The broad ax., 1897-08-07
CROWNED WITH SUCCESS.


After . jubilee BY the club Chief
Hill arose and delivered the follow
ing address:
Ladies and gentlemen: 1t Is
pleasing to the management of our
Centennial, and exceedingly graft
flying to the hard-vorking, faithful
members of my committees, to see
you here today. We have believed
from the beginning of the work
that right VIII prevail and we
thank God for this, another proof
of his goodness. :.
@We welcome you here today.
We wish you one Of the most happy
occasions of your existence. We
viii not keep you In this Audito-
rum, but let you go where you will
and enjoy the beauties of this, our
Southland's greatest exposition.
(Applause.
"Yet we ask that you listen to 3
few words that may, at least, do no
harm.
@We are . strange mixture of
human possibilities, and our con-
ditions and opportunities are equal
IL As strange. We ave a free
body, but not q free soul.
Eve are arrayed in citizens
clothing, but do not enjoy a citi-
zen's privilege. We are protected
BY the Constitution of the United
States, yet we are handled at viii
BY a stronger race. We are not
satisfied with our condition, and
the white race are not satisfied
either. Some of us are crying for
. civil rights BILL Others want
military protection at the ballot.
Don't you know that no law can
force q free, brave and enlightened
people to think and act against Its
villS Neither can any law force
an ignorant and timid people to
maintain an equality with a supe-
rior race. (Applause.)
"Neither races nor nations can
be legislated into that type of SUI
perior manhood that characterizes
the white race. Some desire to
leave the country. Despite the
rule of the conquering William of
Normandy, the Saxons did not
leave their country. Because of
the oppression of the British crown
the thirteen colonies did not bid
farewell to these American shores.
Because of the injustice of the Brit
ish Parliament, lrishmen will not
abandon tie Emerald Isle. Because
of the oppression of the Spanish
Government, Cubans viii not leave
their island home. Leaving the
South or America viii not do much
good. If the stuff is in rs, we viii
succeed wherever we are. Jap
plsnse.) IF it is not, we will fail
wherever We may be put. Places
and countries may help us, but
they cannot make us. We must
get in us those principles of integ-
rity and union and wisdom and
courage and ambition, that make q
nation, and we will succeed in
Dixie as well as In Africa
"Al nations and peoples have
had prejudices and opposition and
superiority against which to con-
tend, and We must expect to have
the same hardships. / fear we
imagine ourselves In far worse con-
dition than we really are. There
Is no use in abusing the whites of
this couptry or any other. Nothing
viii save us except our own efforts.
God helps thuse Who help them
>selyes.
ave must step looking for any
kind of sforty acres and mule
daughter and applause.) The best
aid that can be given us is not cash
and property, but is simply remov-
ing all the barriers from the path
Of progress and to open unto us
any position Of honor for which we
have diligently prepared ourselves.
We need no special legislation. We
need to be treated as 8 man, not as
= thing, and as fast as We are ca
pable, open to rs the same avenues
that are opened to any other citizen
Of this country. If We succeed at
ell, We must succeed as negroes.
(Applause. Let US be negroes and
Be proud Of it. The chief aim of
too many of as is to be called
white, TO live with white neighbors,
70 associate with white people, to
get away from our own people.
Some of rs want to own nothing
80 =. .n~~-, &c. IL ..<.k