The Washington times., 1901-12-08
CONGRESS- IS NOW
WITHOUT A NEGRO.
The Chance of Others Being Elect
ed Is Slender.
LOUISIANA SENT THE FIRST.
Those who Have Occupied sents I'm
the National LcEisinturc-a Col
ored Man the Successor of Jener-
son Davis in United states senate.


elected to any future Congress is DINNER
now than at any time in the past thl;u
of a century With the exception OF
brief period from 1857 to 1889, this Is the
first session OF our national lawmaking
department in thirty-two years without
one or more colored men as members. 1t
is therefore interesting to note the rise and
fall of the negro in politics as represent
ed by the colored men who have occupied
seats in the Congress or the United States
The first cOlored man to be sent to Con-
g-ess was ]. Willis Menard from New Or
leans, La. representing the Second dis
trict Of that State. His certificate Of cleo
ton was signed by Gov. II. C. warmoth.
November 25. 1858, and states that Mem
ard had been duly elected on November
Of that year. TO fill vacancy. Mr. Mem
ard. who was a native of Illinois. edu-
Gated at Iberia College, Ohio, had served
as hospital steward and recruiting Of
fcer for the Government, had been sent
on mission to British Honduras, enjoy
ed quite a reputation as public speaker
and writer, presented himself at the door
of the House of Representatives Decem-
ber I. 1865. at the beginning of the short
session of the Fortieth Congress.
A Seat Refused.
\ seat was refused him because OF al
legged Irregularities in his election. al
though fifty-seven votes are recorded in
his favor. The New York Herald the
next day thus referred to the incident:
For the first time in the history Of Con
gress man OF African blood was allowed
to speak in the House of Representatives
during the legislative proceedings. Mr..
Menard sat in Allison's seat during the
debate on his case, and when allowed an
opportunity to speak, delivered what he
had to say with cool readiness and
clearness that surprised everybody. He
spoke very distinctly and commanded
more attention than nine tenths of the
members generally. But 1t was no use.
Say what he might-let his case be ever
so clear-he would not be admitted, for
the committee had resolved to shut out
the darky anyhow, right or wrong, no
Menard was voted down"
There was SO much criticism OF Congress
by the press Of that time for not admitting
Menard that his failure probably paved
the way for the admission of Hiram R
Revells, February 20. 1870. when he en-
tered the Senate 9s the first OF the only
two negroes ever to sit in that body
Revells was born in Fayetteville. y. c.,
and was taken early to Indiana, where he
received very meagre education. He be-
came a Methodist minister. and in that
capacity went to Mississippi in 1854. His
ease of speech and conservative feelings
made him champion of the colored peo-
pie. and won for him many friends among
the whites.
Succeeded Jefferson Davis.
On January 90 1870, 2evells was elected
by the Mississippi Legislature by a vote
OF 81 to 3S to fill vacancy in the United
States Senate that had existed since 1t
was vacated by jefferson Davis. He re-
ceiYed his commits sion on January 25, and
thus armed. he came to Washington.
Finally. on February %, Senator Wilson
Of Massachusetts moved that Revells' ere
dentials be read. and that he be sworn in.
For three days the Senate debated with
great animation the question OF admitting
a negro to the Senate. On January 25 at
the close of powerful speech by Senator
large vote. Senator Reyells was re-
garded with great curiosity at the time.
In a lecture tour of the East. which he
made soon after his admission. he was
received with great enthusiasm. Senator
Reyells spoke but once or twice in the
Senate. and at the close of his term
March 3. 1871, he left the Senate to be-
come the President OF Alcorn University,
and finally resumed his work in the min
istry. which he kept up till his death
year ago.
Two other negroes served in the
Forty-irst Congress. both of whom we're
members of the House of Representa-
tives. Joseph II. Rainey the first negro
TO take his seat in that body. was sworn
in December r. 1870. He was born in
Georgetown. s. c.. became a barber and
acquired a limited education. In his trade
he learned men and how to please them,
so that in 1868 he was a member of the
Constitutional Convention. and in 1870 a
member Of the State Senate. which he re-
signed to enter Congress. He was re-
elected to the Forty-secOnd. Forty-third.
Forty-fourth, and Forty-ffth Congresses,
serving Zine years in that body.
Only one From Georgia.
Jefferson F. Long, the other negro in
the Forty-irst Congress. was the first and
only colored man ever furnished by the
State Of Georgia. although that State has
the largest negro population of any in
the South. Long was a merchant tailor
in Macon. Ga. and was respected by both
races. He was OF fine appearance. digni-
fed, and an exceptional man for the
times. although without any political
training. He was swo.a in January 16
ba nf of
that year. a total of forty-seven days.
He gave his large family OF children
college education and continued to work
al his trade to his death. n A. Rucker.
son-in- law, is collector Of internal
revenue for the State OF Georgia.
The Forty second Congress opened De-
cember 4, 1871, with four negro Repre-
sentatives. These were Joseph II. Rainey,
Robert b. Elliott and Robert C. DeI.arge.
OF South Carolina. and benjamin S. Tur-
ner, OF Alabama. Turner was an ignorant
man OF considerable native ability and
had been conducting a general merchan-
disc store when the chaos of recoustruc-
tion paved the way for his elevation. The
conditions in South Carolina which made
possible the election OF three colored
men out OF the four Representatives to
which that State was entitled in the
House OF Representatives marked the
very apotheosis Of reconstruction.
The ruling class of planters. finely edu-
Gated and devoted to chivalry, had been
disqualified because they refused 10 de-
sert the ideas for which they had fought,
and the poor whites, whose isolation in
the social system had driven them to the
raw edge OF the civic life, were too igno-
rant to assume the duties OF state. This
condition OF things furnished the negro
his opportunity, and members of the race
occupied many prominent offices and rep