The Washington bee., 1891-04-18

WIZ =
niversary of emancipation of
slaves in the District of Columbia
was duly celebrated Thursday
afternoon by an oration by Hon.
j. M. Langston, and addresses by
Hon. b. Z. Bruce, and Prof. }.
N. Gregory.
Mr.. Langston reviewed the
events preceding and following
the emancipation of slaves in the
District, and spoke enthusiastical-
ly of the colored peoples progress
since they we're freed. Not sim.
gle one of the unfavorsble propne-
cies that had been made had been
fulfilled. The speech of Sc nator
Davis in the Senate when he said
that not one slave in a hundred
would be willing to be colonized
after he was freed. Mr.. Lsngston
said, was the only true thing a
Democrat had ever said about a
negro. The prophecies of a var
of exterminatiOn between the
white and colored races had been
shown to be false.
Lawyer E. M. Hewlett read the
emancipation act and Prof. Greg
ory made an address in which be
dwelt on the Importance Of the
emancipation act, not only to the
colored race of the District but to
the whole people. The act had
given freedom to about 5000
slaves il the District. 1t had also
purged the country Of the disgrace
that attached to the existence of
slavery at the Capitol of a free
nation. It had been a stencil in
the nostrils of the people. He
spoke OF the pro gress of the color
ed people ofthe District had made
in their twenty-hine years of free
dom. When th$ " were freed they
had church PROPERTIES aggregating
$4,000 in valueb. Now there are
single churches worth more. Then
there were 8 co4ored schools. Now
there are 1876 with 10000 enrolled
-p4pils aud -oRen20o teachers. Six
teen Of the largest and some of
the handsomest school buildings
in the city are used for the edu-
cation of colored children. How
ard University and Wayland Sem
mary, looking down from their
bills above the city, were the re-
suits of the demand for the oppor-
tunitles for the higher education
of colored youth.
The attendance at the evening
meeting was much larger.
Arranged about the foot of the
platform were interesting exhibits
of the carpentry work made by
the manuel training school boys.
There were stools, tables, chairs
and all sorts of stoutly and artis-
tically made articles of furniture.
showing the admirable skill the
boys have acquired 10 the useful
arts. Besides these there were
bolts, nuts, screws, springs, and
other articles of metal made by
the boys in the metal working
department, which is in charge of
Prof. J. d. Baltimore. The car.
penter work was done under Prof.
Hill, who is in charge of that
department. Just back of the pull
pit an old looking clumsy teIe.
phone was fastened, aud wires ran
from 1t around the church to
another telephone like it at the
other end. The "hsndphone"
were rough affairs of wood, and
the transmitters aid battery boxes
were unvarnished, but the two
telephones were 30 perfect that
The ticking of a watch could be
heard from one to the other.
The evening meeting was d.
voted to the work of the school
children, this being deemed
the best way to celebrate emancl-
patton day. w. Calvin Chase
again presided and introduced
Lawyer E. M. Hewlett, who an
nounced the awards of the com,
mittee of judges for the various
essays. There were IL gold medals
all handsome in design and exc
cutlon, and of considerable value
The awards for the essays were
made by a committee composed OF
Rev. DR.. j. w. E. Bowen, Rev.
f. j Grimke, Rev. I. G.. Stewart,
Mri. Ella w. Lynch, E. M. Hew-
lett. On announcing the award
of the Shsdd medals for the best
production and explanation in
scientific appliances by High
School pupils to the two boys
who made the telephones.
Mr.. Hewlett read the following
letter. signed BY Prot. Alexander