The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1903-01-07
Enaucipat;ou Celebration.

| ''dressed in their best Sunday clothes
were here last Thursday to celebrate
Day" and for the large
AeseMdsnade up Of all sorts, from the
| umbaeshasfhand to the exalted preach.
er, it was a finely behaved gathering.
There was not bhsleast sign OF intoX-
| icaticn. none ofSsaezaptics of the swag-
gering bully whis handy razor,
nothing and no 66essnaass the occa,
sion, unless possibly Nags:hsesa
small sized malediction at the fSse&sse,
de-del-dum brass band, from the south
east corner of the Lord-only-NnowS-
where. This aggregation aud combl-
nation of discordant sounds was ever
present and doing full time whenever
an intermission on the stand would
show itself. The band was the only
alarming feature OF what was very
credi:able conduct of such a joyous oc-
casion.
The negro, through proclamation
from President Abraham Lincoln was
liberated from bondage thirty nine
years ago. and it was IN commemora-
ton Of this great. and joyous-to them,
event that they congregated together
to pour out from their souls their ap-
probation for becoming free American
citizens. Had these people celebrated
this event at the bung-hole of whis-
kew barrel, and made themselves dan
gerously obnoxious to their former
masters, it would have been not sur
prising. even though senseless. but in
stead of wasting their appreciation in
debaucherv. they made the day one Of
profit as well as pleasure. by carrying
out in magnificent detail well ar
ranged program.
r. \. Stewart. ESQ, as chairman OF
the reception committee, was master
OF ceremonies and after the large pro-
cession had marched around town. un-
der the severe strains from the band.
and the direction of Marshals J. d.
Washington. Hanson Hampton, G. 7.
Raein. J. c. Cooper, Ira Levine. Robt.
Guess, Tucker Mellett, July Stukes,
the immense crowd. fully one thousand
assembled in front of the court house
where chairman Stewart delivered a
speech explaining the object OF the
gathering.
The first number on the program was
a song BY the assen1blage followed by
very fervent and eloquent PRAYER by
Rev. J. W. Easley pastor of the Bap-
tist church and as soon as the preacher
said Amen, the band broke IN and
made the welkin ring with a tune
which should be convicted for dlsor-
derly conduct.
Samuel Hampton OF Rinini read the
enoancipa ton proclamation, followed
bv more disorder from the band.
Miss Lucille Stewart read an essay
in manner deserving very high
praise. Her enunciation and gestures
were perfect. and demonstrated high
order of eloQution: this was also fol-
lowed by the band, but fortunately the
music was not sufficient to effect Miss
Stewart's effort.
Then was introduced - English
from Charleston. who was introduced
as "a man with the money" This
speaker made no pretenses towards ora
tory. but he made very good speech:
gave wholesome advice, freed entirely
from ANYTHING which would excite race
prejudice, urged upon his hearers to
pay their debts and 'sstay at home.
The speaker went on and urged his
people to be thrifty and honest: their
advancement depended on their lndl-
vidual efforts and not upon Congress Or
the politicians. He said Il do not care
what Congress does, by attending strict
" to my own business, treating With
Justice those with whom I do business,
and by paying my debts, and not vast
inc my earnings: T am free and lnde-
pendent american citizen, respected by
nv ueighbors in spite Of Congress.
The whole lire OF his remarks lndl-
Gated a conservative spirit, a man WITH
GOOD. practical sense, and q man who
has been successful in life. English,s
speech was followed by the lrrepresSl-
bic. changing its tune only in regard to
length, to give time for collection to
be taken up by the purchasing OF bal
lads to help pay expenses,
In a speech embelllshed with many
rhetorical figures, Chairman Stewart
introduced the orator OF the day hon.
S. E. Smith, a government employee IN
the Charleston custom house. This
speaker began by apologizing for
speaking plain, that he did not come to
hurl boouets, but to tell plain truths,
and to hew to the line. regardless OF
where the chips would fall. He evi-
IDENTIFY had not prepared his GRAFTON: as
it was not throughly knitted together,
but from the position taken by him ne
made good speech. At times we
we thought we could detect signs OF
race prejudice, but in a moment 1t
would be driven away by a kindly RET
erence to the white of the South.
Smith is evidently student OF poll
tics and argues more from the stand
point of the politician than from the
Students view j.. search of solution OF
the race problem in the South. he
urged his hearers to stand up for their
rights and strongly intimated the day
is not far off before their right OF bal
lot would be returned to them. He was
opposed to the deportation of the negro
and spoke OF The advancement made BY
his race. and he deprecated the unwlse.
as he termed it, craftsmanship of pres
ent political leaders. The speaker at
times would wax warm in eloquence,
and evidently had given the poIltlca!
condition OF his race a great deal OF
study. He did not seem kindly disposed
towards substituting foreign emigration
for negro labor, and his argument on
line was teemipg with logic.
The ceremonies closed with singing a
ballad. led by r. a. White, and the
benediction by Rev. r. Il. Perrin.
k Scientific Discovery.