Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-01-06
Wilbsahan. while herr ! 10 license can

Wilbfaham. While hers 10 license car
psign vas being fought in Wofcestsf whore
I then wss located aud one evening Ne had
= grand mase meeting. come noted speahefs
being present Al this meeting aed follow
ing one Of the brightest speeches OF ue
evening" get Smaliwccd Introduced. Sew
efal Of the cseFgymen on the platform were
opposed but succeeded and be tpoAe
briefly bat With such force that he fairly
carried the audience with him. The elerg,-
men Who opposed his speaking a. hyse fer
fear it vculd dsmpen the success ef tie
meeting, were very loud in praise OF the
young colosed orator"
81 room after proposed to Smal!vood thai
during his vacations be should lecture and
earn money enough in that way to pursue
bis studies. He has done 60 and during thu
presidential campaign vas in great de nsnd
BY all parties. Great Temptations were
offered him by the Democrats and the Third
patty held ous every ipdueement. He kept,
however. to his cwn belief and spoke sew
erxl times in Indians in favor Of the Repus-
lican ticket. On \ number Of occasiens he
spoke from the same Platform with Mr..
Blaine.
"He interested many public men who have
been offered by the present admin
that he declined because he did not
it. In 1889 he was chosen . delegate at
large to the World's Sunday School Con.
vention, London. and while away travelled
through several European countries The
leading English papers spoke very fiatter-
insly of several speeches made by Mr.,
Smallwood while there. He WAS said to be
the most commanding speaker at tbs TEN.
perAnc, Breakfast in the Crystal Pslsc,."
Mr.. Smsllwood has spoken in Msine has
be not.
Eyes, he vas here 10 1888 aud he 10 COM
ing here again this winter. exrec: he
will speak ia the Methodist church Sunday
Jan. 25tb. You should hear him. He is
bold to speak his convictions. On one
occasion, it was December 1887, he
was South to lock after the estate
of Mrs. Vaughn, the widow Of
his intimate friend who was q sen of n
former master. The colo-sd people
learned of his coming and planned to have
him deliver political speech. The whites
declared he ehouid not speak. Mr.. Small.
wood wss not intending TO speak but whe n
he got there and found the situation OF
affairs he determined to address the people
and he did so in unmistskable terms. And
this was one of the occasions when he
wasn't mobbed. At oDe time in 1888 he
wac billed to speak in one of the churches
in Lynn, Mass. and Southern gentleman
being in the city noticed the announce
ment. Out of curiosity he attended AMI
though confirmed negro ha,er when he
entered the church. when he came out de-
clared publicly aud in some OF the Lynn
papers his change Of sentiment concerning
the negro.
Yes added Mr.. Ross in closing, "Mr.
J. J. Smallwood has brilliant future and
his past career has been romantic as well 81
exceptional. Through it all he has held
stesdfsstly to his first purpose, viz, to edu.
cate himself to accomplish much for his
people. How TO alleviate their condition
is the thought uppermost in his mind which
is broad enough, however,to con,ider other
great questions Of the day such - temper.
ance and labor reform. "And all that I've
said lie the mere outline of thrilling HIS
tory that would make most reAdsbla
| book"