The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1903-08-24

From the Emancipation day speech OF
William Pickens, the colored orator of
Yale, delivered at Watkins, y. Y; The
purpose Of an Emancipation day is not
to review the sorrow of the past; not to
listen again to the yelps of blood hounds
and the crack of the overseer's whip;
not to sorrow with the slave or abuse
the holder: it is not a backward
view 1t is to arouse ourselves to q fuller
appreciation of the present opportunities
which God, through the providence Of
human justice, has seen fit to grant us.
We can let Calhoun and Davis. Garrison
and Lincoln, all rest in peace. We can
look with a clear, appropriated vision
upon the grand old Lee at AppomatoX
as he delivered his shattered heroes into
the hands of Grant, both sides having
fought and bled like Americans for the
right as God gave them to see the right
The origin and prosecution of the war
demonstrated the moral ana physical
equality of the white man of the north
and south. The result of the conflict was
due in the providence of God to the nu-
merical, military and financial superiority
of the victorious section. And subsequent
history has shown that the negro has
no more right to profit in thinking 9TH
t-A'N+i
ALBANIA than of an honest gentleman from
Maine.
In the throes of this fratricidal strife
the negro's personal liberty vas born
and his freeing begun say his
freeing was begun; for it was in
deed a delusion Immediately after the
war to suppose that the negroes were
free, when in fact a man becomes free
by no law under the sun, save the Jaw or
self-development. fiat Of law can no
more create freedom by constitutional
amendment than it can create wealth py
stamping figures on greenbacks. Lincoln
famous emancipation proclamation only
cleared the path to freedom, made 1t
possible for a black man to become
free; but Il race. like an individual, must
work out It's own salvation.
When in 1865 the heroes OF the north
and south withdrew from the fields of
victories and defeats. and the success
of unionism had assured the triumph OF
freedom, the negro was elevated to the
privilege of conceiving and pursuing 4
purpose. an aim in life. The purpose OF
some was absolutely exemption from
work which they mistook for the blessing
Of freedom, when 1t is only the desire
of slaves and towards The aim OF 9th
ers was politics. which they mistooE
for the supreme end of liberty. Others
sought skin-deep. etherealizing education,
which they mistook for culture Some
sought money as an almighty equal
izer OF men and affairs.
Far. far too few showed supreme de-
sire for life's real end-character. Char
acter-built up by the everyday deeds OF
life Misunderstanding an atmos-
phere above petty insult. Character
bearing good will for all men. Charac-
ter-that settles with the washerwoman
as promptly and honestly as with the
First national bank. neutrality-suspicious.
ever to ones enemies. Character-founded
in homes of stalwart morality, industry
and self-respect. Character IS the only
success.
1t Is far more important to have
sound character than the privilege of
voting The unconditional bestowal of
suffrage upon the freedman we may par
don as an almost unavoidable blunder.
Instead of Reconstruction" it was well
nigh a destruction of the negros entire
political future. Charles Sumner argued
that 'the ballot is an educator" 1t GER
tainly is; for it has educated the
American people to understand that its
indiscriminate beStoWal is hazardous.
The negro was like a child that fnherits
an estate; he was ready to sell out for
mess of bread and pottage of lentils.''
The venal Esau found his thrifty Jacob
and the ballot was sold for a pint OF
rum. A man without a life purpose and
with the ballot is a menace.
To point to one pure black woman, or
one noble black man, who has overcome
the obstacle of life, is far more elo-
quent plea than the combined tongues OF
a thousand blatant orators. One year of
life like Booker WashNgton's is more
far-reachng in it's good influence than
enough bombastic editorials to make a
bonfire.
Chicago Is regarded as a sort of prom
Used land" by the young negroes of south
ern and southwestern states. There they
crowd with rotting lives and disspatrg
energies that could be better used for
their race, their country and Gods world
on the plantations Of southern Alabama