The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1890-02-08
NOT THE RESPONSE HE WANTED.
A Democratic Congressman's Unfortunate
Oratorical Effort in a Black District.

A Democratic Congressman's Unfortunate
Oratorical Effort in a Black District.
Boston Transcript.
Not long ago. on the train between WASH
ington and New York. there happened TO be
a little party of Congressmen; and those
statesmen. as is their wont sometimes.
were resting themselves from the labor of
law-making by telling stories. Every MEM
Der of the party had had the floor at least
twice. with no presiding officer to Suppress
him or make him afraid. Presently the
third round of stories was begun. and Com
gresham A of Mississippi was called
upon.
Il am sorry. gentlemen said he. "buts
I've told all my stories, except one or two
on myself"
"Oh. that makes no difference said an,
other Congressman. "You're among friends
tell us a story on yourself. Ont with it,"
Congressman A. protested, but he
dragged In.
Well" said he. sin the last campaign ID
fell To me to makes stump speech in one of
the black districts of my State. i came to
place where ! had an audience of about if
teen hundred colored people. more or less. 1
hadn't been much used TO making speeches
TO the negroes, and / was a little puzzled,
perhaps, to know just what to say. But
before L went TO the meeting i heard that
the Republican candidate for the district
had said in the hearing of several reliable
people that n Niger was no better than q
mule Here was a theme for me-a whole
speech. ready made / had only to make
the most OF that unfortunate remark TO get
the votes of all the colored men for my
side.
Il went to the meeting in high glee and.
lost no time in trotting out that damning
remark. My friends said /, what do you
no better than a muleg What is your opin-
ion of a man who ranks you, my friends.
on the same plane with that degraded and
despised animali And the man who has
done that Is no other than the Republican
candidate for this district
Il expected an outburst of indignation
upon this, but the audience seemed TO re-
main remarkably apathetic. There was not
a word OF response or a sign of wrath. L
thought. perhaps, that my audience, with
the simplicity of the race. had failed 10 APP
prehend the enormity of the comparison.
and so L repeated the story with a variation,
ending with the same appeal: And how.
my friends, do you like TO be told by a Re-
publican candidate that you are no better
than a mulef
''Silence still. could not call ont an ex-
preston of feeling from that audience.
But, not to be baked in that way. | de-
termined to make an ad hominem appeal.
i singled out an aged and dignified colOred
man. who sat on the front row of benches,
and addressed my remarks directly to HIM.
Uncle L said, pointing my finger at the
old man; i want to ask you a question:
"'Sabp said he.
1.-The question is this. What do you-
you. as a self-respectlng colored man. think
OF a man who says hat the niger is no
better than n muller
Wal. sah,' said the old man very quiet
ly, but with a voice that was heard with
horrible distinctness throughout the as
sembly, Il amt done studied no great
mount on de gin'ral question if de Niger
am better dan de mule; but j kin tell We
one thing for sartin shuah. b0ss-in desc
yere parts deir votes dom count no mo'p"
The laughter that followed this story
was given without regard to party.