Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-10-22


negro could safely be made free. He was free.
Free tonight 'Did you hear the music Of the
orchestra? There was some colored blood in
that; good deal oft Keep on playing. You
are playing down popular prejudice. You are
convincing people that whatever other men
can do you can do"
Terrible consequences were to ensue II
slavery was abolished. No more cotton, no
more rice, no more sugar. The war made
short work Of that problem. That sterling old
Roman, Ben Butler, with his cooked eve, saw
further than most men of his time. He made
the negro contraband. Lincoln made him
free and Q. g. Grant made him q citizen
THE PRoBLEx OF TODAY.
The present proposition-:he problem (?) Of
today-was to have the negro lose by the friend
ship Of north and south what he gained by the
enmitv of the two sections. With its usual cum
ming the south has made portion Of the north
believe 1t is struggling with great problem,
some great difficulty in the getting rid of which
they need the sympathy Of the nation of the
whole world. That was deceit. The real
question was had this nation advanced SO far
that it would carry out the Constitution of the
United States. The true problem was not the
negro, but the nation.
ABsURDrTr OF TALK ABOUT NEGRO SUPREMACY.
The speaker then called attention 70 the fact
that this agitation came from the men who
were really responsible for the war; from the
men who, armed, surround the ballot boxes
and dictate votes. The improbability of negro
supremacy was then discussed and laughed at
as an apparent absurdity. 'The eaglo soaring
to the sun" said MIR. Douglass, with eye un-
dlmmed and wing untired, screaming with
fright at the sight Of blackbird was no moro
absurd than the scare about negro supremacy"
1t was an old WORKOUT pair Of trousers and an
old hat-bell crowned and of the last century
hung out in field where there was neither
corn nor crows. GLaughterl
IGNORANCE Of THE MORO
The southern states must not complain Of
the ignorance Of the negro; they had fostered
ignorance, had compelled it and they must
stand it now until the negro could be educated.
Some little time was devoted to Senator Butler
and his negro emigration proposition and the
declaration made that the negro could not be
compelled to go-the day of the whip had
passed The south was not afraid of the negro; it
feared the party that freed the negro-the re-
publican party. II the negro would only
espouse the cause of his old masters the
problem would cease to annoy. There really
was no problem; the war settled that beyond
cavil. What do you continue to bark at that
hole for?'
THE QUESTION OF RACE INrKRMAnR1AaE
was touched upon at length and of this Mr..
Douglass said, Sufficient unto the day is the
evil thereof" That was not problem. Indi-
vidusl preferences and influences would set
tie the relations between the races.
THE two races" said the speaker, "started
out side by side 200 years ago. There was all
black on one side and all white on the other.
Now, who can account for and MIR. Doug
lass bowed to the audience, the majority of
which had mixed blood in its veins. There
was big laugh.
Senator Ingalls, was then mathematical, or
words to that effect, for his expressions on the
race question, Mr. Douglass calling him the
slayer OF the regulations OF million Of respect
able colored people. II was not true that the
mixed race inherited the worst elements of
both races. Senator Ingalls,, on the floor of
the Senate, had a great advantage and the
meanness Of his attack could only be measured
by the greatness of that advantage. If it was
true that the negro inherited the qualities of
his progenitors then portions of the character
OF George Washington might be found in this
city. and it was not matter for conjecture that
somewhere in the streets or alleys OF the
national capital could be found those who had
inherited by descent qualities of godlike Daniel
Webster. Laughter
Suppose there should be mixed marriages."
said the orator, ''it would be nobodys business
except that OF the individuals themselves"
lApplause.l
SENATOR QUAY AND THE ELECTION BILL.
After paying some attention to political con-
ditions in Mississippi Mr.. Douglass said that
the colored race was much disappointed at the
II
federal election bill. He spoke of Senator
Quay as not OF another type than Sumner and
1haddeus Stevens and Ben Wade-a Pennsyl-
vanla politiclan-and was evidently grieved
because Mr.. Quay had sacrificed the election
bill to aid the tariff.
The failure of the Blair bill was another
source Of regret but he believed both those
measures would be revived, and at this an
nouncement there was much applause.
WHATS THE.MArrER WITH HARRIsoN2
Mr.. Douglass said he had good deal of faith
in President Harrison. He had done more for
the colored people than any President since
Grant What's the matter with Harrison?''
he shouted, and as the vast assembiage laughed
loudly the speaker shouted the familiar re-
Spouse: Hes all right!'
Somebody will say" continued the old gen.
tleman, 'Ah, that's because he sent you to
Hayti. No. wish he would take me back
Its because he has gone to the verge OF con-
stitutlonal power to aid aud support the negro"
ut may be said" said Mr. Douglass in con-
clusion, las has been said. that am growing
old, and am easily satisfied with things rs they
are. When our young men shall have worked
and waited for victory as long as have worked
and waited, they will not only learn to have
patience with the men opposed to them, but
with me also for having patience with such.
have seen dark hours i'll my life, and have
seen the darkness gradually disappearing and
the light gradually increasing. One by one
have seen obstacles removed, errors corrected,
prejudices softened, prescriptions relinquished,
and my people advancing IN all the elements
that go to make up the sum of general welfare.
And remember that God reigus in eternity
and that whatever delays, whatever disappoint-
ments and discouragements may come, truth,
justice, liberty and humanity will ultimately
prevail"