Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1900-04-13

ress in knowledge, skill, srs Ai ia.

ress in knowledge, skill, srs Ni ~
dustry.
We Of the South, who are native here,
rejoice that these things are so no less
than do those citizens of Northern birth,
who have cast their lot among us, and
we hail with genuine satisfaction every
manifestation of progress made by the
colored race toward useful citizenship.
There is not son of Tennessee, un-
less he he is out of communion with
the spirit that dominates her people,
who, however he may condemn the way
1t was effected, does not rejoice at the
emancipation of the blacks and whites
of the South, and who would, if he
could, see this day celebrated, under
constitutional provision stultifying by
its sanction of slavery the declaration
that all men are endowed with the in
aleinable right of liberty, provision
made by our ancestors North and South,
under the lights of the time and the
pressure of expediency enforced by in
herited conditions.
That in these years since the war,
characterized sometimes by friction
and fierce contest, sometimes by for
bearance and wise concession, some-
times by liberal measures by which the
whites onerated themselves with tax
burdens for the benefit of the blacks,
much has been accomplished, and that
the trend has been, though often OBJ.
scured and wavering, toward n better
adjustment and greater prosperity,
none but the pessimist will deny.
In tho public schools Of Tennessee,
sustained mainly by taxation of the
whites, there were last year 100, ,479
colored children, and 1,77S colored
teachers were employed.
That the stage now reached would,
with less of sorrow, heartburning and
antagonism, have come much earlier but
for the disturbing, exasperating, per-
sistent and often wicked interferences
from without, is my solemn conviction.
While have endeavored to point to
my white brethren, how they may
gather wisdom for the future, let me
say to the colored people of Tennessee
that the day has passed when you can
look to outside power to push you to a
position which you can neither achieve
n nai tai S,,ah ~ h,,t -.
porary expedients, and when with
drawn the inherent weakness of the
effort is made manifest. You must, by
industry, economy, integrity, the prac-
tice of social virtues and fidelity to the
demands of useful citizenship, achieve
for yourselves, and what you thus win
you can maintain, and in this struggle,
your best interests will be served by
cultivating harmony with those who
have, and doubtless will continue to
control the destiny of this State.
There is no person who has the in-
tellect to comprehend the principles of
government and the economic and So
cial forces of civilization, and the hon.
esty to express his belief, that will not
say that, until the mass of the colored
population is elevated by many years
of training for the duties of citizenship,
they will enjoy more liberties and
blessings, under a civilization con.
trolled by the Anglo-SaXon race, than
they possibly could under n system
which they themselves dominated.
From 1895 to 1860.
With such a people, animated by such
principles, Tennessee bounded forward
in a career of almost unparalleled pros
perity and glory.
Starting youngest in the race in 1895
with her sister States. with but little
accumulated wealth, she stood in 1860,
with population of 1,1O9,sO1, tenth
among the States Of the Union, having
outstripped all'of the original thirteen
but New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia
and Massachusetts, and with an as
sessed valuation of s3S2, ,495, 200, or
S344.65 per capita, which exceeded that
of either Pennsylvania, Vermont or
Maine, and nearly equaled that of either
Delaware, New Hampshire or New
York. The assessed taxable property
in Tennessee in 1860 exceeded that of
each of the New England and Middle
States, except Massachusetts, New
York and Pennsylvania.
TO BE CONTINUED