The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-21

JOHN MERCER LANGsToN.
Mr.. Langston never allowed himself to for
rot that he was John Mercer Langston, and he
never allowed anybody else VIII came in con.
tact with him to forget it. No white virginian
of the bluest blood and the highest achieve
ments in State or nation was ever prouder of
his State, of his ancestry, and Of his achieve
ments than John Mercer Langston. He felt
that he belonged to the elect of the land. The
despised black blood mingled with the white
blood In his veins never gave him a moments
worry in all of his life, and instead of allowing
It to stand in the way of his success he made it
serve him at every stage. and do not believe
that any white yirginian possessing Mr.. Lang
ston's abilities and opportunities would have
achieved more reputation, accomplished more
good In various directions, and reached higher
stations in the public service than John Mer-
Ger Langston.
If he had been less self-conscious, less aggres-
Bive. he would have failed utterly in the pecul-
far conditions of the times in which he lived.
His life Is valuable as another evidence Of the
truth, so many evidences Of which we have
produced in this country. that men Of brains
and push will always find a way to succeed,
whether they be black, yellow or white.
Mr.. Langston died ut his home, Hillside
Cottage, Washington, Nov. Is. He was born
o slave, the slave of his father, in Louisa
county, Va, Dec. IA, 1929. That Mr.. Lang
ston's father was a man of unusual and pecul.
far character. is shown by the interest he took
in the children no had by his slave woman and
the ample provision he made for their educa-
ton and support. In his autobiography, pub
lished in 1894, Mr.. Langston drew the following
pen picture of his master and father. a type Of
man we shall never aga n have in this republic:
1.-THE owner of this Plantation was Capt. Ralph
Ouarles, a man of large wealth, having in his
own right great landed possessions, with many
slaves. His social relations were of excellent
character, as his name imports, among those
acquainted with his family. He was a person
Of broad and varied education, with a love of
learning and culture remarkable for his day;
while his habits OF leisure, natural inclination
and circumstances offered abundant opportu-
nifty, with such influences as contributed to the
enlargement and perfection of his general infor.
nation. His views with regard to slavery and
the management of slaves upon a plantation by
overseers were peculiar and unusual. He be:
lieved that slavery ought to be abolished, but
he maintained that the mode of its abolition
should be by the voluntary individual action Of
the owner. he held that slaves should be dealt
with in such manner, as to their superinten-
dence and management, as to prevent cruelty
ticable,. feelings of confidence in their masters.
Hence he would employ no overseer, put, d.
direction and employment. make one Of their
W number, the chief director of the force,
tpla nMith suf 4 is si nSt dii RR { IL to Pf peresiys 1 tSa. h Ris
course would attract attention, with comment
mot always approving; often, In fact, severe ere
ally, as was natural and inevitable, under the
circumstances. wrought social ostracism, COM
such practices to pursue exclusive life among
his own slaves, with such limited society other
or merely personal regard. within his reach.
Thus situated, 1t was not unnatural for such a
person pmSDa to To- h s5svs 2 woman 10 @Rom q GSS e pa8s bi 1917 af bie.
lions; and, if forbidden by law to %sanctify in
holy .wedlock their relations, to, take and make
her, heaven approving their conduct, the mother
And what manner Of woman was it that. in
his neighbors, Capt. Quarles made the mother
OF his childreni Mr.. Langston describes her as
'.The woman for whom he discovered spe-
cial attachment and who finally became really
t tion, m recipsocS at nso t ffes %affe eGdos o. Of i her P o@ne9,
winning his respect and confidence, was the
one whom he had taken and held. at first, in
mother Of his four children, one daughter and
Her surname was of Indian origin and borne by
her mother. as she came out Of a tribe of In
dams Of close relationship in blood TO the ia
"0f Indian extraction. she was, possessed of a
': snS Se Rf %StSeP. a Of fu nsGEs SiS0 fad faa x yet sat
S %siasd t E Err MP t. ; Shss d s;s1s. T = sy lsysd Ian, and
~ N@ASt s,fAoF oAoN " SNSAy Stu1o
Lucy. was a woman OF small stature, substan'
tial build, fair looks, easy and natural bear,
ing, even, and quiet temper, intelligent and
thoughtful, who accepted her lot with becoming
resignation, while she always exhibited the
deepest affection and earnest solicitude for hei
children. As early as 1905, as her emancipa
ton papers show. Capt. Quarles set Lucy and
her daughter Maria, then her only child, at lib
Z 0rty. Subsequently three other children, sons
were born TO them; and, though II may be In
SscoS1lIE: th By C SfGe o Ssaislssls IS S Sis cb R%iGIsdislTe Il
his last will and testament"
And very generous and ample provision h,
made for them in lands, live stock, cash, 'anC
United, States Bank stock and also all of my
Virginia Bank stock" it must be admitted
He could not have made better provision TO
them Il they, had all been white and legal chill
dren, instead, of yellow and illegitimate chil
dren. And the exceeding inhumanity and deg
radiation OF II. that his children had no lega
unto this day In Virginia, thirty-hve years aIte
the abolition Of slavery; so that IL Capt. Quarle
were, living to-day the same law or the spirit o
which prevented him from making Luc!
Langston his lawful wife in 1906. ninet,
years ago, would prevent him from doing 50
end would send him to the chain gang for dolnI
II, as has been done time and again since tn
Capt; Quarles and Lucy Langston both die
In 1884; Young, Langston was only. fou
promptly moved to Ohio. 1t was deemed be-
to get away from the slave atmosphere OF Vii
Einia as soon as possible. He remained a
Gooch, one of the executors Of his fathers vii
In his fourteenth year. in 1874, he entered Obel
lin College, then and for a long time hereafte
the hottest bed OF abolition in the countr,
where he remained Tor eight years, passin
through. the preparatory, collegiate, and the
logical departments, graduating from the latte
In 1902 Young Langston was ~studious an
ambitious as soon as he was old enough
understand what these terms meant. He a.
preolated fully his opportunities and made til
~ ~ - sns nnrnn AZ an early age ne disS1yert