Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1898-01-06
EMANCIPATION DAY.
An Immense Procession of Colored Peo
pie: The City Throngea. but Every
Speakers Said

Goldsboro has not Witnessed
before such throng OF colored
people as gathered here Satur lay
from all parts Of the county TO
celebrate "Emancipatlon Day"
OF course it IS big day for
them, and as long as it is ob-
served by the colored race in the
good order and the prom ulgation
of such precepts as marked the
celebration here to-day its recur-
rences need form no issues fraught
with danger to the Republic.
Disguise it as you may, the
race question is before us-be-
fore the people of the South. Il
is q sectional question. and there
fore not 80 be settled by bullets
or bayonets, but by wise heads
in the halls Of legislation. This,
we believe, can only be accom-
plished by the Democratic party
of the State and the South and
the nation, The Democratic party
in North Carolina has controlled
the negro problem better and
given the race more benefits than
they could eyer have acquired
from the Republican party
they were happier as d people
under Democratic rule in North
Carolina than they are to day
under the fearful and devastating
regime Of the unholy Republican
and Populist fusion that now has
sway in our wealth.
1t is not in politics-or, rather,
as politicians, that the safety aud
best interests of the negro as a
race lie, and therefore the pre-
cepts that were spoken to them
here to-day should be we'll cons
sidered by them, as pointing the
way to their line Of conduct as
citizens fulfilling a destiny that
God alone knows the ending.
There were two speeches Of
note made. one by Dr. E. E.
Smith. ex q. S Minister to Liberia,
and now principal Of the State
Colored Normal School here; the
other by Rev. G. Diliard. Prin-
cipal Of the city colored Graeed
School. The former in his open
ing address, said, among other
things:
"Not only must a free people be
a thoughtful people, but an indus
trious people as we'll We have met
here to-day, not SO much to rejoice
over the thought of our being free,
nor to congratulate ourselves upon
whatever, under God, we may have
accomplished as freemen; but also,
as best we can, to take our bearings,
locate our position, understand our
surroundings, and, if possible, fully
see and recognize our environments
and then adjust ourselves to them.
''The freer a people are, the
greater their responsibilities. The
more the liberties of a people, the
greater the exactions. Would we be
freemen and worthy citizens? Then
we must work six days in the week.
Work anywhere, down i'll the sewer,
with soiled boots, out on the scav-
enger cart with horny hands, up in
the sooty chimney, in any garb, is
honorable; yea, far more commend
able than Longing on the corners
of the streets, OF playing the dude at
an entertainment, with spike-ta
coat on, and an empty pocket book,
with still emptier brain, and q firt
on his arm, wearing ten-dollar bon
net on two-cent head.
care we day laborers? Let us give
an honest days work for fair day $
pay. Let us endeavor to make our
selves by promptness, regularity,
accuracy, and diligence, indispens-
ible at whatever work we engage.
Let us strive to be distinguished as