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

without attracting any very great at
tention.
Henry P. Cheatham of North Caro-
lima served in the 5lst and Sind. and
subsequently held a federal Office III
deeds in the District of Columbia
which is one of the most lucrative of
fees in the gift of the President.
George Washington Murray of South
Carolina was the only negro in the
SD congress who was eloquent and ne
had voice that could be heard
BLOCK He made a number of speeches
but it is safe to say that no one of
them will ever be used as a sample
of American oratory in any school de.
voted to the training of public speak
ers.
George H. White of North Carolina
was the last of his race to fill a con
gressional seat. He came in on the
tidal wave which brought Mckinley
to the White House. He served two
terms, and then he was dropped Dem
ocratic managers believe they have
got that district so fixed that it will
never again return republican black
or white. Whether or not their hopes
are based upon a solid foundation PC
mains to be seen
There We're several others OF the
race i'll congress. but it is difficult 10
hunt them up, unless one could find
some person interested enough in the
advancement of the negro from slav-
cry to craftsmanship to have kept
track OF all of those of the race who
have been honored by election to high
position. There was one man, howev-
er, who missed getting into congress
by the failure of the republican ma
jority to stay and do their duty. Ii
was in the last days of March. 1888,
that the contest OF Lee. colored.
against Richardson, white, in South
Carolina. was reported from the cleo
tons committee of the house in favor
OF the negro. Ii Tom Reed instead of
j. Warren Keller. had been speaker
OF the house in the forty-ffth cor.
sress. Lee would have been seated.
The committee brought in two resolu-
tons; the first was: Resolved, that
Richardson was not elected as a mem
Der or the house OF representatives in
the forty-seyenth congress from South
Carolina. The second resolved that
Lee was elected. When the house di-
vided the first of these two resolutions
was adopted by strict party vote.
The second however, failed because
the democrats refused tn vote at all
and there was not enough republicans
present to make quorum, nor was
there Tom Reed in the chair ia
count quorum. The house was i'm,
mediately deadlocked, and the dead
lock was not broken during the re.
naming days of the session. II han.
pened that there was a bill next on
the calendar to extend the period dur.
ing which whisky might be kent in
bond. The defeat of that bill meant
ruin to the distilleries of Ohio. Illinois
ana kentucky, and it meant losses OF
hundfeds OF thousands of dollars tc
the banks in the distilling districts
Inc Writer of this himself stood in the
loDpy OF the house of Representatives
talking with that light-haired. almos;
parchment-faced little niger" San
Lee when representatives of the
WHISKY interests approached him ana
onered him his full pay as a membe,
fol' the entire period of two years. to
geth9r with his mileage and stationery
allowances as well as his contest fees
II he would but tell his friends tc
withdraw his case. He firmly but EN-
phatlcally declined all such offers. ana
sad that he would have his pay from
tne government or none at all. He
never got 1t. The last time saw hin
ne mad suit OF clothes that would
not have brought 80 cents from ras
peddier. He was distributing tracts
OF circulars for a colored insurance so
ciety. Thus is virtue rewarded in this
great republic.