Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1895-01-31
Negro Educational Convention.

sembled at the Court House, Leonardtown,
Saturday afternoon. January 90, 1895 and
organized by electing Rev. George p. John.
son, chairman, and Susie Giles, Secretary.
On motion, Messrs. John N Graves and
Washington Wilkinson were invited 10
seats on the platform Rev. johnson stated
that the Presiding Elder Of the Washington
Circuit, Rev. w. ii. Brooks, had been ex-
pected TO deliver an address but that be-
cause Of pressing business ne was unavoid-
ably absent and called upon Mr.. John N.
Graves for an address. Mr.. Graves res
pended by saying that abe had taken part
In al the great movements for the advance
ment Of the colored people and though he
did not wish % brag, they all know L.
He would do his part towards establishing
a college OF high school for the cOlored
people Of Southern Maryland and would
ever give literally Of his time and moderate
means To their cause"
Senator Wilkinson was next called and
s8id be highly appreciated the compliment
paid him by being invited ~ address such
meeting He had come for the purpose
of obtaining information and did not know
much of the reasons IF the meeting But
if il was for the establishment of q High
School for colored people he was heartily
in favor OF the project, and was ready in
any way To help either as representative in
the Legislature or by contribution. He al.
vised against mingling politics or religion
in the matter and said the colOred people
must be educated al least sufficiently to
read the Constitution, for ia Alabama as q
requisite for the right of voting an educa-
tional qualification had been put into the
Constitution and right across the river the
same scheme was being tried. He did not
doubt but what the same thing might be
tried in Mary land. He was a Roman
Catholic and thought il all important tina.
the idea should not CD abroad that the
movement was in the interest or under the
control of any particular denomination.
His idea was that Catholics, Methodisis,
Episcopalians were equally in the move.
ment and equally interested and he re-
ferred TO the point only to disabuse the
minds of all who might be influenced by
religious prejudice
Mr. Gr-ves arose and stated that Mr..
Wilkinson had unwittingly, he was sure,
introduced q subject that would greatly
hamper the movement and with no inten
ton to do harm had yet brought up point
that would prove considerable embar-
rassment Mr.. Wilkinson hoped he had
not been misunderstood. He had been
asked when he came into town If the
movement was a sectarian one and had
answered, "no"; and his reference 10 the
point was merely that it might be made
clearly apparent to all that II was nom
sectarian.'
Rev Bryant stated there was no religion
in the movement Rev. johnson, chair
man, said Mr. Wilkinson had not seemed
20 clearly understand the reason of the
meeting which had been clearly and vivid
ly explained at the opening of the conyen-
ton and might be briefly summed up in
the statement, that his people wished To
establish a school like Charlotte Hall"
Rev Bryant read the following paper
which was listened TO with attention anu
frequently applauded.
REV. J. G. BRYANT's PAPER.
Mr.. President Ladies and GentLnsen -
The eolorsd man Of the United States per.
plexes the natIon--he is the uhsolved pro
blem If North America. Ills advent here
was easy and peculiar; like the lion of his
native land he came a capuvc-a b1ndmsn.
Though possessed of a freedom unknown
10 the European, and accustomed a. a lei
sure bordering on ideness, yet he has
turned cherries wilder ness into fields oi
loveliness and unsurpassing beauty. By
the sweat Of his brow the great rivers oi
the Western world have been made ~ bear
precious freights TO millions; aud thous
ands distressed by poverty have died in
luxury and opulence.
For more than two hundred years the
colored man was emphatically man of
toll. with life little above that Of brute.
After over two centuries of servitude again
he finds himself his own master. But with
manhood dwarfed, his spirit broken. and
the legitimate fruit of his labor in the pos
session Of others, glorying In the proud
distinction OF being an American citizen. he
sets out 70 do for himself what all other
people of this good land have been doing
from the coming of Columbus TO the pres
emit time.
His changed condition has brought him
into direct competition with subtle and
trained race. Though. long accustomed to-
servitude, deeply poisoned by centuries of
savagery, and with the animal nature cul-
tivated out of ali proportion 10 his spiritual
nature, and one thousand years behind in
Christian trimming, the colored man is ris-
ing above his previous condition with as
tonishiBg raPidity.
II hiss been said that Il was impossible
for the Negro as citizen to remain in the
United States, therefore various plans were
suggested as means of getting rid Of him
But after thirty years of freedom we find
him increasing from four and half millions
TO nine millions. and with greater grip on
the national life than ever. Socially the
two races are as wide apart as the East is
from the West; yet, with strange incon.
sistency, they meet on equsl footing in DO
lticai conventions, in church councils; at
the bar: in the jury box; az the polls and
10 the halls Of legislation. Though there