National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-02-27
NJ y Z Q Il l.

4
colorod man forget he was colored and Ia
remember he was simply man. SO when
| he came to select his faculties for the sew.
| eral departments, he looked over the coun-
| try to see IL he could find any colored men
competent to take part. lie found them,
and he is the only man who could have
done II. He believed II 10 be his duty TO
stiangle prejudice by giving the colored man
an opportunity todemonstrate what was I'm
him; he appreciated the wrong done him,
and that too much could not be done to
/ wipe 10 out. IL required brave man to
establish Howard University, with It's
catholic ideas, and TO plant Il upon the
most beautiful knoll Of our city, with a
structural elegance in keeping with the
noble ideaand beautiful spiritof It's founder.
| The ideas he sought TO implnnt In this uni
versity with him were the result Of con-
viction, as he believed in common Cod
The toast "Absent Members was elo-
| quently responded to by X. T. Moss, recall
ing memories OF many absent ones, both
living and dead.
"1he Utility OF Missionsr was suggested,
and ID. Il. Wiseman was called up, and
| called the attention of the members TO the
Importance of the subject OF the toast.
missions he believed to be the greatest
factor in elevating the lower masses In great
cities; IL was, In reality, through missions
that Christ had worked.
Hon. Frederick Douglass was selected to
respond to the toast "Self-mode Menu
81 am opposed to personalities" said Mr..
| Douglass, seven when they are employed
| In the form Of delicate insinuation. think
| | see something OF this offense In the call
upon me to respond In behalf of self-made
men. IL you mean to insinuate that | am
not gentleman and n scholar, like others
| around this delightful board, resent the
calumny, and prove my title to be here by
the card with LII. D. In large letters,
affixed to my name. But, Mr.. President, l
| will not, where am so well-known, at
tempt TO pass myself of for what am not.
| plead guilty at once to the implied charge.
Upon the whole, am rather proud Of It,,
and In this last remark, you will perhaps
say that betray my peculiar origin, for of
| all men in the world, self. made men are
the proudest Of their attainments. Henry
Clapp once said Of Horace Greeley that he
was self-made man and worshlped his
maker! Properly speaking, there are no
once said, while speaking Of repudia-
ton, that he never saw an American
that he did not feel like strip
| ping him, giving his hat to one credi-
tor, his coat TO another, and his boots TO
another. So may say Of all self-made men.
They have all begged, borrowed, or stolen
| There never was self-made man, how
| ever well made, who would not have been
better made with the same exertion by the
ordinary helps of schools and colleges.
Nevertheless, self-made men are entitled to
a large measure of credit. They rise often,
not only without favorihg circumstances,
but In derislve defiance Of all efforts to
keep them down.
| "Flung overheard on the broad ocean Of
| life, without oars or life preservers, they
bravely buffet the pillows by their own
i Inn eWtsft, la obs xUvhn.
other men, supplied with all the appliances
which wealth and power can give, despair
| and go down. Such men as these, whether
| we find them at home or abroad, whether
professors or plowmen, whether of
AngloSaxo or Anglo African origin, are
self-made men, and are entitled to some re-
spect because of their manly origin. II Is
the glory of the United States that
such men are abundant. America is the
nursery OF such men. The. explanation
| Of their abundance is found In two facts:
First, the respectability Of labor, and sec.
ondly, the fact we have here no privileged
classes. We throw every man upon his
own resources. We care not who was his
father, or who his mother"
| We ask not for his lineage,
We ask not for his name
II manliness be in his heart,
He noble birth may claim.
a ,hn nos NJ uo,,,h ,yas n nnrscd
II pure the stream, II matters not
| The spot from whence 1t burst.
President William w. Patton then re-
| sponded to the sentiment, "Howard Uni
yersity." He congratulated the alumni on
the interest they showed. In their alma ma
| Tor He nassei n tribnte on tbe fonnder nj
he paeseu M, ~ 'no VI
| the university Inc college was Iounueu
on the broadcast principles and educated
every one who applied, without regard To
sex or race. The university has done q
| grand worlr and In ninetoey veors of ev'
| 49,. q nnS1 80 -, -. A h -, 80 :, -
,s'e .i o,Jov s.uuets nay uesn aui te'
| 10 the various departments, ana tnere nave
sent forth 25O ministers OF Christianity,
| 400 physicians. The, university has now
| o,,ryiycd arc donoars ~ infa nov Tho onnoS;.
It, ~ tan. th iaS,nn.n,,nc 80 st A. ppproi,,
| Iion Oh ioes, inc inuiueIence ol tne pIeJu'
property Is to-day free from debt, and the
| 420students are making good progress. The
| university has a promising future, Public
| hofliea and nrivate henefectors feel safe in
| mulpS peImahent uhu successlui insttu-
| ton. students In all parts Oh the country
| are learning OF the advantages which the
| university offers, and at present thirty
states are represented among them.
| Dr II I Shndd nffarad the following
~ " Shouu o"oieu VINO .Jo"iit
| resolutions, WHICH 'Were unanimously
| adopted:
Whereas the question OF national aid to edu
/ cation, as embodied In the Blair bill Is now
bending in Consress' and recognizing as we
| do the great truth that the welfare of a free
| government can never be assured without the
General diffusion Of intelligence; therefore be
| 73t '''''N - '"'e'N'' ''N ~
| Resol,ed. That we tender to Senator Blair,
| and the other senators who have favored his
| educational Dill, our heartfelt THANKS LOT the