El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1897-06-23
EMANCIPATION EXERCISE S.
Synopsis of Addresses Made Monday
Night at the Court House Meeting.

The emancipation of the slaves in
the state of Texas was celebrated in
becoming manner in the district court
room Monday night, by the local col
Ored population, large repreSe tation
of which was present TIE galleries
and windows were well filled with An
Clio Saxon spectators who med pleas
ed with what went on. Addresses, Sc
lect readings, vocal and instrumental
music took place in the earlier part of
the night. A. A. Lewis being the mas
ter of ceremonies.
The first speaker introduced was
Prof. A. c. Murphy of the Douglas
school. He spoke of the meaning of
emancipation, its importance to the ne
gro of this state and country: the duty
of the white man to the negro, the
duty of the negro to the white man and
the duty of the negro to himself. Free
dom meant not simply the right TO cast
the ballot or to ride in the same car
with the people of other races. 1t
meant these and more; because these
things are denied the colored man in
some sections of the country, he should
not stop in the development Of his God
given powers to cry and fret and stew
over the matter. These things will in
due course of time right themselves.
God rules in the affairs of men and as
the institution of slavery came to
| naught, so will all this class legislation
concerning the negro. be wiped from
| the statutes.
The colored man must do for him
self, see to the development of his own
| character, respect the wOmanhOOd OF
his own race and the womanhood OF
other races will likewise be respected.
While we are not wholly res Donsib'e
for our moral weaknesses, yet tt csc
lmperfectiops in the character of the
negro can be blotted out by graphing
with those things which tend to i'm
prove and cause us to be held in higher
esteem, from a moral standpoint, by
the more favored race in this country.
Thirty two years of freedom cannot dc
much in a general sense in the i'm
provement of race held in honda &c
for nearly 250 years. We have done
we'll, but the very people who held us
| in bondage, afterwards surrounded Us
with those privileges and opportunities
| that enabled us to attain our present
growth and success. Let US make The
most of our emancipation, each one
doing all that he can for himself al
| along the line and by this we will ShOE
to the world our appreciat on of free
dom and bring about more speedily {
lfulfillment of all the prOvisiOns of The
| proclamation and the declaration of in
dependence.
Mr.. Houston spoke in like strai,
urging his hearers to give more atten
ton to those things which will make
them better citizens both of our cit.
and country at large. See to it tina
your children are educated, profit %.
the advantages that the free schOo
system affords. Love the southland
stay in the southland for in it the
material growth of the negro has beer
more largely attained than in any othel
section of the country Mr.. Houston
related some interesting and telling
anecdotes which illustrated, with goot
effect. the points made.
Mrs. A c. Murphy recited in C eve
manner the Pilot story. Her gestures
were graceful and gave conclusive
levidence that she has received consid
cradle training along this line a.
well as from an evolutionary stand
point. The vocal and inStrume q ia
renditions were good and well receiv
ed. The celebration closed with
grand ball and collation. both of which
were much enjoyed. Too much credi
can not be given to the management
for the success of the affair.