Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-09-03

ii with great credit to himself and to
his government. White men as well
as negroes in Virginia paid tribute to
the eminent ability of Jonn M. Lang
ston. Like Bruce, he has passed away
10 the great gathering where We are
told, the color line is never drawn.
Perhaps next in ability to Langston
was John r. Lynch, Of Mississippi, who
served in the Fifty-third and Fifty
fourth congresses Lynch was less de.
monstrative than Langston. but he,
too. was a type of the higher class
among the colored race. There is no
chance for Mis- ever coming back to
congress from Mississippi, but he oc-
cuples one of the auditorships of the
treasury department, and is likely to
continue in office so long as the repub.
Hcan party remains ii. power.
The first congress in which color
ed man appeared was the Forty-sec-
ond and the first colored man, as far
as records show. to take seat in the
popular branch of the national legisla-
ture, was Davis H. Rainey, of South
Carolina, who served in the Forty-sec-
end, the Forty-third, the Fortv-fourth
and the Forty-ffth congresses. Rainey
may still be living. If he is he has
dropped out of the public gaze, and no
one seems to know what has become
of him. Pinckney B. S. Pinchback. of
Louisiana, also occupied q seat in the
Forty-third, but he never came back
after the expiration of that, his first
term. Pinchback is often seen in
washington, and more frequently at
Saratoga, Sheepshead and other rae
ing tracks in the north He has the
appearance of a prosperous. we'll
grcomed well favored gentleman Of
the southern school. He would pass
anywhere in the north for a white
man, and We're he not so we'll known
as he is, he would have no difficulty
IN convincing even the people of the
south that no drop of the hated Afri-
can blood taints his veins. 1t is said
that Pinchback is wealthy man. and
While he makes his headquarters in
Washington, he generally appears at
the republican national conventions,
and his fine italian hand" is often
seen in New Orleans politics.
.,ere HARRISON, of Alabama and John
ADAMS Lyman. of North Carolina.
served In the Forty-fourth congress.
Ihey may have achieved prominence
an their respective states after that
congress adjourned twenty-four years
ago, but there is nothing in history
which shows what became of them.
Another negro who first made his
appearance as legislator in the 44th
congress and who served more years
In congress than any one man of his
race, was Captain Robert SmalIs of
South Carolina. Smalls was given the
certificate of election for the 44th and
45th and broke into the 47th. 4sth,
and 49th with contest club. Smalls
was a man who had little education
but had a great deal of courage and a
Whole heap OF ability. During the war
ne was pilot and in charge of the
steamer Planter. then in the confed.
crate service. Smalls at the peril OF
ms life ran the steamer out from un
DER the confederate guns and over tc
the union squadron. where he turned
her over to the United States authors
ties Under the rules of war he
would be entitled to about 10 per cent
OF the value OF the Planter. But in
those days Smalls was not a citizen
he was negro and a slave. and he
had no right. and congress. following
the established principle in such cases
which has been notorious since the
days of the French spoilations, has
persistently refused to honor the very
Just claim which Captain Smalls made
for his services. Anyway. he drew the
emoluments of congressman for "a
period OF ten years and at last ac,
counts was collector of customs al
Beaufort. S. C.
Thomas =, Miller, also of South
Carolina, served in the 51st congress