The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1907-10-03
Address Of 4. P. ClGatlan,
Delivered at the Colored Normal
and Industrial Institute in Hen
derson, on Tuesday, Sept. 3rd,
to More than One Thousand Far
mers and Others of the Race.


dress of III. p Cheatham, colored, OF
Littleton, former member of Con
gress from the Second district and
afterward register of deeds for the
District Of Columbia by Presidential
appointment, delivered to over one
thousand farmers and others of his
race at the Henderson Normal and
Industrial Institute, on Tuesday,
Sept. 3rd. 1t was an effort worthy
of the speaker, full of good advice to
his people, and was well received by
those who heard him. The negroes
do well to follow the lead of such
men as Plummer Cheatham and give
heed to their wise counsel and rule of
'conduct in life
Among other things he said
| ask you to consider my appear
ance upon this occasion as an ex-
preston Of real interest in this grand
institution OF learning and in this
beautiful city and community whose
citizenship is among the best people
in our great State. Here, l imbibed
my first impressions of manhood and
life, and can say to you, the teachers
and promoters OF this glorious and
brilliant beacon light, how lucky and
how happy you are to have your lot
cast with these good people of both
races-a people who will not shrink
from duty, but will help those who
will honestly strive to help them
selves.
And to the patrons OF this school,
you can count yourselves fortunate
| that you are favored with such an
institution of learning and with such
a God-fearing and competent corps
| of teachers to mould and shape and
train your children to walk in the
proper paths of life. Now, with the
hope that this and similar institu-
tons of the land will vouchsafe to
our waiting and anxious people d
successful voyage from their anhap-
Ply and unfortunate condition to the
high and undisputed planes of citi-
zenship, we greet this occasion with
smiling faces and cheerful hearts, con-
graduating ourselves that we are
part and parcel of the wonderful ex-
panding tide of opportunities and
progress which is So beautifully flow
ing with silvery hue and providential
air i'll every nook and corner of the
land; and amid the flow of this well
coined and blessed tide, there seems
to be an unseen hand of unusual ac-
curacy, carefully placing and replace
ing, planting and replanting, nurtur-
ing and inspiring in all of tie depart
ments OF the affairs of man instead
OF leaving him and his fields of oper-
ations to overflow and ruin or to
waste and rot.
Yea, the condition of the human
family, nearly everywhere, is indeed
optimistic.
The favorable omen of the differ
ent seasons OF the year; the prophetic
signs as transmitted to us through
the days and nights as they come and
go and act as the time keepers of
man and the universe, the increased
number Of sheaves of an abundant
harvest; the crowded avenues of trade
and business in oil quarters of the
land, the damned and congested con-
dltlons OF the railroads which handle
the commerce OF hustling yeoman-
ry; the crowding and overfowing
OF the colleges everywhere with men
and women who are honestly and
earnestly seekinga higher citizenship;
all indicate and convince us that this
is an age which tends toward a hap
Ply and marvellous expansion in the
affairs OF life
How delighted are all now that we
are the happy embodiments and i'm
mediate participants Of this golden
and triumphant age of perfect recon-
citation to peace and Christianity.
Now the way is clear, the whole
world, especially America, is upon a
permanent, wide-awake and broad
ening basis. Look at the great array
OF interests beaming up before us,
look at their streams, how they are
expanding and bursting over the
banks, and what prosperity they
send flowing through the land. The
whole being OF man seems to be per-
meated with that tenacious and I'M
yielding spirit of going onward and
upward, of building and charging,
OF facilitating and conveniencing and
OF identifying and expanding the
whole realm of human activity. just
think to what proportions our great
government has extended it's bor-
ders. If she continues at this rate
she will soon take in all the islands
OF both the Atlantic and Pacific
oceans. The increased facilities. in
haDltants and revenues ftom the
Cuban, Porto Rican, Hawaiian and
the Philippine Islands, with their i'm
mense wealth and advantages, have
powerfully strengthened our govern
ment. No wonder the American
nation is both revered and feared by
all the powers of the earth. Her
nome entertainments are so powerful,
her organic and basic principles so
pure, her credit and integrity broad
so absolute and unQuestioned. her
judicial ermine and craftsmanship.
Executive heads in State and Nation
are so admired and feared, her finan-
clal and tariff discoveries and enact
ments have awakened such keen sur
prise and yet such d complete acqui-
escence by all the countries of the
globe, on account of which her in
comes from her commercial inter
course with other natiopalities
amount to $lS7 100000 annually
more than enough to run our own
affairs.
Her army and navy stand out pre-
eminently above all others and can
easily persuade any of the powers-ef
the earth, England not excepted, that
IL Is better TO arbitrate than fight
Amerlca-the gravity OF the issues
to the contrary Notwithstanding. In
other words, she has extended her
proad arms to such proportions that
she can easily protect her rights and
uphold the colors of her flag i'm every
chime, on land or on sea,
This marvellous disposition OF ex-
panslon Is gradually riyeting and