed. How far this
cheerful and patient hope has been justified by
one year of this administration will not now
stop TO say; may, however, remark, as a pre-
ludc to what ] shall hereafter say, that as far
Hs the cOlorcd people of the country are con.
Cerncd, their condition seems no better and
not much worse than under previous adminis-
trAiiOns. Lynch law, violence, and murder
have gone on about the same as formerly. and
without the lenst show of federal interference
or popular rebuke. The constitution has been
openly violated with the usual impunty, and
the colored vote has been as completely nulli-
fed, suppressed and secuted as If the fifteenth
amendment formed no part OF the constitution,
and as IL every colored citizen of the south had
been struck dead by lightning or blown to
atoms by dynamite. There have also been the
usual number foutrages committed against the
civil rights of colored citizens on highways and
bywnys, byland and by water, and the courts of
the country, under the decision OF the Supreme
Court Of tho United States have shown tho
same disposition 70 punish the innocent and
shield the guilty, as during the Presidency OF
Mr.. Arthur. Perhaps colorcd men have fared
n little worse, so far as oil ce-holding Is CON
cerned. In some Of the departments, | am
sorry to soy, there have been many dismissals,
but, even In this respect, colored men have not
suffered much moro than one-armGd soldiers,
and other loyal white men, whose places were
wanted by deserving Democrats, Upon the
whole, candor compels mo TO admit that this
twenty-iourth year Of our freedom finds us
thoughtful, somewhat mystihed by what Is
Ter, and yet strong to strive, with moderate
degree Of faith that, under the constitution aud
its amendments we shall yet be, clothed with
dignity of freedom and American citizen.
ship, But more OF this in the right place
take II that no apology is needed for these
annual celebrations, for, Notwithstanding the
unfriendly outlook Of affairs, we have yet much
over which TO rejoice. Besides such demon.
strations OF popular feeling in regard to large
benefits received, and progress made, are con-
slstent with and oreditablo TO human nature.
IEey have been observed all along the limo OF
by gone ages, and are peculiar to no class,
cline, race or color. From the day that
Moses Is said to have smotc the Red sea and
the Hebrews passed safely over from Egyptian
bondage, leaving Pharaoh overwhelmed aud
struggling with that hell of waters down 70
the 4th Of July, l57G, when the fathers Of fthis
republic threw of the British yoke, declared
their Independence, and appealed 10 the god
of battles, similar events TO that which we now
celebrate have been gratefully and joyfully
II, for any reason feel like apologizlng to.
day, 1t is not for this celebration, but for an
incident connected with it, and by which II is
greatly marred. For the first time since the
emancipation Of the slaves of the District of
Columbia we have two celebrations in progress
at the same time. This should not bel so. BY
This TACT we have said to the world that we are
not sufficiently united as a people to celebrate
our freedom together. This spectacle of dlvis.
ion among men working for a common cnuse
Is not pleasing In any case, and Is especially
displeasing and shocking in this instance
Without attempting to show which party is to
blame In this controversy, have no hesitation
in saying that this division itself Is most un-
fortunate, dsgrNceful, and notifying. 1t can
not fail fear, to make an unfavorable impress
sion for US upon thoughtful Observers, But
standing here as your mouth.piece to-day, !
colofed men nre but men, and that the best
men Will sometimes differ, and Will often differ
more widely and violently about trllles than
about things OF substance, where difference
Of opinion would be at least dignifed. Some
thing must, however, be pardoned to the spirit
OF liberty, especially in those who have but
recently acquired liberty. There is always
some some awkwardness in the gait OF men
who, for the first time. have on their Sunday
clothes: When we have enjoyed the blessings
OF liberty longer we shall put away such child.
ish things and shall act more wisely. We shall
thlnk more OF common cause and Its require.
ments and less OF obligation to support the
claims of rival individual leaders Depend
upon IT, a repetition of this spectacle viii bring
our celebrations into disgrace and make them
despicable.
We have not heretofore received the best In
huence, which this anniversary Is capable of
cxerting; that tinsel show, gaudy display, and
and dark places OF our city into the broad day
light of our thronged streets and avenues, thus
thrusting upon the public view vastly undue
proportion of the most unfortunate, unim.
proved, and unprogressivc class OF the colOred
people, and thereby inviting public disgust
and contempt, and repelling the more thirty
and seltrespeeting among u.s. is positive hurt
10 the whole colored population OF this city.
These annual celebrations Of ours should be SO
arranged as to make favorable impression for
us upon ourselves and upon our fellow-cltizens.
They should bring into notice the very best
elements OF our colored population, and In
what Is said and done on these occasions, we
should find deeper and broader comprehen-
sion of our relations and duties. They should
kindle in us higher hopes nobler aspirations,
and stimulate us to more earnest endeayors;
they should help us TO shorten the distance be-
tween ourselves and the more highly advanced
and highly favored people among whom we
are. II they fail TO produce in some measure,
such results they had better be discontinued. I
am sure that such lecture as have now
given on this point may be distasteful to a part
OF this assembly. But can say in oil truth,
that nothing short of n profound desire TO pro-
mole the best interests Of all concerned, has
emboldened mo to run the risk of such dis
pleasure, and hope the motive will excuse my
offence.
And now, fellow citizens, turn away from
This ana other merely race considerations to
those common to all our fellow citizens vet
happily those In which we too are Included.
i call attention 10 the proposed celebration OF
the centennial anniversary of our present form
of government. The year 1889 will never
Tess of the American people. IL was In that
year Of grace that the founders of the American