The national leader., 1889-04-27

theological seminarles. Our profess
ional men have long since proved by
their hard and unremitting labor, in
the face of dispirlting prejudice, their
right and title to be reckoned among
American intellect.
In law we have Ruffn. Elliott,
Walker, Gibbs, Straker, Langston,
Greener, Rock. Stewart, Randolph,
Simms, Hewlett, Smith, Wall, Mat
thews, Haynes, Waring, and Asbury.
In medicine we have McDonough,
Augusta, Purvis, Shadd, Howard.
Ebert. Morroll, Lively, Johnson, Fer
gusson, and Mckinley.
AS lingulsts and professors in litera-
ture and the sciences Scarborough,
Terrell, Lee, Mitchell, Gregory, Lane.
AS theoIogians Payne, Crummell,
Steward, Campbell, Brown. Grimke.
Tanner. Miller, Handy Jenniner,
| Brookes, johnson, Brown, Albert and
Peck.
AS orators, Douglass, Scarborough,
Pavne, Tanner, Brown, Williams.
Crummell, Steward, Still. Simmons.
AS journalists, Tanner. Bell. Lee,
Clark, Smith, Maynard, Victoria.
Earle, Ida E. Wells, Chase. Dancy,
Robinson Mitchell, Murray, Powell,
Perry, Christy, Pinchback, and Bruce.
AS fnanciers, Matthews, Smith,
Rainey, Wares.
AS orators, the matchless Douglass,
Ward and Cam.
AS diplomats, Bassett. Langston and
Smythe.
AS artists, Tanner, Bannister, Lo-
gan and Spencer, all of whom are
destined to honorable records In the
annals Of fds;Sscc.
INDUSTRIAL QUALITIES.
The Industrial qualities of the negro
were suppressed under slavery. Not
only were they suppressed, but when a
slave, he Was made TO pursue his daily
toll under degrading circumstances
and influences, which were not calcu-
lated to inspire intelligence or develop
skill. The hoeing of corn and tobacco
and the performance of domestic labor
| was as high as the negro was allowed
| to reach, with few rare exceptions.
I when lie was permitted to learn some
skilled industry, hence our enemies
predicted that freedom would cause US
| to become worthless and indolept.
| When the war closed the negro was
left homeless, friendless. and almost
honseless, but in spite of his fOrlorn
condition, in spite Oh the fears and
apprehensions that he naturally felt
about the people his circumstances
compelled him to live among and labor
| in nf oil irnrodinnanfc fc tho
negro sought work and dlsproyed the
accusation of his defamers. The cot
ton. corn and sugar products surpassed
Ill quantity and quality that which had
been produced in slavery. More
especially is this true of cotton, for in
comparing FIVE years of slave labor
with five years of free labor We have
9, 400, 900 bales over slave labor. This
also demonstrates the negrO's willing
ness to work, although the wages gen.
orally offered him form a most made
quate compensation for his labor. The
negro may not be able as yet to CON-
pete with the skilled labor of the north
and south, yet in Georgia, the nations
pesthouse of Illicit ruling, the negro
owns more than $4,000, 900 of prop
| 61Iy. uOaC uS dAO AouOAC0 LII
Louisiana. Banding the south together
as a whole the negro property assess
ment is to-day more than S91, 900, 600.
Still, we would advise the laboring
class to denounce and discountenance
| the spirit which prompts them to adopt
shifting and unsteady habits, inducing
them to crowd into large cities and
pick up an uncertain living by doing a
little of everything. This course in
variably leads in the end to want and
shame There is nothing which so
assuredly forms industrious habits with
regular gains as fixed occupations.
| There are also certain traits of charac-
ter which are not only invaluable, but
also indispensable to insure success
promptness, punctuality, carefulness,
steadiness, perseverance, quickness of
perception, and energy. besides patient
endeavor and deep-rOOted ambition to
master mechanical trades.
If the negro is to rid himself of the
old marks of slavery he must be found
engaged in more diversified industries.
The Irish and Italian were never able
to rise to and in the respect of the
community as long as they remained
daily laborers, and nothing more, car
rying the shovel, spade. and pick,
digging ditcbes and sweeping streets.
1t was right and lawful for them to do
so, to earn an honest living; but as
long as they did this and nothing else
they appeared to the native American
to be coarse, uncultured, and danger.
Gus class. And so also will the negro
appear If to some reasonable exten t
he does not add higher forms of en-
ployment to digging, grooming,
waiting, and whitewashings Tne negro
Is fully capable and must become
skilled neutrality-suspicious., black
smiths, tailors, shoemakers, jewellers.
| He must become conversant with the