The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-04-06
ELOQUENT TESTIMONY.

Not within many years has there been
as fne contribution to American political
literature as is contained in a letter from
Hon. J. s. Garrison, dated at Washington
City March q, and addressed to ]. E.
Bruce, representative at Washington of
the Cleveland, Ohio. Gazette. The letter
presents the results of Colonel Clarkson's
observations during his recent visit to the
South, with especial reference to the con-
dition, characteristics, capacity and prog
ress of tho colored people in that section.
During his tour he made it point to
visit hundreds Of cabins and more pre-
tcntious residences. and to talk with all
classes and conditions of colored people.
As result he states that he "found very
few colored people under 80 years Of age
who cannot read and WRITE" The old
people, the negroes of the war days, he
found FILLED with philosophy and kind
ness. holding no resentment to the South
for the days Of slavery, for the days of the
war, and scarcely any resentment for the
inhumanity and injustice practiced since
the war;" Everywhere among these peo-
pie, whether of the present or former
generation, he found deep, touching and
ineradicable attachment for the section in
which their lot has been cast.
He draws . touching picture of grey
headed patriarchs sitting at the cabin
hearths and recounting to their descend
ants the history Of the old times and of the
struggle for emancipation, and as he
looked and listened he LEARNED new les
son in human patience and forbearance,"
as past enormities were dilated upon "with
q charity and kindness which / never
heard from human lips before" 81 saw
in scores of cabins" says Colonel Clark
SON. "scores of young people learning to
read, and, what seemed to me prophetic
Of final success, and strangely pathetic,
learning to read from the Bible!"
Another highly encouraging sight was
"the manner in which all the colored peo-
pie were acquiring property" By acts,
rather than by words or professions, they
have answered the aspersions that have
been cast upon their capacities and char
acteristics. "They have shown" says
this writer, ssthat so far from being violent
and dangerous, they are peaceful, patient,
law-abiding, the most quiet of citizens, the
kindest of peighbors, and anxious to serve
the state and the general community, and
to promote the welfare of both"
As to their alleged incapacity for men,
tai improvement and educational advance
ment, this travellers observations prompt
him to declare that never in the history
Of any race, white or black, has the same
progress been made in the same short
has made in schools, education and gen.
eral advancement In intelligence since the
close of the war;"
But the statement which will cause
most general surprise is that which refers
TO the cultivation and growth of aesthetic
tastes. In hundreds of cabins he saw
thousands of tokens of Unborn love of
civilization and refinement. Pictures,
books and specimens of art were numer-
Gus. Pianoes, organs and other musical
instruments were more frequently seen
than in the homes of whites of like
these people so recently emerged from a
long doom of subsection and servitude
manifested an eager inclination to acquire
knowledge, obtain homes and to embellish
these with objects of use and beauty
Following are few of the many elo-
quently expressed conclusions of this OBJ
servant traveller: "When think of what
has been accomplished in thirty years, OF
how the race has risen out of slavery, how
it is crowding the schools today equally
with the white people, how 1t is rearing its
colleges, developing its great men-some
of them as great as any in the republic
how it is bringing up the average of intel
hgence in every home, how it Is going for
ward. making itself seen always a devout
race and always laboring for the honor OF
God as well as the advancement of man.
kind, am forced to think that no race
ever before accomplished or received as
much in the same length of time"
No race with the capacity and the will
| to accomplish SO much, in so short time
| under circumstances so adverse, can after
| attaining this advancement ever again be
enslaved or permanently held to an infer
ior position. AS this writer truly remarks
"Man may delay the fulfillment of human
| nature or divine purpose in government,
but he cannot for very long. The progress
of the black race in America may be lit.
| tie delayed, but it can never be stopped
It would really seem that people as
great and strong as those of the South
who plume themselves on their chivalrv
and who know more surely than any
others the innate kindness. the unswerv.
ing loyalty and the persistent friend.
ship of their black neighbors, would in
view of the advancement these have made
in spite of all distractions. pay a Just
tribute TO their high qualities aud achieve
ments by burying their old preiudices
against them and by Withdrawing all op-
position to their exercise of their full con.
stitntional rights as citizens. From no
quarter could it come with equal grace
from none would it be 50 highly appre-
ciated. And il would be good politics.