Huntsville gazette., 1889-05-04

VI
and self-imposed obliga-
ions. When he asks for bread he
will not accept serpent. His p O.
lest now is against being cheated b.
,unningly-devised judicial decisions,
BY frauds upon tne ballot box, or by
brutal violence Of red -shirted rebels.
He only asks the American people
to adj ust the practice to the justice
and wisdom of their laws, and he
holds that this is first, midst, and last,
and the only problem to be solved.
While, however, the negro may
very properly protest against the
popular statement Of the question,
and while he my insist that the one
just stated is the proper one, and the
only one; while he may hold that
primarily and fundamentally it is al
American problem, he may material
ly assist in its solution. He can as
sumo an attitude, develop character
improve his condition, aud, in a
measure, compel the respect and es-
TEEN of his fellow men.
In order to do this we have, first Of
all, to learn and to understand thor
oughly the nature Of the social, moral,
and political forces that surround US,
and how to shape our ends and wise
ly determine our destiny, We
should endeavor to discover the true
sources Of danger whether thev be
within ourselves or in circumstances
external to ourselves. If | am here
for any useful purpose, it is in some
measure to answer the question.
"What Of the night?'
For the present l have seemed to
forget that this is an occasion OF joy.
| have thus far spoken mainly in sor.
row rather than in gladness; of grief
rather than in gratitude. Like the
resolution of Hamlet, my outlook has
been sicklied DER with the pale cast
of thought
Now, what Of the nigh? What Of
the night? Is it cheered by the beams
Of celestial light and hope, or is it
saddened by ominous clouds, dark
ness, and distant thunder? You and
I should be brave enough to look the
facts fairly and firmly in the face.
profoundly wish 1 could make a
cheerful response to this inquiry
But the omens are against me. | am
compelled to ay..thAt while We have
no longer to chill the blood Of our
hearers by talking Of whips, chains,
branding irons and boodhounds; we
have, as already intimated, to con :
tend with foe, which. through less
palpab BILE, is still a fierce and formida-
BILE foe. 1t is the ghost of by-gone,
dead and buried institution. 1t loads
the very air with malignant preju
dice of race. 1t has poisoned the
ountains of justice, and defled the
affairs Of religion. 1t acts upon the
body polite as the leprous distilIment
acted upon the blood and body Of the
murdered king Of Denmark. In ante
bellum times it was the standing de-
fense Of slavery. In our own times
it is employed in defense of oppres-
sion and prescription. Until this foe
is conquered and driven from the
breasts Of the American people, our
relations will be unhappy, our pro-
gress slow, our lives emblttered, our
freedom a mockery, and
OUR CITIZENSHIP A DELUSION.
The work before us to meet and
combat this prejudice by lives and
requirements which contradict and
put to shame this narrow and ma'ig'
nant telling. We have errors OF
our own to abandon, habits to reform,
manners to improve, ignorance to
dispel, and character to build up,
This is something which no power on
earth can prevent our doing for our
selves.