The historic times. [volume] (Lawrence, Kansas) 1891-1891, 1891-09-05
FACTS IN THE LIFE OF HON. GEORGE W
WILLIAMS.

FACTS IN THE LIFE OF HON. GEORGE w.
WILLIAMS.
In the death of Hon. George w. Will
1iams, the Negro historian, at Black
pool, Congo Free State, Africa, on the
Sd inst, the race lost one of the most,
if not the most brilliant men. In some
respects he was wonderful man. We
knew him intimately, and have spent
many hours in his society, being al
ways welcomed at his home when that
home was one in which happiness dwelt
undisturbed. In some respects we find
in the life of George Williams a paral-
lei in the lives of Benedict Arnold and
Aaron Burr Rather a sad commentary
to compare ones life with one who was
traitor to his country, and another
whose page in history is turned quick
ly Like Arnold there was a dash,
brilliancy about George Williams that
challenged the admiration of his enc
mics Like Burr, there was a crafty
cunning in his composition that awOke
distrust in his most intimate friend,
and like Burr, there was disregard
for wOman's honor and virtue in his
makeup that Disguised. Had George
Williams never entered politics there is
no doubt but what he might have been
living to-day, an ornament to society,
to race and a source of happiness to his
family. He is to be classed in that sor-
rowful galaxy of might have beens"
He plunged into the political sea and
was swallowed by its treacherous male
sstrom. When he bore the title of rev.
erend, and was pastor of the Mound
street Baptist church at Cincinnati, O.,
ere he had become tainted with politics,
he was looked upon as Christian gen.
tleman whose morals and religion was
above suspicion. AS minister of the
gospel he was a bright and eloquent
one, and old Mound street church at
Cincinnati was never before or since
blessed with having delivered within
its sanctified walls such eloquent such
logical discourses as were delivered
there by Rev George w. Williams.
George Williams lived dual life. He
was our Dr. Jekle and Mr., Hyde.
When a minister, then he had a
home frightened by the most loving of
wives, and little son, the image of his
father.
He was nominated for the legislature
in Hamilton county, O., was elected,
the first Negro to ever sit as a member
in the legislature of Ohio. Here dates
his rise Here dates his fall He rose
and fell at one and the same time.
Paradoxical though this may seem, yet
all too true AS member of the legis-
lature, when speaking on the floor of
the house, his eloquence held the mem
bers and audience spell bound. His
logic was indisputable, his erudition
unsurpassed, yea, unequaled by any OF
his colleagues He plunged into poll
tics with an abandonment of all ideas
of morals. principle or religion. In his
plunge he went to the bottom, he went
to the top He loated upon the waves
of popularity, he was overwhelmed and
sunkened by the waves of unpopular
itv. His career, while mem Der of the
/ legislature, was brilliant and yet I'M
scrupulOus.
For few dollars he attempted to
play traitor TO the interests of his race.
Mark the Arnold here. To appease an
animal passion he sacrificed virtue and
dispoiled a home. Mark the Burr here.
How often have / sat in his home,
marked the bliss, the devotion and love
that found an abiding place there, and
I almost envied the happiness of such a
home. Little did | dream then that
that home of bliss would ever give room
| to the skeleton that would strangle its
happiness. Little did I then dream
that the marital bliss that existed
+ there would be stabbed to death by the
dagger OF unfaithfulness, and that, too,
T i'm his hand. Yet such was true
I George Williams had wife beloved
/ BIZ every one. as true little woman as
ever plighted q VOW with man She
/ chung to him with devotion, with q
love and a sacrifice that was excep-
tional-
/ He abandoned this true wife and her
/ and his child For what?
TO follow the bend of a depraved
mind