%images;]>LCRBMRP-T0D07The Centennial Jubilee of Freedom at Columbus, Ohio, Saturday, September 22, 1888 : orations, poems and addresses.: a machine-readable transcription.Collection: African-American Pamphlets from the Daniel A. P. Murray Collection, 1820-1920; American Memory, Library of Congress.Selected and converted.American Memory, Library of Congress.

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91-898105Daniel Murray Pamphlet Collection, 1860-1920, Rare Book and Special Collections Division, Library of Congress.Copyright status not determined.
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THE CENTENNIALJUBILEE OF FREEDOM--AT--COLUMBUS, OHIO,SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 1888.Orations, Poems And Addresses.Published By B.W. ARNETT, JR., Secretary.1888:The Aldine Printing House.XENIA, OHIO.

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(CIRCULAR ISSUED)THE JUBILEE OF FREEDOM-AT-THE OHIO CENTENNIAL.

The colored people of Ohio, and of States of the "North-west Territory," will celebrate the triumphs of Liberty at Columbus, O., September 22, 1888.

THIS GRAND JUBILEE WILL CELEBRATE:

First --The Freedom of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin, by the passage of the "Ordinance of 1787;" and

Second -"The Freedom of the Southern States by the Proclamation of Emancipation by Abraham Lincoln in 1863."

The following Committee will make all arrangements for this Grand Centennial Jubilee: Rev. T.H. Jackson, Wilberforce, Ohio; Hon. Jere A. Brown, Cleveland, Ohio; Hon. Wm. Copelend, Cincinnati, Ohio; Rev. Jas. Poindexter, Columbus, Ohio; Edward S. Gilmore, Chillicothe, Ohio; B.W. Arnett, Jr., Secretary, Columbus, Ohio.

THE OHIO CENTENNIAL EXPOSITION,To be held at Columbus, Ohio, during September and October, 1888, is to be a great Historical, Industrial and Educational Celebration of the one hundredth year from the first settlement of Ohio, and will doubtless, be the grandest patriotic celebration ever held in the Mississippi Valley.

Ohio was the first free State carved out of the north-west territory dedicated to freedom by the celebrated "Ordinance of 1787," and the celebration of the first Centennial of Ohio suggests the fitness 00034and appropriateness of celebrating the freedom and emancipation of the Colored Race as a feature of this grand patriotic jubilee.

At our request the managers of this great enterprise have set apart the 22d of September for our celebration of these great and significant events, and the colored people of Ohio, and of all these States, will unite in the grandest celebration of this character ever held upon the continent.

The ceremonies of this great jubilee will be held in the vast auditorium at the Centennial Park, where the great exposition is being held, and will begin at 10 o'clock a. m. on the day named. A grand Jubilee Chorus of five hundred voices will lead in singing the songs of freedom which are so dear to every heart. A National Oration will be delivered by REV. BENJAMIN W. ARNETT, D. D., of Wilberforce University, and an ode to freedom will be pronounced by J. MADISON BELL, of Toledo, Ohio. The morning ceremonies will especially celebrate the Emancipation Proclamation. In the afternoon will be celebrated the "Ordinance of '87'" with song and oration. A brief oration will be delivered by a chosen orator from each of the States of Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin; and the Jubilee Chorus will be led in song by a selected choir from each of these States.

AN EVENING ENTERTAINMENT WILL BE HELD, WITH MADAM MARIE SELIKA, THE CELEBRATED PRIMA DONNA SAPRANO, AND MISS HALLIE Q. BROWN, THE RENOWNEDELOCUTIONIST, AND OTHER MUSICAL AND LITERARY ATTRACTIONS.Special arrangements will be made with the railroads to secure the lowest possible rates of fare, so that all our people may come; and in addition to the pleasure of participating in this grand historic and patriotic jubilee, all will have the privilege of witnessing the wonderful Exposition of Ohio's great industries and arts, which will be, undoubtedly, the finest and most extensive Exposition ever held in the Mississippi Valley.

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This occasion will be one of the greatest significance to us in the wonderful history of our State and country. Every colored military company, Grand Army Post, Lodge of Odd Fellows, Masons, and Knights of Pythias, colored glee club, choir, school, and church is invited to come in a body, so that the colored people of Ohio and Northwest may be fully represented.

A committee of three managers will be appointed for each of the four States named, who will act in concert with the Ohio Committee to perfect all arrangements.

Rev. Jas. Poindexter, of Columbus, Ohio, will be President of the day.

The following Committee on Music has been appointed: Prof. J. F. Ransom, Columbus, Ohio; H. C. Smith, Cleveland, Ohio; Prof. Z. A. Coleman, Cleveland, Ohio; T. W. Johnson, Cincinnati, Ohio.

In due time a volume will be prepared containing the words and music of the most stirring songs of freedom, and these will be furnished at cost to schools, clubs, churches, and individuals.

All communications may be addressed to the Secretary,B. W. ARNETT, JR., COLUMBUS, OHIO.PROGRAMME.REV. JAMES POINDEXTER President of the Day.DR. T. H. JACKSON. Chairman of the Committee of Arrangements, will conduct the Religious Exercises and introduce the President of the day.10 O'CLOCK A. M.Music--Overture,Excelsior Reed Band, Cleveland, OhioInvocationRev. John Coleman, ColumbusGrand Chorus,Battle Hymn of the RepublicIntroduction of President of the DayPoem,J. Madison Bell, Toledo, OhioMusic,Star Spangled BannerNational Oration,Bishop B. W. Arnett, D. D. WilberforceMusic,Excelsior Reed Band, Cleveland, Ohio000562:30 O'CLOCK P. M.Overture,Excelsior Reed Band, Cleveland, OhioReadingMiss Hallie Q. Brown, Wilberforce, OhioSolo-"The Warrior Bold,"Prof. J. F. Ransom, ColumbusAddressDr. J. M. Townsend, Richmond, IndianaMusic-Chorus,Schubert ClubAddress,Rev. C. W. Henderson, Chicago, IllinoisMusic,Excelsior Reed Band, Cleveland, OhioRemarksDr. Townsend, of State University, Columbus Benediction.MusicExcelsior Reed Band, Cleveland, OhioBATTLE HYMN OF THE REPUBLIC. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord;He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored:He hath loosed the fateful lightning of his terrible swift sword;His truth is marching on.CHORUS--Glory! Glory hallelujah!Glory! glory hallelujah!Glory! glory hallelujah!His soul is marching on.I have seen him in the watch-fires of a hundred circling camps;They have builded Him an alter in the evening dews and damps;I can read His righteous sentence by the dim and flaming lamps;His day is marching on.He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat;He is sifting out the hearts of men before his judgment seat;Oh, be swift, my soul, to answer him; be jubilant, my feet;Our God is marching on.

STAR SPANGLED BANNER. Oh, say, can you see by the dawn's early lightWhat so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming;Those broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fightO'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming.00067 And the rocket's red glare, the bomb bursting in air,Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there;Oh, say, does that star spangled banner yet waveO'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes;What is that which the breeze o'er the towering steep,As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,In full glory reflected, now shines o'er the stream;'Tis the star spangled banner; still, still doth it wave.O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.And where is the foe that so vauntingly sworeThat the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,A home and a country should leave us no more?His blood has washed out his foul footstep's pollution.No refuge could save the hireling and slaveFrom the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave;And the star spangled banner in triumph doth waveO'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.Oh, thus be it ever when freemen shall standBetween their loved homes and the war's dissolation.Blest with victory and peace may the heaven rescued bandPraise the power that hath made and preserved us as a Nation!Then conquer we must when our cause it is just;And this be our motto: "In God is our trust;"And the star spangled banner in triumph shall waveO'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

AMERICA. My country 'tis of thee,Sweet land of LibertyOf thee I sing.Land where my fathers died,Land of the pilgrim's pride,From every mountain side,Let freedom ring.Let music swell the breeze,And ring from all the treesSweet freedom's song.Let mortal tongues awake;Let all that breath partake;Let rocks their silence break,The sound prolong.00078 My native country, thee,Land of the noble free,Thy name I love.I love thy rocks and rills,Thy woods and templed hills;My heart with rapture thrills,Like that above.Our father's God, to theeAuthor of liberty,To thee we sing.Long may our land be brightWith freedom's holy light;Protect us by Thy mightGreat God, our King.

DIRECTORS OF THE OHIO CENTENNIAL.Gov. J. B. Foraker, Columbus; Gen. R. Brinkerhoff, Mansfield; Gen. S. H. Hurst, Chillicothe; C. D. Baily, Gallipolis; H. Talcott, Jefferson; J. G. Leverings; H. T. Chittenden, Columbus; W. S. Foster, Urbana; L. B. Harris, Upper Sandusky.OFFICERS.Gov. J. B. Foraker, President; H. T. Chittenden, Vice President; Gen. S. H. Hurst, Director General; L. B. Harris, Treasurer; L. N. Bonham, Secretary; J. W. Fleming, Assistant Secretary.COMMITTEE OF THE JUBILEE OF FREEDOM.Rev. T. H. Jackson, D. D. Wilberforce, Ohio; Hon. Jere A. Brown, Cleveland, Ohio; Hon. Wm. Copeland, Cincinnati, Ohio; Rev. James Poindexter, Columbus, Ohio; Edward Gilmore, Esq. Chillicothe, Ohio; B. W. Arnett, Jr., Secretary, Wilberforce, Ohio.COMMITTEE ON MUSIC.Prof. J. F. Ransom, Musical Director, Columbus, Ohio; Prof. Z. A. Coleman, Cleveland, Ohio; T. W. Johnson, Cincinnati, Ohio; Prof. T. P. Morgan, Cincinnati, Ohio; H. C. Smith, Director Band Muaix, Cleveland, Ohio.

HISTORICAL ORATION--OF--BISHOP BENJAMIN WILLIAM ARNETT, D.D.--AT--THE CENTENNIAL JUBILEE OF FREEDOM, AT COLUMBUS, OHIO,SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 1888.Mr. President, Gentlemen, Fellow Countrymen and Fellow Citizens: We have the honor of witnessing and participating in the closing scenes of the first century of a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. It was not so one hundred years ago. It was then a government of some of the people, for some of the people, and by some of the people, but to-day we have the satisfaction of knowing that in the State of Ohio, and in most of the States formed from the North-west Territory, we have a government of all the people; by all the people, by all of the people, and for all of the people.

We greet the second century with all hail fair and free child of the Republic of time, with our banners flying, with music for our own children with songs from the daughters of oppression and our sons of liberty, are keeping step with the progressive spirit of the age. Being cognizant of the marvelous changes of the past, of the wonderful acclivities of the present and grand promises of the future, the living fact meets me that I am living in a wonderful age, a citizen of a great Republic, a member of a peculiar race, walking in the light of sixty centuries of human experience, enjoying the rich harvest of the labors of at least one hundred and seventy generations of men in language, manners, arts, sciences, government and religion--the first emotions of my heart is to say," Praise God from whom all blessings flow," and after listening to the grand chorus of the "Children of Freedom," men and women who have just entered into Canaan, for we are still in 000810Gilgal. The men who stopped in the midst of the Jordan of war and lifted the stones of Freedom and brought them on the point of their bayonet, or at the cannon's mouth, are still living and watching to see what we will do with the memorials of deliverance. We are here to-day to enquire "What mean these things?" "What means this Children of Israel after their return from the Babylonish captivity, to the city of their fathers, they beheld the walls all joined together, the towers rebuilt and manned, they with joy said "Walk about Zion, and go round about her; tell the towers thereof. Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; that ye may tell it to generations following. For this God is our God forever and ever; he will be our guide even unto death."

We are here to-day to walk about the Zion of Freedom, Justice and Equity, to rejoice with the friends of human progress in this exhibition of the products of the soil and brain of the North-west Territory in general and Ohio in particular, to see whether a free country with free men and free labor has been a success or a failure; whether it has been detrimental to the progress of the state and the security of society, or, have the rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness been less secure under this new form of government than under the old?

This exhibition is an answer to the question. For at least six thousand years the world has been preparing for this exhibition; here we see the display of the wonderful inventive genius of man, the finest specimens of the animal kingdom, the varieties of the vegetable life, the metals and minerals in great variety. I congratulate myself upon having the opportunity of witnessing this grand scene, allow me to congratulate you and this vast audience on the meeting of the sons, of the men, who fought that men may be free. We have come from the East and West, North and South to celebrate the one hundredth year of the establishment of civil government in the North-west Territory and to join in the general jubilee. What interest have we in it?

It is because whatever of freedom there is in the land everybody is interested in it. There is nothing so universal as the love of freedom. Mind, soul and body freedom. All the battles of the world have been fought to secure one or the other of them. The progress of the race can be traced by the foot steps of the war-horse, and the 000911triumph of mind over matter has been the signal for the advancement of the forces of moral reform, and in the success of the better element of the community, a demand has been made for better government.

Man is a social being, he must have some kind of government or he cannot be happy, he must rule or be ruled. He recognizes the fact that the individual is the unit of the family, and the family is the factor of the community which forms the State.

Individuals come in contact with each other, their duties and obligations are increased in proportion to the number of persons they have to deal with; a settlement of two or more families requires no municipal county or state government, but each family is a government unto itself, but as the numbers increase a village is formed and we have the simplest form of political government. Officers are appointed to preserve the peace and see that each person is protected in his natural, civil and political rights.

The Centennial Commissioners are entitled to the hearty congratulations of the citizens of the state, for the able manner in which they have discharged the duties imposed on them, and we are under many obligations to them for remembering that, of all the people in the state who ought to appreciate the blessings flowing from passage of the ordinance of July 13, 1787, it was the colored people, and remembering that as the twenty-sixth anniversary of Lincoln's proclamation would occur during the fair, that it would be proper and right to call all the friends of liberty to assemble and have a Jubilee of Freedom, to have a feast where all of the family could partake and enjoy the centennial anniversary--this is the Thanksgiving Dinner of Liberty. We are all here from all walks of life, from every station in society, from the lowlands of the Maumee to the coal fields of the South, we have come to join with the Commissioners in honoring the heroes of liberty.

We are to congratulate the Commissioner General for his interest in this part of the celebration, when his attention was called to the propriety of the colored people taking some part in the great event. "It is just the thing, of all other people of the North-west, they are the greatest beneficiaries" of the immortal ordinance of 1787. He was right, and his words were the truth, and in behalf of the present generation, and the generations yet to come, I thank Gen. S. H. 001012Herst, the brain and soul of the Centennial. I take nothing away from my friends in the Agricultural Society, for they too have stood by us, and join with us in the Nation Song of the second century of civil government in the State of Ohio. We are all proud of the noble men who have spent their time and talent in planning, organizing and arranging for the display which meets our eyes this day. This wonderful collection of the products of the soil and the mechanical genius of the citizens of the commonwealth.

I congratulate my audience that they are citizens of the great Republic, the greatest on the face of the globe. It is great in its material possessions, in its institutions of learning, in the improved methods of industry and grand in the skill of her citizens, with a varied soil and climate producing the fruits of all countries. The precious metals are found in the mountains, in fact, we have inexhaustable mines of silver, gold, iron, coal and lead, only waiting for the hand of industry to touch them, and they will start into life, doing the bidding of man, and adorning his home. Our rivers, which lace the bosom of the continent, and are the highways on which are borne the inter-production of the states. The railways, which are the bracelets on the arm of commerce, which both adorn and stregthen, center in this city, and from here we can go to the uttermost parts of the earth.

It matters not which way we look, we find reasons for congratulations, whether we look at our own country and its possibilities, or consider the duties we owe to each other, to our family and to God. How wonderful is this vast Empire of Freedom. What grand fields for the complete development of the human mind. How vast our territory. Just think of it as it appears to the mind of the "Student of Nations."

This exhibition is the sign of the triumph of mind over matter. All that we see around us is the hard earned trophies of the army of human progress. It is the accumulations of the ensigns of victory over the forces of nature, the grand review of the contest which began when man was given the earth to subdue and till it. Every man who has lived has been a soldier in the grand army of nature. Every man has to fight or die. It is a life or death contest to subdue the forces of nature, to roll back the cloud of ignorance, or to control the passions. It is wonderful to see how man has harnessed 001113the forces, arranged the powers, until we stand in wonder at the greatness of men, how profound in his intellect, how manly in his relation to his fellowmen? But we are happy that we are here to join with the citizens of the State in thanking God for what He has done, and praising man for the part he has taken in this work.

We have met again to celebrate the enthronement of right and the dethronement of wrong in this State, which was a part of the North-west Territory. We are here to rejoice at what has been wrought in one hundred years.

Again we are to give thanks that liberty has overcome oppression, and has secured to each of her children a home, free and dedicated to religion, morality and knowledge.

We join the general Jubilee Chorus, because freedom has finally triumphed over her foe, slavery, and there is not a master within our borders, nor a slave on our strand, every man is as free as the air he breathes, or as the waters of our rivers; he is free to come or go, to work or starve, to buy a home or pay rent, to be an honest or dishonest citizen, to be an equal among his equals or to be a follower all the days of his life. He has the same hope set before him as others, the hope of office, of power or defeat, all are ours if we can get there.

We celebrate the victory of one hundred years of conflict between wrong and right, one hundred years of the struggle between freedom and slavery. It has been a battle of prayers, tears, sighs, bullet and ballot. The forces have met on land and sea, in the school house, in college hall, in the home, in the church, in the pulpit, on the platform, at the bar, in the court house, at the bar of public opinion, by young men and maidens, by old men and women, by ministers and laymen, by judge and lawyer, by orator and poet, all of them have had a hand in the irrepressible conflict, and, with tongue or pen, or bullet and ballot have been instrumental in bringing about the great triumph of freedom in the State of Ohio, and in all of the States of the North-west, save the State of Indiana, which still has a few laws discriminating against the race.

But we are very thankful that we have lived to see the day when color, alone, is not the only passport to places of trust, honor or emoluments. But now a man will pass for what he is worth to the community in which he lives. If he is a dime, he will pass for a dime; if he 001214is a dollar, he will pass for one-he may be silver, paper or gold, but still he will be a dollar. But some one may say, that is not the case in all parts of the land. That may be true, but then I remember when there was a great difference in gold, silver and a greenback dollar, but now one will buy as much as the other. It is now only a matter of taste as to which one a man will have. So it will be with our citizenship, it will pass for all it is worth in a short time. It will be as valuable in Louisiana as in New York. God hasten the day.

The only question in the future will be, whose image does he bear ? "An American citizen" will be the reply. Then render to "Caesar the things that are his, and to God the things that are his," and then our votes will be as potent on election day, as we were on the battle field.

Some one will say, why was it that the American continent was so long an unknown land? Because a wise Providence was training man how to govern himself-preparing him for self-government. It was to be the home of freedom, universal freedom to worship God, to give thee fullest protection to life, liberty, person, property, and to reputation.

Here the final battle for free soil, free men, free speech, free press, free homes, free schools, free ballot, and a fair count was to be fought and won.

In all the conflicts the right, at last has prevailed, and in the battle yet to be fought, we have no doubt, but that we shall, before the close of the second century of civilized government in the Northwest, be, or our children will be, called upon to celebrate the final victory of complete equality, opportunities, protections and rights to all men, from sea to sea, from lake to gulf.

There is one thing that gives me much encouragement, that is that every race that has taken any part in the world's progress and development, has had its yesterday, to-day and to-morrow. We have had our yesterday of slavery and wrong. We are now in the to-day of new duties, new obligations, new hopes, new possibilities, new relations to our family, our country, to society and to God.

But we see the dawning of the new day and new duties of tomorrow. We have come through the iron past, we are now living in the silver present, instructing our children, laying deep and broad 001315the foundations for the golden future, which is as sure to come, as the night of bondage hath given away to the forenoon, of the day of freedom, and we have come this morning to join in the breakfast of the day of hope, the day so long expected, the year of full release, the year of freedom's grand triumph throughout the land.

No man who loves his country or race can remain still as the march of events pass him by, or press him on every side to move on! Move on! The receding clouds of ignorance and oppression, had a silver lining to the slave, they have hung over our race for more than two hundred and sixty-eight years, since the days when the Puritans landed at Plymouth and planted religious and personal freedom, and in the same year the Cavaliers landed in Jamestown, Va., and stated that they thought that it was right to hold property in man.

After two hundred and sixty-eight years of conflict, the enlightened sentiment of the Commonwealth of Christianity hath branded slavery as a crime against man and God, and hath decided that freedom is the natural or normal condition of every man of all races and all climes. It has cost millions of lives and rivers of blood to purchase and secure this golden sentiment, and give to man a government of the people, for the people and by the people, and it is your duty and my duty to transmit this government to our children, unimpaired in strength, beauty or power, to protect the citizens at home or abroad, the privileges of exercising his rights in each and every State, the right to choose what principals, policy, or men shall administer the just and equal laws of the National and municipal governments.

Throughout the Commonwealth of Freedom, the sons and daughters of liberty are accustomed to meet on special occasions, to celebrate, to commemorate some event of local or general interest, to look over the ground traveled, to see the valley behind and below them. To count the battles fought and victories won. To see what has been gained or lost to freedom. To see what of the army is left to fight the battles of the present. To see what organizations are necessary to the success of the future. To gain strength with which to continue the conflict, whether intellectual or moral. To achieve success in the field of political and domestic economy-for the benefit of the state or church. To marshal the forces of knowledge and advancement. To assist in building more churches, school houses, and fewer jails and houses of correction. 001416The boys and girls have caught the inspiration of the genius of our institutions of freedom and equality, and we have been blessed with a harvest of the noblest men of the century, all showing the possibilities of the institutions of the loyal sons and daughters of the commonwealth. We have produced on our soil the immortal--the rail splitter, Abraham Lincoln, who became President of the greatest Republic of ancient and modern times, emancipating millions of his fellow men, then dies a martyr to constitutional government, and finally a saint in Heaven.

The ferry boy, S.P. Chase, becomes the pioneer of the free Soilers in the North-west; the first government of the Free Soilers, and Senator of the first daughters of freedom; the Secretary of the Treasury in time of war and Chief Justice of the Nation. Dies loved and honored by those whom he assisted in the night of oppression.

The tanner boy, U.S. Grant, becomes the leader of a million loyal men, the savior of his country, the President of his people. Then traveled around the globe. He wrote the records of his comrade's and his own triumphs. Suffered on Mount McGregory and passed into Heaven--uttering the -words--Let there be peace to the Nation "he loved, served and saved.""

BATTLE OF LIBERTYThe battle between right and wrong, justice and injustice, slavery and freedom, liberty and oppression, has been fought by every man, since Adam came from the plastic hands of his maker, and will not be finished until the last man crosses the narrow sea, into that land where there is no past, present or future, but everything is eternal; no changes, no better, nor worse, but the true, beautiful and good. Morals, Spiritual and Intellectual, shall be enthroned in the presence of Him, whose right it shall be to reign and honor and bless.

The advent of Jesus of Nazareth was an epoch in the history of man and government, as well as in morals and religion. His mission was to bring to man that which he did not know. He was to draw the line between human and divine government, and show that they were not necessarily opposed to each other, but that it was possible for man to render to Caeser the things that were his, and to God the things that were His. That the king and subject, the rich and poor, the church and state could all act in harmony with each other and 001517assist in the elevation of man, and secure to him the greatest freedom consistant with the highest good to all.

The struggle between authority and truth began in Judia, when the Son of Mar taught as never man taught, "the sublime doctrine" of man's relation to society and government. That all men were on the same platform before their maker, equally dependent, equally responsible, therefore equally free. This is the true basis of society and the sure foundation of the state. Whoever builds on it will stand against all the changes in men and things, for personal, soul freedom is the true basis of free thought and religious liberty.

The battle of freedom in Greece was led on by the champion of Christianity Paul, the man who heard the cry, "Come over and help us?" In humble obedience to the heavenly call, he crossed the sea and with barbarian accent he announced the truth, which should startle from reprose the hoary mythology and the boasted wisdom of Greece. He had come to preach the gospel; he came to bring good news to the people; he came to bring life, light and hope; but how was he received by those whom he had come to save? With interference, imprisonment and torture; but he fought the good fight and Greece was won to liberty of religious worship.

The battle of freedom was fought in Rome by Pollycarp and the Christian martyrs, and when they had finished, the right to serve God was not denied to any of the true and faithful, but much blood, and many tears, was the price of the freedom in Rome.

In Italy, the battle was long; it was a religious battle. That was the battle where the saints of goodness and heroes of virtue led the host.

In England, the Magna Charter was given to the people, and from that day until to-day we have been advancing in the rights of men.

The forms of government have changed and the responsibility for the protection of life and property. The doctrine of the divine right of kings to rule has been superceeded by the thought, that every man is the king of his own happiness.

PLYMOUTH AND JAMESTOWN.The Mayflower was the ship of state which landed at Plymouth in Dec. 20, 1620. She was the representative of the true government 001618of freedom, by freemen, where free labor was to receive an adequate compensation, and religious freedom was to be the foundation of state and the security of the Church. The Puritans were the representatives of liberty and justice.

In Aug., 1620, another vessel was landed at Jamestown, Va. The first twenty negroes were landed and sold, and human slavery was planted and grew to great proportions, so that we have the following as the figures since 1790, when the first census was taken.CENSUS OF FREE AND SLAVE COLORED.Census of Free Colored. IncreaseSlaves. Increase Free Colored IncreasePercent.Percent. and Slaves. Percent.179059,466 697,807757,3631800108,39582.28893,04127.971,001,43632.231810186,44672.001,191,36433.401,377,81037.581820233,52425.231,538,03828.791,771,56228.581830319,59936.872,009,04330.612,328,64231.441840386,30320.872,487,45523.812,873,76226,621850434,44912.463,204,31328.823,638,76226,621860482,12210.973,953,58723.384,435,70921.9018704,886,3874,880,00410.0018806,580,76334.80

The increase from 1870 to 1880, of the race, was the wonder of the world. In one or two cases, the commissioner of the census had a recount, but every time the children were there and could not be counted out. The immortal thirty-four per cent. sent consternation to all the foes of the race,--those who said that it would die out when free. What was the most marvelous thing about it, was that we had no help from immigration; the increase was the legitimate first fruit of freedom. The following will give an idea of the gains from 1870 to 1880:The total gain in ten years was1,401,888The total gain in one year was140,188The total gain in one month was16,682The total gain in one day was389 1-5The total gain in one hour was16The total gain in 1/4 hour was4

What will we do with the negro? Let him alone! Let him alone, and by and by he will be able to help himself. He will go to the West and grow up with the country.

001719

THE ORGANIZATION OF AN INDEPENDENT GOVERNMENT. THE FOLLOWING WERE THE WORDS OF THE HEROES OF 1776."When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the Powers of the Earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation."

"We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty and happiness; that to secure these rights governments are instituted among men deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed; that whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it and to institute a new government, laying its foundations on such principles and organizing its powers in such form as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness."

The Declaration of Independence was the Magna Charta of American liberty. It was the expression of the soul of human freedom, and the language of the patriots of 1776.

The expression was not learned from the nations of antiquity, it was not taught in any work on political economy, but it was the simple utterance of the human soul on the question of mind, soul and body freedom. Where was the expression from? Whence its origin? Was it earth or heaven born? Never in the history of man was so grand an utterance announced as the corner stone of a humane government. It startled the inhabitants of the Old World, and made kings and the great men of the royal aristocracy examine their title to power and honor. It was like the bow of hope to the struggling government of the New World. It was a death blow to the doctrine of the divine right of kings to rule the people. The shock of that blow is still felt in all lands where the name of, and the fame of, our grand Republic is known to the earth's inhabitants, and the beneficent influences of the doctrine of this government of the people, and by the people, and for the people, is to continue to increase in power and influence until the inhabitants of the earth enjoy universal freedom.

001820

When the fathers formed the constitution, they used the following language:"We, the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this constitution for the United States."

Never was there an instrument of writing more in harmony with the spirit of justice and right than was the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, but it was the same year that the Ordinance of 1787 was proposed and the Northwest was given to freedom. The spirit of liberty was abroad in the land, in city and country, in the valley and on the mountain, it filled the hearts of the people, and the sentiments were for the equality of man.

PREPARATORY STEPS TO THE ORDINANCE OF 1787.The first step was to appeal to the friends of liberty and justice and secure their hearty support. This was done, and they by speeches, lectures, essays, debates and books, presented the wrongs of the negro, and the sinfulness of slavery was presented to the Christian world as never before. This was the period of individual effort.

The second step or period was when the friends of freedom formed organizations, anti-slavery societies to make and mould public sentiment against the slave trade in foreign lands, to protest against man stealing and man buying, to resist the non-extension of slavery in the territories and to prevent any State from entering the Union.

The third step or period was when an effort was made to take the question out of the realm of politics as far as practicable and put it in the domain of morals, to make it a moral and commercial question, to bring the problem home to the gates of commerce and the door of the church and thus make the pulpit take one side or the 001921other, to show commerce that it would be most prosperous in a free land, with free institutions and free men. The matter was brought before the bars of public opinion and conscience, and finally before the bar of God, by the true sons of liberty and the sons of oppression. In many places the pulpit was as dumb as the pew, and both were deaf to the appeal of the oppressed and the entreaties of their friends; the ten commandments and the golden rule were imprisoned in the house of God.

The fourth step or period was when it became a contest between free and slave labor. The rights of the negro became a factor in the problem of commerce and became intimately connected with men of all stations and positions. The agriculturalist, the mechanic, the merchant, the manufacturer of wool and cotton goods, the banker, the producer and consumer could not ignore the question, whether producer of manual or mental labor; it was to their interest to take the side of freedom, because men are independent beings. What is good for the individual is good for the whole.

Fifth, the ordinance of 1787 was one of the greatest state papers of the colonial period of our government, or we may say of the formative period of the confederacy. It was the last great act of the confederacy, for while the congress in New York was discussing its provisions, the constitutional convention was in session in Philadelphia, laying the foundation of the great republic, tracing the designs of the temple of universal liberty and equality, where all races of men were to assist in establishing, maintaining, protecting a government of the people, for the people and by the people. Thus the legal, civil, social and political rights of the people demanded a definition and an understanding. If they were citizens, then they were entitled to all the rights enjoyed by the most favored; if not citizens, but men with no rights of their own, then another course was necessary. It was a trying time, for the very air was pregnant with the sentiments of the Declaration of Independence. The ten commandments and the golden rule had met and kissed each other at the birth of the nation. Statesmen and orators had dwelt on the inalienable rights of men, not white men nor black men, but they had said that all men were created equal and endowed with certain 002022rights, which could not be sold or bought, nor could they be given away, right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Sixth step toward the establishment of the empire of freedom was the desire of the soldiers of the revolution to establish a government on the fundamental principles for which they had fought and suffered.

The seventh step which brought about the ordinance was the "Hand of God," as seen in the providential arrangement of the--of the world, so that it was almost impossible for the Americans to retain their respect of England, France and Spain without showing that their profession of supreme love of liberty was genuine, and that when they said all men they meant the black, red and white men. It was a cancellation of a debt to the sentiment of universal liberty. It was a demand from the world on the revolutionary fathers; they paid it willingly and we enjoy its blessings.

The eighth step or reason for the ordinance of 1787 was that it became a religious question. The negro came to the church of the living God, and asked: Am I not a man and brother? The negro received no respect, was put in the galleries and was invited to the "second table" to commemorate the death and suffering of Christ. But he would sing with them: "My Saviour's pierced side poured out a double flood, By water we are purified and purchased with his blood."

The ninth step toward the ordinance of 1787 was the desire of the soldiers as pay for their services to liberty, to have established an empire of religion, freedom, morality and knowledge, for they had been paid in continental money and they desired it exchanged for land.

The tenth step was the desire of the Ohio company to have land for freemen and not slaves, to establish christian homes and intelligent homes, where justice and righteousness, peace and prosperity 002123reigned under the same roof and where all would eat at the same table and pray to the same God.

The eleventh step was the elementary principle of New England churchman and statesman combined in the Rev. Manassah Cutler, who for the first time in the march of years, brought the laws of Moses and the teaching of the Nazarene together and gave to the world the most sublime example of the triumph of principle over personal interest and laid the corner stone of the temple of universal freedom for all time to come.

The organization of the State of Ohio was one of the events of the century. We have the true idea of government in the Bill of Rights.

THE OHIO IDEA.Ordinance 4, 1787, Article III: "Religion, morality, and knowledge, being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged."

Article VI of Ordinance, 1787: "There shall be neither slavery nor involuntary servitude in said territory, otherwise than in punishment of crime, whereof the party shall have been duly convicted." July 17, 1787.

THE OBJECT OF THE GOVERNMENT.Section 2, Bill of Rights: "All political power is in the hands of the people." This is a child of the Western world; it was never born on the Eastern shore, or grown on Oriental soil. The presumption is that every person in the State, whether a citizen or not comes within this provision. The absolute and equal freedom of all persons at birth is a fundamental principle of American institutions, proclaimed with independence, and incapable of abrogation.

The principle was, by the ordinance of 1787, impressed on the virgin soil, while our great State was yet in the womb of the Northwestern 002224Territory. Before there was an organized community within its limits. It is fundamental in her organizations, always imbedded in her constitution and in her laws and policy. And the moral and religious conviction of her people are instinct with this spirit. Anderson vs. Poindexter 6 O. S. 622, 634, Bunker Huff, J.

We find that in the great struggle of freedom and slavery that there were many varieties of opinions as to the best methods of accomplishing the end. We are glad to know that the new men of state were in harmony with liberty, justice and right.

An illustration of what our fathers thought of the matter and what was their action: They knew that it was the duty of Congress, alike under the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution of the United States, to legislate for the territories and provide governments for their regulation. The resolutions of the Congress of the Confederation for the temporary government of the territory ceded by the individual States to the United States, adopted April 23, 1784, provided for the establishment of territorial government by the "free males of full age;" and the famous Ordinance of July 13, 1787 ; for the government northwest of the river Ohio, which repeals the resolutions of 1784 and the salient point of which was known first as the "Jefferson proviso," and later, in connection with the Oregon struggle, as the "Wilmot proviso," vested the right of suffrage in the "free male inhabitants of full age," with a certain freehold qualification. This Ordinance was re-enacted immediately after the adoption of our present Constitution, by the act of Congress of August 7, 1789; and in this respect was precedent for every subsequent territorial act passed until 1812. The several act passed from the foundation of the Government to that date was as follows:

Under the Congress of the Confederation, those to which I have referred, namely, that of April 23, 1784, "for the temporary government of territory ceded or to be ceded by the individual States to the United States," and that of July 13, 1787, "for the government of the territory of the United States northwest of the river Ohio."

And the Congress of the United States since the adoption of the Constitution:

The act of August 7, 1789, already referred to as re-enacting the Ordinance of 1787.

002325

The act of May 26, 1790, for the government of the territory of the United States south of the river Ohio, under which, as we have seen, the State of Tennessee was organized;

The act of April 7, 1798, for the establishment of a government in the Mississippi Territory;

The act of May 7, 1800, establishing Indiana Territory;

The act of March 26, 1804, for the government of Louisiana, which provided for a legislative council, to be appointed by the President of the United States, and not for an elective Legislature, as did the rest;

The act of January 11, 1805, for the government of Michigan Territory;

The act of March 2, 1805, for the establishment of the territory of Orleans; and

The act of February 2, 1809, for the government of Illinois Territory;

And in no one of these ten acts was any restriction placed on the right of suffrage by reason of the color of the citizen. In none of them was the word "white" used to limit the right to suffrage.

The next territorial act was that of June 4, 1812, providing for the government of Missouri Territory. More than twenty-two years had passed since the adoption of the Constitution; and the men who had achieved our independence and fashioned our institutions in harmony with the fundamental truths they had declared, and who, during this long period, more than the average active life of a generation, had resisted, the the aristocratic and strife engendering demands of South Carolina, were rapidly passing, indeed most of them had passed from participation in public affairs. Meanwhile, slavery had been strengthened by the unhappy compromise of the Constitution conceded to South Carolina and Georgia.

The following is a general summary of the Territory that was known as the Northwest in 1787, and which was to be formed into five States, and to be the home of freemen for freemen:StateSquare Miles Pop. 1800.Pop. 1800 Ohio41,06645,0003,198,239 Indiana36,3505,6401,978,362 Illinois56,65012,2823,078,769 Wisconsin56,040(1840) 30,9451,315,480 Michigan58,915(1810) 4,7621,636,331

The total number of square miles in these five States is 248,411.

The total number of inhabitants in 1800 was 70,684, in the same territory we have 11,207,181. In 1800 there were 1,253 colored persons free, and 455 slaves, or a total colored population of 1,708. We have now 182,663 colored persons, all free, and no slaves. These figures were given at the last census, 1880, but to-day, no doubt, there are more than 200,000 colored persons enjoying the blessings of freedom and equal rights and join with us to-day in the centennial jubilee of freedom. Indiana was a part of the Northwest Territory and was first settled by Canadian voyagers in 1702, at Vincennes. It was organized as a Territory in 1800, and admitted into the Union in 1816 with an area of 36,350 square miles, which are contained in its 94 counties. The following will show how her numerical strength has developed and how the colored people have increased within her borders:White Free Colored Slaves Total.17901800181023,89030323724,5201820145,7581,230190147,1781830339,3993,6203343,0381840678,6987,1653685,8661850977,15411,262988,41618601339,00011,4281350,42818701655,83724,5601680,63718801,939,09438,9981978,362

Illinois contains 56,650 square miles of territory. The first settlement was by the French at Kaskaskia, in 1682. It was a part of the Northwest Territory of 1787, was organized as a separate Territory in 1809, and admitted as a State of the Union in 1818. The following will give an idea of its growth since it was dedicated to freedom: 002427Free Colored.Slaves. Whites. Total. 17901800181061316811,50112,282182045791753,78855,16218301,637747155,061157,44518403,598331472,254476,18318505,436331841,037851,47018607,6281704,3231711,951187028,7622511,0962539,858188046,2483032,1743078,769

Wisconsin was first settled by the French at Green Bay, in 1669, was a part of the Northwest Territory in 1787, organized as a Territory in 1836, and was admitted as a State in 1847. The following will show the numerical growth and strength:White Persons.Colored Persons.Total.184030,74918530,9451850304,753635305,3911860774,7101,171775,88118701051,3512,1131053,46418801309,6222,7241315,480Number of square miles, 56,040.

The first settlement within the State of Michigan was at Sault St. Marie, in the year 1868. It was a part of the Northwest Territory until it was organized as a Territory, in 1805. It was admitted as a State in 1837, with an area of 58,915 square miles of land. It consists of 79 counties and has the following enumerations of its population:Free Colored. Slaves.Whites.Total179018001810120244,6184,76218201748,5918,76518302613231,34631,6391840707211,560212,26718502,583395,071397,65418606,799742,314749,113187011,8491167,2821179,131188014,9861614,0781636,331

002528

STATE OF OHIOOhio was explored by La Salle in 1669. The first settlement at Marietta was April 7th 1788. The civil government was established July 15th, 1788, organized as a Territory May 7th, 1800, and admitted as a State April 30th, 1802. It has 88 counties, 33 Senators and 110 Representatives. Representatives. It is 225 miles, from east to west, and from north to south it is 200 miles, and has an area of 40,760 square miles, or 25,686,400 acres of land, as good as is to be found in the States; the valleys are very productive and the hills are the homes of a vast mineral treasury.

One hundred years ago, forty persons landed at Marietta. In 1180, we had in the State 1,613,031 males, 1,584,126 females, or a total of 3,198,062. Of these, 2,803,119 are natives, and 394,943 foreigners. There are 109 Chinamen, 130 Indians, 3,117,920 whites and 79,900 colored. That is a grand army of men and women, but they have a grand record on the subject of human rights.

The entire State is well watered. Valleys extremely productive; uplands fertile, as a rule. Ohio ranks first in agricultural implements and wool, second in dairy products, petroleum, iron and steel, third in wheat, sheep, coal, malt, and distill liquors, fourth in printing and publishing, salt, miles railway and soap, fifth in milch cows, hogs, horses, hay, tobacco and iron ore. Coal, building stones, iron ore and salt are found in vast quantities. Staple crops, wheat, corn, oats, potatoes, tobacco, buckwheat, etc., vegetables, apples, and the hardier fruits.

It was to be an empire of knowledge. We have that empire in this State, where every child from six years to twenty-one years of age has the privilege of attending schools of some kind. But what have we gained in the past century? In 1788, one school. But today we have:Number of youth of school age in the State, in Sept., 18861,101,358Number of school districts in the State11,924 Number of sub-districts in township districts11,056Number of school-houses in township districts11,237Number of school houses erected within the year397Cost of school-houses erected within the year$ 799,747Estimated value of school-houses, including grounds $28,467,005Number of teachers necessary to supply schools18,454Number of different teachers actually employed24,620002629Av. No. weeks the schools were in session in township districts 29Av. No. weeks the schools were in sessions in separate districts34Number of pupils enrolled in the schools775,149Average number of pupils in daily attend517,844Number of school officers52,198Number of public libraries reported252Number of volumes in libraries991,086Total receipts, including balance on hand September 1, 1885.$13,979,219.02Total expenditures 10,121,897.77BRANCHES OF STUDY TAUGHT AND NUMBER IN EACH, IN 1886.Reading652,131Spelling669,882Penmanship641,853Arithmetic594,779Geography316,951English Grammar211,878Composition191,092Drawing158,071Vocal Music293,714Map Drawing48,190Oral Lessons206,273U.S. History89,137Physiology8,987Physical Geography10,328Natural Philosophy9,902German51,153Algebra20,752Geometry5,135Trigonometry1,312Surveying159Chemistry2,018Geology894Botany2,817Astronomy1,474Book-keeping3,765Natural History1,029Mental Philosophy443Moral Philosophy389Rhetoric2,881Logic190 Latin6,461Greek185 French52General History6,532Literature4,524 Science of Government2,282Political Economy725

The glory of the schools in Ohio, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Michigan are that they are free to all, and every child, of every race, has a common right to the fountain of knowledge. All are invited to drink of the waters and be made whole.

INDIANA AND THE ORDINARY OF 1787.It was in the year of 1803, that W.H. Harrison was appointed Governor of Indiana Territory. A great many slave-holders from Kentucky had settled in this part of the Northwest. A convention of the citizens was called and a memorial was sent to the Congress of the United States, asking that the sixth section of the ordinance 002730of 1787 be so modified, that persons who had slaves could keep them and remain in the Territory.

The resolutions and memorial were presented to the Congress, and a committee of which John Randolph was chairman, on the 2d of March, 1803. He subsequently made a unanimous report, refusing to grant the prayer of the petitioners. The Congress soon adjourned and no action was taken on the report. But at the next session, the same subject was referred to a committee, with Caesar Rody, of Delaware, at its head. On the 17th of February, 1804, Mr. Rody reported a qualified suspension of the sixth article for ten years. This was never acted upon, but died as it was born. In 1824 an attempt was made in the State of Illinois to call a State Convention and alter the Constitution, so as to establish slavery. After an annimated canvass, the scheme was defeated by only 1,800 votes out of a total vote of 12,000. But the 1,800 votes was as a grand wall for freedom. In 1805-6, another petition was offered, and another select committee, with Mr. Garrett, of Virginia, as chairman. This report was favorable to the memoralist. It was made a special order but was never reached by Congress.

In 1807, the Legislative council sent a petition for the suspension, and Mr. Park, of Indiana, was made chairman of the committee. The committee made a favorable report but it was never acted upon by Congress.

In 1807, November 13th, Mr. Franklin reported on the letter of General Harrison and the memorial of the Legislative council, refusing the request of the citizens, on the grounds of the general good of the community.

The friends of freedom triumphed in this battle before the Congress of the United States, and the friends of slavery returned home to renew their battle in another form. Though they could not prevent the onward march of freedom, they resolved that they would do all in their power to make the colored man's freedom worse than slavery.

LET US SEE HOW THE FIGHT WENT ON.The Black laws of Indiana have not been repealed until this day. In 1806, a law was passed which provided that the time of colored men could be sold. The laws said: 002831"Be it enacted, that the time and service of such negroes and mulattoes may be sold on execution against the master."

This was the recognition of propriety in man.-- Williams' Hestely.

Another act was passed September 17, 1807, requiring masters to register, and to give the master authority to remove out of the Territory, providing the slaves refused to work. It was required to have the name of each slave registered within twenty days after entering this free territory where slavery was prohibited by organic laws. The first Constitution of Indiana was adopted in 1816. In it the negroes were not denied the elective franchise. The bill of rights was as follows: "That all men are born equally free and independent, and having certain natural inheritant and unalienable rights." This was right. It was the better judgment of the convention.

We find that in the next year, 1817, a law was passed which took away the right to testify in the courts.

In 1831, the negro question was again in the Legislature and an fact was passed regulating the free negroes and mulattoes. Finding that it was impossible to keep them out of the State, they tried to make it as hard as possible; but our fathers were equal to the task.

In 1851, the Constitution restricted the elective franchise to white male citizens of the United States. They were denied the right of jury, the State militia. No negro need apply. A fine of five or ten dollars was put on any person, who encouraged a negro to stay in the State, or to make a contract with him to work--to earn his bread; to help take care of his family. There was a fine if he went to work, and if he got something without work, they sent him to jail and fined him, and then sold him to pay his fine.

In 1885, Rev. J. M. Townsend was elected from Wayne county, Indiana. He made a gallant fight for the repeal of the least distinctive law in the State, but failed. So the battle goes on. It is the only State of the Northwest wherein the laws do not apply alike to every citizen without regard to race or color. The time will come when even Indiana will recognize the immortal Declaration of Independence, and do justice to all of her citizens.

002932

WHAT OHIO WAS, AND IS.Ohio was the border land of freedom; the isthmus between slavery and Canada. It was the short cut of the underground railway. It was the battle-field of liberty. It was the citadal of legal equality, and the home of civil rights and universal emancipation, and was the seat of the first college for the sons of oppression and daughter of bondage. It was here liberty took her stand and said to slavery, "Thus far shall thou come and no further; here thy proud waves must stop."

The Sons of Liberty organized and announced these principles to the world, and nominated one of their number for President of the United States and said, "Roll on, liberty's ball, roll on, until every chain is broken and every fetter loosed from the limbs of every son of Adam." Here the genius of universal liberty, immediate emancipated equal rights to all men, unfurled the banner and called on all the Sons of Liberty to follow the standard on to victory or death. Here was the place where the fugitive slave law found its strongest foes. Here it was checked in its wild career. Here the "Free Soilers" had the first victory over their foes. Here the right of an equal education was first conceded to the colored men. Here we had men who would assist in the darkness of the night, the son of bondage on his way to freedom. It was the school of freedom. The normal school of liberty. The college and seminary of human rights, and the university where the Declaration of Independence, Ten Commandments, and the Golden Rule were the only text books, and the motto was "The fatherhead of God and the brotherhood of man!"

The men who belonged to the Ohio company had been soldiers in the revolutionary war. They had received their pay in Continental promise to pay. So they wanted to secure homes for their families in the west; they wanted some place to settle down, so that they and their children could live happy and contented. We find that the conditions were for the establishment of an empire of freedom, free soil, free men, free speech, free press, free schools and free ballots.

An empire of religious liberty.--Free to worship God, or free to have their own thoughts on God, man, time and eternity; free to advocate natural or revealed theology; free to be a Methodist or a 003033Catholic. But the religious sentiment has been one of no strong tower of the Northwest; it has given us an honest, sober and industrious community.

An empire of knowledge.-Education was to be encouraged and supported, so that every child in the States would be prepared to be an intelligent and useful citizen. It was to be a moral as well as a secular education. The whole man-head, heart and hands were so be trained, brought out.

An empire of free homes.--Every family was to be provided with a home, which the family could arrange with taste and care, adorn and beautify, for the better enjoyment of life; where a family altar, dedicated to religion, morality and knowledge could be established.

An empire of honest and loyal men, who loved their country more than self, who were consecrated to the principle of the Declaration of Independence, and obeyed the Ten Commandments, and worked by the Golden Rule. These were the men whose sons were to lay down their lives for the Constitution and the Union in 1861-5. They were true to the principle of the Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man.

To these men who founded the State, it was a safe base of operation in the time of war, and with the cardinal principles of a republican form of government as the foundation of the new community. As they traveled westward, their mottos were free soil and free men, free labor, free speech, free press, free schools, free ballot, free jury-box, equal taxation, equal militia service, equal rights to all and special privileges to none. These were some of the rallying crys of the immigrants to the west and northwest.

Thus we see how the friends of the cause of freedom were encouraged, and how they by their own free will laid a foundation for the success of the citizens of the northwest; for when a man or a number of men take truth and justice for their guide, they cannot go wrong, they must succeed. For God has promised success to those who walk uprightly in church or state.

What are some of the blessings that come from the ordinance of 1787? 003134It give an equality in everything. In the South it was churches and school-houses for the whites, while it was the slave-pen and auction block for the blacks.

The Ohio Territory and State was the highway of freedom and the break-water of slavery. Here caste was permitted to live, but she was not allowed to bring her mother along, to remain any length of time.

It was the first field of liberty. Here she plowed, sowed and raised a grand crop of liberty-loving men and women. It was a loyal community; they loved their country, fellow-men and God, and their fellow-men and God loved them.

It was the highway of freedom; for thousands of men would have died in the house of bondage if it had not been for Ohio's underground railroad!

This ordinance give us unrestricted emigration to the west; there was no barrier thrown in the way, but every encouragement was given to settlers of the country, and free homes were founded and the fires of soul freedom burned in all the States. The men of Ohio were loyal to the Constitution and Union, and obeyed the Ten Commandments and the Golden Rule, and when danger threatened our institutions, young men and old men left farm and shop, the bank and school-house, their father and mother, wife and children, and presented themselves, to fight, suffer, defend, and if need be, die for the heritage bequeathed by the heroes of 1776, and preserved by the gallantry of the patriots of 1812, and those who marched to the City of Mexico. There were no set of men in the army that has a better record for gallantry and for personal bravery than has the soldiers of the State of Ohio from 1861 until the last gun was fired and the last foe had surrendered to the Constitution and the Union.

"While slavery had no legal, constitutional existence in the border States, there were, in fact, quite a number of slaves within their jurisdiction during the first generation of their existence. And the free people of color were, first, denied the rights of citizenship; second, excluded from the militia service; third, ruled out of the courts whenever their testimony was offered against a white person; fourth, could not come into the free border States without producing 003235a certificate of freedom; and, fifthly, were annoyed by many little, mean laws in the exercise of the few rights they were suffered to enjoy."

ANCIENT SLAVERY.Slavery is as old as history. To give a dilated account of the progress of slavery, we would have to follow the history of every nation, for all nations at some time have had it in some form since the deluge. It is more universal than marriage, and more permanent than liberty. In every community there must be a class of persons to execute the plans of the wiser heads, to do menial services connected with social life. Here is where the slave finds his place. The poorer apply to the more intelligent for employment, the relation is food, raiment and shelter. Thus we find him, and his children are born to serve. With this condition of society, it is easy to be seen how the master and servant found their relations to each other.

The Jews had two classes of slaves, the Hebrew servant and the heathen slave. They had public and private slaves, one was liberated every seventh year, and no Hebrew could be a slave longer than the year of Jubilee, or 49 years; but the heathens were slaves forever.

Next to the Jews the Egyptians have the oldest record on the slavery question. They were hard task masters. Ancient Egypt was not only the cradle of the arts and sciences, but was the first to find out the rules of government, and the art of making people happy.

The slavery in India was something on the order of Egypt. The system according to Merme, "all men were created, respectively, from the mouth, arm, thigh and foot of the Diety," and separate duties were allotted to each according to their origin.

The first class, from the mouth, had wisdom to rule and to sacrifice.

The second, from the arm, had strength to fight and protect the others.

The third, from the belly and thighs, were allotted to provide nourishment for the whole, by agriculture and traffic.

The fourth, from the feet, were naturally serviles, formed to labor and serve.

The Hindoo law gave the master unlimited power over his slave. 003336The Mohammedan slaves to this day have not changed. There are two sources of slavery with the captive infidels and their descendants. These are subject to all the laws of contract, sale and inheritance, as other property; they cannot marry without the consent of the master; they cannot testify as witnesses; they cannot be parties to suits; they are ineligible to all offices of profit and trust; nor can they contract, or acquire, or inherit property. This was, and is, the condition of the slave where the power of Mahomet is felt.

Assyria, Media an Persia were among the most ancient of the slave holding empires. In them Oriental slavery was exhibited in its full perfection.

The Parthians armed their slaves and sent them to battle.

China, with her wonderful self-existing and self-perpetuating civilization, at least twelve hundred years before the Christian era, had slaves. There was one feature in the China law that commended it. When a man branded a slave, he was set free; "thus his mark of slavery became his title to liberty," says Wallon.

Slavery in Greece was a strange thing, for no people ever professed to worship liberty more than the Greeks. It has been said that at Sparta the "freeman is the freest of all men, and the slave the greatest of slaves;" so it has been slavery and freedom here lived in the same house, and ate at the same table.

Rome was a great slave market, and dealt largely in slaves from every land. It was a source of commerce and wealth. The Roman eagle was the bird of power and slavery.

Rome entered into the turbid waters of the dark ages weighted with slavery. When she emerged again, so that history could mark her appearance, serfdom was substituted in its place. What was the cause of the abolition of slavery has often been asked, and as often answered. Whether the barbarians threw it off on account of their love of liberty, or whether it was the work of Christianity has not been settled. Whether the Golden Rule applied had its first victory, has been claimed by many. I have no doubt but that the doctrine of the Fatherhood of God and brotherhood of man did much toward this grand triumph of liberty. It is said of Alexander Seveus that he had the golden rule inscribed on the walls of his palace and on all public buildings.

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"In every age and country personal servitude appears to have been the lot of a large, perhaps the greater, portion of mankind."

What was called liberty, was only a mild form of slavery. In very many cases the lower classes were deprived of so many privileges, that the slave, serf and freeman were very nigh neighbors during the Middle Ages.

Gaul, Sicily, Italy and Venice were the centers of a large trade. The Venetian ships were engaged in the commerce long after it was prohibited by law, and not until the treading the deck of an argosy of Venice was declared by law to be itself freedom. As long as Poland remained independent, so long was she cursed with slavery.

MODERN SLAVERY.What is slavery? Absolute or pure slavery is the condition that individual over whose life, liberty and property another has the unlimited control. The former is termed a slave, the latter is termed the master.-- History of Slavery by Cobb.

Slavery in its general signification "is applied to all involuntary servitude which is not inflicted as a punishment for crime."

INTRODUCTION AND PROGRESS OF SLAVERY.The first mention made of negroes carried to the New World, we find in the instructions given by the Spanish court to Ovando, in the year 1501, by which negro slaves, "born in the power of Christians, "were allowed to be sent to the Indies. In 1510 and 1511, we find frequent mention of negro slaves sent by the mother country, although the numbers did not increase very fast up to the death of Ferdinand, in 1516. The last notice we have of this trade during his reign, was a reply of his to a request from the Bishop of Conception, in Hispaniola, for more negro slaves, in which he says, that there are already many negroes, and it may bring inconvenience if more male negroes should be introduced into the island. It would seem from this, that up to that time none but grown males had been sent over; and it is true, that up to his death no private enterprise was engaged in this traffic. All the negroes were sent by order of the government. To his successor, Charles V, it was left to grant the first license to De Bresa, one of his Flemish favorites, for the importation of negroes into the West Indies. This license or patent was sold to some Genoese merchants for 25,000 ducats, and here 003538may be properly dated the commencement of the slave trade proper.-- Historical Sketch of Slavery, pages 138, 139.

About this time the Indian population of Hispaniola had decreased from about 3,000,000, the number at the date of its discovery, to 12,000. This brought about a scarcity of laborers, so much so that the Indians felt the power of the new comers, and with the ravages of death and the dread of work, drove them to commit suicide. We are told that whole villages of Indians committed suicide, sometimes one or two villages would join in the work of self-destruction. Times were hard with the free and with the slave Indians. Wishing to starve the Spaniards out, they resolved that they would plant no crops for the year, the result was that disease and starvation took possession of the island, and the inhabitants were the easy victims of death; then it was that "the governor, priest and people made a demand for more negro slaves," to supply the vacancies made by the ravages of death.

The Genoese merchants who had purchased the patent, sent cargoes of slaves to supply the demand, but they charged so much for them that the people refused to purchase. Las Casas and others, interested in the welfare of the people, suggested to the king the propriety of returning the 25,000 ducats to the Genoese merchants and allow the Spaniards to have free trade in negroes. This is the first suggestion for free trade on the American Continent.

One of the reasons given for the introduction of negro slaves, was that they were superior to the Indians as laborers and workmen. When Vasco Nunez desired to explore the Pacific Ocean, he employed numerous Indians and thirty negroes to cut his wood and prepare his timbers on the Atlantic side; and thence crossed the Isthmus until he reached the waters that flowed into the Pacific. 500 Indians died and not one negro. The negroes had such little sickness and no deaths, that it was said "they were like oranges, had found their proper soil in Hispaniola."

In 1553, we are informed by Hakluyt, that 24 negro slaves were brought to England from the coast of Africa, and for 218 years slavery continued without question as to its legality until the celebrated Somerset case in 1771, when it was decided that the air of England was "too pure for a slave to breath in."

003639

In 1562, Sir John Hawkins had the distinction of being the first English Captain of a slave ship, who landed a cargo in Hispaniola. He exchanged negroes for tropical fruits and productions, and returned to England and converted his cargo into money. His success was so great that even Queen Elizabeth, so it is said, became a partner and protector in the man stealing traffic.

During the reign of James I, 1618, a charter was granted to Sir Robert Rich and his associates, for the exclusive privilege of carrying on the slave trade from the coast of Guinea.

In 1631 a charter was granted to a company by Charles I to carry on the slave trade; so vast was their trade that they built warehouses and forts for the defense of their commerce in human beings. They brought them over and kept them in market like beasts.

In 1662, during the reign of Charles II, a third company was chartered. The king's brother, the Duke of York, was its president. They had an annual engagement to furnish the West Indies with 3,000 slaves.

Ten years later, in 1672, the Royal African companies were organized and chartered. Among its stockholders were the king, his brother, the Duke of York, and many other distinguished men. This company continued in existence until the Revolution in 1688, when Parliament abolished all exclusive charters. This and many other companies continued their nefarious traffic until 1698, when by act of Parliament, free trade was declared on the African coast in negroes and gold' but the company desired protection, and Parliament voted them from 1739 to 1746 ($10,000) ten thousand pounds per year.-- Edward's West Indies, Vol. 2, page 355.

In 1607 the first successful English colony was landed at Jamestown, Va. Thirteen years afterward, 1620, twenty slaves were landed from a Dutch Man of War. This was the beginning of slavery on the continent. In 1624 there were only twenty-two slaves in the entire continent. In 1648 the total population was 15,000 whites in Virginia, and three hundred negroes. Though they were but few in number, yet their legal and social standing became a matter of public concern, and it became a "fixed public sentiment and law, that there should be no civil and social relation between the races." September 17, 1630, was the day when the first legal prohibition was made 003740against race equality. Hugh Davis, a white servant, was publicly flogged "before an assembly of negroes and others" for defiling himself with a negro, and was required to confess as much on the following Sabbath.-- Williams' History, page 121.

Thus we see the first person punished on account of the social relationship of the races was a white man.

January 6, 1639, the first prohibition against the negroes was passed, when all persons were required to bear arms except negroes. All were required to bear arms to defend their person and property, the white man, the red man, all except the black man, and he was denied his God given right of personal protection; and we must remember this is not a privilege but a right, not a civil one, but a natural one belonging to every man except forfeited by crime.

On the 14th of December, 1662, the foundations of the slave institutions were laid by the General Assembly, when they decided that the issue of the slave mother should follow their condition. Mr. Williams says that two things were accomplished by this act, viz: Slavery received the direct sanction of statutory law, and it was also made hereditory. We find here that the action of the colony takes from the negro another one of the cardinal conditions of a freeman. Up to this time public sentiment, custom and cupidity bound the fetters on the limbs of Indians and Negroes, but now the legal fetters were welded by the General Assembly, when it, on October 3, 1670, resolved, that all servants not being Christians imported into this colony by shipping shall be slaves. This remained in force until November, 1682, when it was repealed and the Indians were made slaves and placed upon the same legal footing with the negroes,--not even Christian baptism could save the children of Indian or Negro from life servitude.

Then the next step was an act passed October 4, 1705, an act declaring the negro, mulatto and Indian slaves within this dominion to be real estate. This was unanimously passed. This was during the reign of Queen Ann and was approved by her. This act remained in force until October 31, 1751, when King George abrogated this act by proclamation; therefore slaves ceased to be real estate.

In the winter of 1639, on the 6th of January, during the incumbency 003841of Francis Wyatt, the General Assembly prepared the first prohibition against negroes. "All persons except negroes" were ordered to secure arms and ammunition or be subject to a fine, to be imposed by the Governor and Council.-Vol. 1., p. 122, Williams.

We find that in 1662, the colored women were taxed, and men and Indians were not. This was a discrimination. A white woman could come to this country, without taxation, but for every colored woman, which was brought against her will, they had a tax to pay. Some thought that it was against slavery, but it was this which helped slavery on its way.

The first "Black law" sanctioning slavery, was enacted in Virginia, in 1662, December 14th, when it was declared that the issue of the slave mother should follow their condition. At this time both the negro and the Indian were trying to find their places in American society. A law was passed that all persons that came by water were to be slaves and those by land were not to be. The negro had no way to come except by water, and the Indian no way except by land. So we find that there existed discrimination laws as early as 1670. The act which was passed October 3, 1670, defining who were slaves, was repealed in November, 1682, by the General Assembly.

We find that caste legislation by the State has continued since the time the negro became an important factor in the colony. Almost every State in the Union has at some time or other been the scene of the distinction on account of race or color.

In order to show how this trade grew on the people: the Portuguese and French companies procured assistance from the Spanish government to furnish slaves to the colonies. The non-payment to Spain of the amounts due her under this treaty was the principal cause of the war declared in 1739, and ended by the peace of Aix-la Chapelle, in 1748. The Parliaments as late as 1749-50, encouraged the slave trade and one of them says that "the slave trade is very advantageous to Great Britain." But the act encouraging this wicked trade in human flesh and blood was in 1787. The ordinance of 1787 was put into practical operation by the landing of the immortal party, on the 7th of April, at the mouth of the Muskingum, in 1788.

It is said at one time in this trade, they regulated the number to 003942be brought into the vessels. So we see that this trade in England was encouraged by all of the leading men of the government. But, thank God, we have arrived in the history of the races when the spirit of soul freedom was looking for a new home; looking for some place to rebuild the old temple of liberty.

The great conflict for the abolition of the slave trade, first in Europe and then in America, was there known as the Foreign Slave Trade, and the other was the Domestic, and consisted in bringing the victim from Africa to America or some other place, separating him from family and friends, the other was the tearing down of the hymenial alter in this land, burning it and then throwing its ashes to the four winds of heaven, the separation of mother and child, husband and wife; but the sentiment of christianity was moving through the land, and the power of gospel freedom was having its way in the hearts of many.

The following are the steps taken by the heroes of freedom in England to have the slave trade abolished. That our children may know what it has cost to bring them the blessing of this hour, I give it in detail, hoping that some one will be profited by this collection of facts:

The following battles have been fought in the past one hundred years:

First, the battle to abolish the foreign slave trade in the old and new world.

The second was for the abolition of domestic slavery in the world, and especially the African slavery.

The third battle was for the American independence, July 4th, 1776, and ending in 1783.

The fourth battle was for the dedication of the territory to freedom and the ordinance of 1784, and the one of 1787.

The fifth battle was and is still going on for the recognition of the manhood of the negro, in state and in church, in the school-house and in the militia, at the jury-box and at the ballot-box. This battle has been a long one, but we will have a final victory as in the others. This battle was not fought with bayonets; but men organized themselves into anti-slavery societies, and they did much good 004043in manufacturing public sentiment. Benj. Franklin has the honor of being the president of the first anti-slavery society in America, and the distinguished Dr. Benj. Rush was its first secretary. Two grand men at the head of a good cause.

The sixth battle of freedom was for civil and political rights of the negro. Not because he was a negro, but because he represented the last analysis of freedom. He was the one who enjoyed the least number of rights and privileges, and when he least enjoyed the blessings of the many, then the whole were secure in all of their privileges.

The 7th battle of freedom was for universal protection of every man, woman and child, in their person and property, in their rights to life and liberty, and their right to pursue and obtain happiness under the protection of the old flag of glory.

The recognition of the negro to equal rights in this country, was one of those questions that could not be got out of the way by resolutions, nor by silence; it must be met at every step of the highway. It was in avenue of society and in every lane of business, and was in every field of industry. There was no where to get away from him, nor any way to get around the question asked in every language. "Am I not a man and a brother?" The question was propounded to all, and some would answer, others would not say a word, but pass on, only to meet the question in the church and in the state; for this last of the great battles is still going on. The negro has attended every ward meeting since the time of the Revolution; he has had his delegates in every city, county, State and National convention, since the nomination of candidates began in the land. He has taken an active part or a silent part in every religious, political, social conflict since the corner-stone of the National government was laid by the Father of his Country, or he has been taking some part in the affairs of the nation since the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth, and the Cavaliers at Jamestown, in 1620. Think of it! What wonderful things he has accomplished. How many men he sent home to stay.

He has always had a place under the Democratic platform. He was in the platform of the Whig's until 1852, when General Scott led the last charge for power and office. But, since 1856, when the Republican 004144party was organized, he had an invitation to come on the platform; but the Constitution was too small for him, so they amended it and gave him three amendments, the Thirteenth, Fourteenth and Fifteenth. Thus the whites have had twelve amendments and we have had three; but the twelve were just to fit for us, and since 1870 we have been on the platform, and now, thank God, all the parties have a place on their platforms for us. Some of them have a very little place for us, but we have a place and will in the future have a larger place than now. When we become more intelligent, when we have more houses and more land, when our bank accounts are larger, then the platform will increase and we can sit with more comfort on all of them than now. So let us get the material to enlarge the platforms of the parties in and out of power.

I can remember when we started for the platform; "there was music in the air," and when in 1864, when we went with our brave hearts and fingers of steel to assist in saving the Union and defending the stars and stripes, there was an howl from one end of the land to the other, that this was a white man's war. But before the war closed it was the loyal man's war, it was a war for freedom, it was a warfor liberty, and freedom finally had her triumph, and every man was happy in the thought that this was the land of the free and the home of the brave in truth.

The country will be listening for the songs of the sons of freedom; it is expected that they will join in the universal chorus of the free, and shout aloud so that it will be heard from sea to sea. The morning of the new century is bright, and we have a strong faith in God and our countrymen. We hope that the wrongs which has hung over the path of the fathers will not throw their shadows over the path of the children of freedom; but that the crooked places shall be made straight, the mountains shall be brought low, and the valley shall be exalted by the power of the genius of liberty and justice. Thus then in the grand march of the army of religious and political liberty, men of every nation, kindred and tongue shall march to the music which shall be in harmony with religion, morality and education, the basis of all state and religious governments, on the earth.

THE SOMERSET CASE.James Somerset had been brought to England in November, 1760, 004245by his master, Charles Stewart, from Virginia, and in process of time had left him.

Stewart had him suddenly sized and carried on board the vessel Ann and Mary, Captain Knowles, in order to be taken to Jamaica and there be sold for a slave.

On February 7, 1772, the cause was tried in the King's Bench before Lord Chief Justice Mansfield, aided by Justices Ashton, Welles and Ashhurst. The question at issue was:

"Is every man in England entitled to the liberty of his person, unless forfeited by the laws of England?"

This was affirmed by the advocates of Somerset and Mr. Sergeant Davy, who opened his cause broadly, declared "that no man at this day, is, or can be a slave in England." On this grand foundation the legal battle for freedom was fought and won in the English courts. It was a long but final conflict, and the generations to come will not be able to compute its blessings to man. Every foot of ground was contested by both sides.

"In the course of the argument a precedent was adduced in favor of freedom. This was the case of Cartwright, who brought a slave from Russia and would scourge him. For this he was questioned, and it was resolved 'that England was too pure an air for slaves to breathe in.' This was in the Eleventh of Queen Elizabeth, Lord Mansfield was evidently beginning to waver." But the friends of freedom were talking to the people and praying to God to help in the time of need, but "in order that time might be given for ascertaining the law fully on this head, the case was argued at three different sittings. First in January, secondly in February and thirdly in May, 1772, and that no decision otherwise than what the law warranted might be given, the opinion of the judges were taken on the pleadings."

Granville Sharp availed himself with his usual zeal of this interval, and among the other measures by which he sought to obtain an equitable decision, he addressed a letter to Lord North, dated February 18,1772. In this letter Mr. Sharp anticipated a decision of the courts against slavery and says: "We must judge by law, not by precedent." He further intimates the illegality of slavery in the American colonies, in the following paragraph:

004346

"I must indeed allege that many of the plantation laws (like every other act that contains any thing which is evil in its own nature are already null and void in themselves, because they want every necessary foundation to render them valid, being absolutely contradictory to the laws of reason and equity, as well as the laws of God."

By this time the eyes of the British public, from the members of the administration down to the mass of the intelligent inhabitants, were fixed upon Lord Mansfield and the court of King's Bench, awaiting with deep interest and anxious suspense their decision. It was a healthful scrutiny, not unfelt by the Lord Chief Justice and his associates.

Mr. Clarkson says that "new an enlarged views of the nature and character of law had been impressed upon the nation and upon the national judiciary by the tireless efforts and profound investigations of Granville Sharp during the progress of this remarkable case, and yet it required a desperate struggle to break away from the meshes of precedent and opinion and restore the ascendency of impartial and equitable law."

Lord Mansfield delayed judgment and twice threw out the suggestion that the master might put an end to the present litigation, by manumiting the slave. But the base suggestion was providentially not attended to. The judgment was demanded, and the judgment was given on Monday, 22nd June, 1772, after much layer-like circumlocution, Lord Mansfield decided as follows:

"Immemorial usage preserves the memory of positive law long after all traces of the occasion, reason, authority and time of its introduction are lost, and in a case so idious as the condition of slave must be taken strictly ("tracing the subject to natural principles, the claim of slavery can never be supported.") The power claimed by this return never was in use here."

"We can not say the cause set forth in this return is allowed or approved of by the laws of this kingdom, and therefore the man must be discharged."

Mr. Sharp felt it his duty to immediately after this trail to write again to Lord North, then principle Minister of State, warning him in the most earnest manner to abolish immediately, both the slave 004447trade and slavery of human species in all British Dominions as utterly irreconcilable with the principles of the British Constitution, and the established religion of the land.- Clarkson's History, p. 44.

This was a grand triumph for freedom. This was a blow that struck the vitals of slavery. It was a mortal wound though legal and judicial.

It ought to be remembered that while Granville Sharp thus boldly remonstrated with the government of his country he filled a government situation, and was dependent for his present subsistance and his future prospects in life upon the ministry of the day.

The signal success that crowned the labors of the heroes of freedom in Great Britain, ought to have given encouragement to those who were fighting the same battle on the western side of the Atlantic.

In 1775 Mr. Clarkson retired from the service of his government. He published a tract in favor of the rights of the American Colonies, and gave them to Dr. Franklin, who sent them to America.

During the revolution the friends of the negro were inactive, and the question of American Independence was the all absorbing one. It was discussed in all places and by all classes in America and Europe.

I want the friends of freedom to notice that this decision was rendered in 1772. It was by the highest judicial tribunal of the Kingdom of Great Britain, and was law to be obeyed in all parts of the realm. It not only effected the legal status of the slaves in England and the West Indies, and as Granville Sharp declared, that it was binding in the colonies, and ought to be enforced. I have often thought to myself that the decision of the Somerset case no doubt had something to do with the struggle for American Independence. If they remained true to Great Britain, then they could not legally hold slaves, for no man could live a slave under the British law, or in British air. It had been prefaced by the blood of the heroes of the immortal conflict of justice, liberty and right. But some one will say that cannot be, for did not Thomas Jefferson offer the section to the original Declaration of Independence on the subject of slavery.

There has been in the history of the struggle between slavery and freedom, two distinguished legal battles fought, one in England 004548and the other in America. One was the celebrated Somerset case in 1772, and the other the Dred Scott decision in 18--. The decision was given by Lord Mansfield, and the other by Chief-Justice Taney. One was in the interest of freedom, the other in the interest of slavery. One announced that the negro had the same rights as other men, and was to be recognized everywhere; the other said that the negro had no rights that white man was bound to respect. But the result in each case was the same, the enlisting the public on the side of freedom. The action of the English case was salutary, and begat a healthy sentiment in all departments of state and church in the United Kingdom. The decision of Judge Taney brought the subject of human rights before the bar of public opinion. Well, there it was discussed, at the fireside, in the Lyceum, in college debating societies, in the press and in the pulpit. It was in the prayer meeting of the children of God; it was in the political platforms, and was discussed from the start. Men were elected and put down according to the side they took on it.

The Dred Scott decision by the United States Supreme Court was one of the most important ever given by a human court, for it effected not only the man and his wife, but every colored man and woman in the United States, whether free or slave, had his status defined, and it went out from the highest judiciary, that the negro had no rights that the white man were bound to respect, and that he was not a citizen, and that he was not recognized as coming within the Declaration of Independence, when it says, "that all men are created equal and endowed with certain inalienable rights, among which are life, liberty and the persuit to happiness. None of these were the negro's, so says Chief Justice Taney.

This decision riveted the chains which a century of custom and legislation had forged for my race.

THE TRIUMPS OF LIBERTY.We cannot forget the great conflict of the past century. The first was for the abolition of the slave trade. The system of buying men, women and children was an old one. It is older than human government; it is older than civilization; it is older than history; it is the oldest system among men. It has been participated in by more people than any other, yet there is none that has been more denounced 004649than it; but avarice, greed of gain, and revenge has been it masters and the masters of statesmen in all ages.

Liberty and tyranny have kept pace with each other. The helots of Sparta, the slaves at Rome, the villians of the feudal system bear testimony to this melancholy truth. -Brown Civil Laws.

It has been said that philosophy is the hand-maid of law and frequently its most successful expounder. History is the groundwork of philosophy. To understand the law of slavery, we must understand its history. The philosophy of slavery is said to be, that in every organized community there must be a laboring class; there must be some one to execute the plans devised by the wiser heads; there must be the hands, feet and head to every country, and it is very seldom that they exchange places with each other. The heads of mechanics are not always the mechanics, and that of laboring men are laboring men, and the head will not exchange with either hands or feet.

It is said of the English, by a close student, that for twenty-five years he had watched with care to see what man of the lower class would break through the barriers and go up into the higher walks of life; to show what was possible in English society, what the blessings of aristocracy were to the poor, and what royalty would do toward the elevation of man.

To give a full history of the progress of slavery, we would have to give the history of every nation on the earth; for the most enlightened have at some period within their existence adopted it as a system. It has been more universal than marriage and more permanent than liberty. The ferved zeal of Granville Sharp, the unwearying exertions of Thomas Clarkson, and the powerful appeals and touching eloquence of Wilberforce was on the side of the repeal of the slave trade and in defence of universal freedom. The bill to abolish the slave trade was brought forward in the British Parliament, May 9, 1788, just one hundred years last May, and one year after the adoption of the ordinance of 1787. It was defeated, and in 1789 it was doomed to the same fate, but nothing daunted, the champions of freedom were ready and they put forth far greater exertions. By this time Pitt and Fox were in power, in 1790, but they did not change the result. But in 1791, the greatest battle ever fought in Parliament was fought, with such men as Pitt, Fox, Burke, Grey, 004750Sheridan, Wyndham, Whitehead, Courtney, Francis and other, who were true to human rights. We had the brains, culture and worth, but not the numbers, and again we were defeated. But the committee went to work and flooded the country with the speeches, pamphlets pictures with the slaves on the ships which struck the public mind as never before.

In 1793, the Commons yielding to the public voice and passed an act for the gradual abolition of the trade. It was lost in the House of Lords, under the plea of hearing further evidence on the subject, as thought it required any evidence to prove that one man had not the right to sell his brother into bondage. The time was taken up during the year in hearing testimony on the slaves, and what would be the commercial effects of the measures. But after all, in 1794, the Commons seceeded from its action of 1793, and the whole battle was to be fought over again. But the friends took courage and brought the matter up in 1795, and it was carried in the House of Commons, but lost in the House of Lords.

In the years of 1796, 1798 and 1799, the debate went on, but each year the bill was defeated. The years of 1797, 1800, 1801, 1802 and 1803 were allowed to pass without presenting it in Parliament, but there was a general activity in the country. In 1804, the bill passed the House of Commons, but the Lords were against it and it was lost. It found the same fate in 1805, but Lord Granville brought it forward as a government measure in 1806, and British vessels and British capital were each prohibited from engaging in the slave trade. In 1807, the last struggle and the last battle was fought, and an act to abolish the slave trade was passed, and the death-blow to the trade in human beings was given by this act, so long delayed but finally passed.

The war against the slave trade continued. Napoleon on his return to France from Elba, in 1815, passed an order for the immediate abolition of the trade. The Congress at Vienna, in 1815, representing Great Brittain, Austria, Russia, Prussia and France, declared the slave trade to be repugnant to the principles of humanity and of universal morality, and that it was the earnest desire of their sovereigns to put an end to a scourage which had so long desolated Africa, degraded Europe and afflicted humanity. This was one of the most complete victories that freedom had gained for more than a 004851hundred years. With the great powers on her side she felt that the time for a forward movement had come, and all took courage and pressed on to certain victory.

The trade continued for some time notwithstanding the desire of the great powers. But you will notice that Spain was not in the Congress of 1815, but she had made a treaty with Great Britain in 1814, which provided for the cessation of the trade under the Spanish flag. It was flagrantly violated at Cuba.

In October 17, 1851, Lord Palmerston sent a dispatch to Lord Howden. He says: "During the last fourteen or fifteen years those treaty engagements have been flagrantly violated, and those laws have been notoriously and systematically broken through in Cuba and Porto Rica." Yet the battle for freedom continued and in 1841 we find another treaty signed in London by the powers of Russia, Great Britain, France, Austria and Prussia, allowing mutual search of the other's vessels.

The Netherlands made a treaty with Brazil in 1826. All were for the suppression of the nefarious trade. But the days of the trade were numbered. In 1820, the United States declared the slave trade piracy. We remember that a man was hung in the city of New York, during the war; but, thank God, the time has gone and the slave ships no longer carry their cargos of human flesh.

The number liberated in the British West Indies, 660,000.

1823. All the crown slaves of Great Britain were liberated. There the government set a good example; there were a few thousand--about 5,000.

1823. A society was formed for the mitigation and the abolition of slavery throughout the British dominions. Mr. Clarkson, who was one of the champions of the abolition of the slave trade, devoted his time and talent to this work. The subject was brought before the Parliament by Mr. Baxton, who was assisted by Mr. Wilberforce and others. Resolutions of information passed and the matter went over.

In 1826, the same gentleman brought it up in the House. The reports of the various investigations make twelve volumes of reading matter. 0049521832. A committee was appointed to recommend such measures as they thought expedient, after a careful investigation of the whole subject.

1833. An act passed finally for the abolition of slavery, being the result of the immediate abolition; it was postponed until August 1, 1834. The sum of #20,000,000 was appropriated to compensate the owners for their slaves. This act was the result of the wisdom and philanthropy of the British nation, and it did much: good to those who were emancipated; but it was as a land of promise to the slaves in the United States. For years the first of August has been celebrated by the colored men in the North, and it was a promise that the clouds were virtually toward the West, and that if the slaves of the island could taste the sweets of freedom, why not the slaves of the States

It is stated on good authority, that the day before the perfect liberty was granted, that the infirmaries of Jamaica were crowded with persons professing to be sick. The next day they were all cured. What worked this miracle? The safe arrival of liberty! The lame leaped for joy, the blind lifted their sightless eyes toward heaven and gave thanks to God. The old men of yesterday were moving around from house to house with the buoyancy of youth. The infirm were painless, and all the sorrows of a century of bondage were swallowed up in the joy of a day of freedom. We will never forget the first day of August; it was a great day with us. I remember the first time I marched in a procession. It was in in 1849, in Brownsville, Pa. I remember the tunes that were played by the fifer; the drum and tune of freedom is still beating in my memory, and will continue to beat and encourage my heart until the last fetter is loosened from the limbs of my fellow-men; until the last mind is free from the chains of ignorance, and the soul is free from the power and influence of sin. Then with all hearts and minds emancipated, we shall join the universal shouts of freedom, which shall be herd to the utmost part of the habitation of men.

The Irish have never been fond of holding slaves. Their early slaves were Englishmen, all of whom were emancipated by a decree of a National synod, in 1172. Since that time the Irish have been hard a work to get rid of the political bondage of the English. 005053August 29, 1793, Sonthonax proclaimed liberty to all slaves that would join his army and defend the republic. This was the beginning of emancipation in San Domingo.

On February 4, 1794, the National Convention confirmed the offer of liberty made by Sothonox, and by decree abolished all slavery in the French colonies. The Spaniards were fighting on the other end of the island. At this time the most remarkable negro in the history of the West Indies made his appearance in drama. He was the central figure for a number of years in the work of liberation in San Domingo. He was styled the "Liberator of the Blacks," and he was the first among the blacks of his day, and one of the first of his time, as Napoleon was the first among the whites, so Tousaunt was the first among the blacks.

In 1821, just after the revolution, a law was passed by the Republic of Columbia for the gradual manumission of slaves and all born after that date were declared free at the age of eighteen.

In 1851, New Grenada abolished slavery, and on the 1st of January, 1852, the government was to pay for them. Here is another triumph of liberty.

In 1858, the country was stirred from center to circumference on the question of restriction and extension of slavery. The advocates of extension claimed that the negro was better off as a slave than he would be as a freeman. The Hon. Thomas R.R. Cobb, of Georgia, addressed a letter to the various powers in the free States, asking them questions of the condition of the free colored people. It will be readily seen that in almost every case the person addressed was a foe of the negro. It was some one who did not believe that any good could come from negro. But, my friends, the answer are given in his history of slavery: Page 202.

On the 26th of May, 1840, a commission was appointed to examine the condition of slavery in the French colonies. It was reported that their condition was wretched in the extreme. The result of the commission was a law passed July 18, 1843, to amelorate the condition of the slaves and to give them some legal rights, which their masters were bound to respect.

On the 26th of May, 1840 a commission was appointed to examine the condition of slavery in the French colonies. It was reported that their condition was wretched in the extreme. The result of the commission was a law passed July 18, 1843, to amelorate the condition of the slaves and to give them some legal rights, which their masters were bound to respect.

In 1845, July 19, a law was passed encouraging free labor from Europe March, 1846. 3,900,000 francs were appropriated to establish 005154schools. In June, 1846, 140,000 francs were appropriated to purchase the royal slaves. This was the only money appropriated to purchase slave by the French.

In 1846, Sweden abolished slavery in the island of St. Bartholomew, where there were 578 slaves. The government appropriated the sum of $50,000, and on October 9, 1847, all the slaves were free and the jubilee of freedom was celebrated in this beautiful island. Denmark abolished slavery in 1848 by indemnifying the masters and giving complete liberty to the slaves.

Maryland abolished slavery by a vote, in 1865. The number of slaves set free were 87,188. There was a great time in the homes of the freedmen when the time of their redemption came.

In Delaware, there were only 592 slaves; but the onward march of freedom was not to be stopped by this State. So that song was sung and the time was brought to the State that has given the race Bishop J.P. Campbell and Bishop J.M. Brown.

On the 10th of October, 1811, the Congress of Chili decreed that every child born after that day should be free.

On the 9th of April, 1812, the Government of Buenos Ayres ordered that every child born after January 1, 1813, should be free.

On the 19th of July, 1821, the Congress of Columbia passed an act emancipating all slaves who had borne arms in favor of the Republic, and providing for the emancipation in eighteen years, 1839, of the whole slave population of 280,000.

Vermont was the first State to prohibit slavery, by her bill of rights in 1777. In 1790, when the first census was taken, there were seventeen slaves in the State. Freedom entrenched herself on the Green Mountains and began her battle against the foes.

In 1784, Rhode Island adopted a plan of gradual emancipation, declaring all blacks born after the first of March to be free.

In 1784, Connecticut adopted a similar plan of emancipation. When the first census was taken, in 1790, there were 2,759 slaves in the State.

Pennsylvania had 3,737 slaves in 1790. A gradual emancipation act was passed in 1780 which provided, that all slaves born after that date should serve until they were twenty-eight years of age, after 005255which time they were to be free. In 1840, there were sixty-four living in the State. I remember one who lived in Brownsville. She lived with her former master until the day of her death, in her 70's. My grandmother on my mother's side was twenty-eight slave. I am acquainted with the family they belong to. So you see how near I am to slavery. Only link between me and slavery. My grandfather on my father's side was a slave in Maryland. Thus you see that we are only around the corner from the heaven and domain of slavery. But to-day we have the honor of joining in jubilee of freedom. The last slave sold in Pennsylvania was in Fayette county, the county that I was born in, in 1823,-only two years before Lafayette visited our land. She was sold to pay the debts. You will find the case Lynch v. Commonwealth, 6; Watts, 495.

New York passed a similar act 1799, emancipating the future issue of slaves,--males at the age of twenty-eight, female at the age of twenty-five years.

In 1817, another act was passed declaring all slaves free on the 4th of July, 1827. In 1790, there were 21,324 slaves in the State; in 1800, there were 20,343; in 1840, there were only four remaining. Those four passed in their accounts, and not one slave in the great State of the immortal Seward and Garrett Smith.

On July 4, 1827, the State of New York emancipated 10,000 slaves. I have touched the hand of the slaves of New York with my own hand. I have seen the children first born to freedom in the Empire State, and we have rejoiced together at the jubilee of freedom.

But in the State of New Jersey, in 1790, there were 11,423 slaves. In 1804 a gradual emancipation act, similar to the one in Pennsylvania, was passed. When the census of 1850 was taken, there were 2,000 slaves in this State, but now we have none. Every man, woman and child is not only created equal, but is born free and equal.

In 1783, New Hampshire abolished slavery by her Constitution. In 1780 Massachusetts inserted the following in her Constitution: "All men are born free and equal, and have certain natural, essential and inalienable rights, among which are the rights to enjoying 005356and defending their lives and liberties, and that of acquiring, possessing and protecting property." Her Supreme Court held that this abolished slavery forever in that State.

October 7, 1886, Maria Christina, in the name of her son, King Don Alfonso XIII, abolished the Board provided in 1880 for gradual emancipation and set the slaves in Cuba free. There we find on that day 196,000. Thus Spain, for the first time in the history of America, is free from the curse of slavery, and all honor to those who took part in the grand work. There is on the American continent 65,000,000 persons who speak the Spanish language. There are nine South American republics where people speak the Spanish language. There are five Central American republics who speak the language. The Republic of Mexico and the Kingdom of Brazil all belong to one language, kingdom and all are free. All hail Spain and her Queen of emancipation.

Spain has the distinction of helping Columbus on his voyage in 1492. In August he sailed and in October he landed and took possession of the land in the name of his sovereign and his church, in honor of the hope of the Church he called the land San Salvador, or Holy Savior. On his return he took some of the Indians to show how the inhabitants of the New World looked, to show that they were men. They were sold and then began the trade in Indians. Thus Indian slavery was begun by Spain. Then Spain enjoyed the distinction of introducing slavery on the continent in Florida. It was in the year 1500 that Isabella abolished Indian slavery, but she encouraged African slavery. It continued in the Spanish kingdom until 1886, when the last slave in that part of the kingdom was set free, and hence the Jubilee of nations.

EMANCIPATION IN RUSSIA.Hon. Charles Sumner in speaking of the emancipation of the serfs in all the Russias, March 3, 1861, said:

"I have had occasion, formerly, to remind the Senate how completely the Emperor has done his work. Not content with issuing the decree of Emancipation, he has proceeded, by an elaborate system of regulations, to provide in the first place, for what have been called the Civil Rights of all the recent serfs; then, again, to provide for their rights in property, securing to every one of them a homestead; 005457and then, again, by providing for them rights of public education. Added to all these he has secured to them also political rights, giving to every one the right to vote for all local officers, corresponding to our officers of the town and of the county. It is this very thoroughness with which he has carried out his decree of Emancipation. Twenty-three millions were made free in one day."

EMANCIPATION IN BRAZIL.The Rio News has arrived from Rio de Janeiro, bearing date as late as May 24, 1888. The editorial pages of this number are devoted largely to the abolition of slavery in the empire. The festivities, which continued through an entire week over the final overthrow of the institution in Brazil, "were of a character wholly unparalleled in the history of this nation." They began with the introduction of the Emancipation bill in the Chamber of Deputies on the 8th, accompanied every step with processions, music and acclamations, and signalized the final act on the 13th, with a burst of popular joy. The city was dressed with flowers and banners every day, and the gigantic demonstration, extending through four days, called out the largest assemblage ever witnessed in Rio de Janeiro. Business was generally suspended, public departments closed for three days, the Dom Pedro II Railway closed to freight traffic at the same time. The post-office was partly closed, and the mails undistributed. Over a hundred thousand people were in the streets on Sunday, "and during all this nothing but enthusiastic joy, good temper, and good order prevailed."

To the Princess Regent is given much of the merit for the abolition of slavery. When this paper was issued, it was supposed that Dom Pedro was at the very door of death. Though he had his paralytic stroke on the morning of the 22d, the grateful news of the result of the wish expressed by him a little more than a year ago to see the last slave in Brazil liberated was broken to him that day.

The News speaks thus pathetically of these events:

"There must have been infinite consolation in the news, even in the bitterness of death. It remains only to be added that the sympathy extended to the Princess Regent and her family has been wide spread and heart-felt. The affections of her people, so recently aroused and attached to herself by the abolition of slavery, will now 005558be consolation to her in her grief, and a secure staff upon which she can lean in the heavy responsibilities which this sad change is destined to bring upon her."

We are aware, since that date his majesty, the Emperor has improved surprisingly, and he has lived to return home, and trust that his beneficent reign will be prolonged for some years.

The News reprinted in elegant type, with a very handsome margin, and distributed the poem which John G. Whittier wrote in 1871 to commemorate the first steps in the great movement which has now culminated in the emancipation of all the slaves in the Brazilian Empire, May 13, 1888.

THE NEGRO IN BATTLE.The negro in the Revolutionary war. What part, if any, did he take in that war for the Independence of America. It is true that at the breaking out of the war in 1775, there were in the colonies few colored men and women who were free; there were many slaves in every State of the Union. The treatment the negro had received from the American and also from the English was not the kind of treatment that becomes the mother of gratitude, but true love of country, freedom and man does not depend on gratitude for its life, nor inspiration. It carries its own life with it, inbred and inherent . So it was with the negroes. They were lovers of liberty though they did not enjoy it, yet the fires were burning on their altars, and when the torch was waved, a response came from a thousand noble men who gave their lives for independence. Thus when they talk of Independence Day, it is our day. Our fathers helped to pay for it, we ought to help enjoy it, and we ought to help send it on down to the coming generations, with the Declaration of Independence, as our creed in government. The Constitution, as amended, our personal, civil and political panopy, the stars and stripes as our canopy in the temple of freedom, while the song of the jubilee of freedom shall be."My country 'tis of thee,Sweet land of liberty.From every mountain sideLet freedom ring.Land where my fathers died,Land of the pilgrim's pride."

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It is an historical fact that the first man to die for the cause of Independence was Chespus Attuck.

The first funeral, in Boston, of the Revolution, there were four men killed, Caldwell, Meverick, Gray and Attuck. Three white and and black man. The black died first and thus became the first fruits of the patriots of 1776.

Then the battle of Bunker Hill was another place where the true manhood of the negro was tested. The man that decided the battle and gave victory to Liberty and Independence was Peter Salem. With his gun and steady aim and loyal and brave heart, he shot the commanding general down when victory was perching on the banners of the English, but when the leader fell a shout went up from the forces of liberty, and the opposing army fell back and Bunker Hill was won by the army, and Peter Salem the negro hero. Vermont has reared a monument to his memory, and Massachusetts has reared a monument to Chespes Attuck, thus after a hundred years justice has been done to two of the black heroes of '76.

In 1775 Lord Dunmore of Virginia issued a proclamation to the slaves in Virginia, promising freedom to all who would join him in defending his government against the colonists. He raised his standard at Norfolk, Va., a great many of the slaves joined his standard, he fortified the city, and was very troublesome to the vessels on the coast. The Provincial Assembly sent a large force after him, but were not able to take the city. The negro defended the city with great courage, so says the Pictorial History of England, George III, Vol. I, p. 224, 225. But the colonists to meet the proclamation of Lord Dunmore, promised the slaves that all who would help them should receive their freedom. Some of the masters took their slaves with them to the war, and when the war was over wanted them to return to their former homes. Some of them were taken by force, but the General Assembly of the State was true to its pledge, and passed the following act.

AN ACT DIRECTING THE EMANCIPATION OF CERTAIN SLAVES WHO HAVE SERVED ASSOLDIERS IN THIS STATE, AND FOR THE EMANCIPATION OF THE SLAVEABERDEEN."I. Whereas, It has been represented to the present General Assembly, that during the course of the war, many persons in this 005760State had caused their slaves to enlist in certain regiments or corps raised within the same, having tendered such slaves to officers appointed to recrute forces within the State, as substitutes for free persons whose lot or duty it was to serve in such regiments or corps, at the same time representing to such recruiting officers that the slaves so enlisted by their direction and concurrence, were freemen; and it appearing further to this Assembly, that on the expiration of the term of enlistment of such slaves, that the former owners have attempted again to force them to return to a state of servitude, contrary to the principles of justice, and to their own solemn promise;

"II. And Whereas, It appears just and reasonable, that all persons enlisted as aforesaid, who have faithfully served agreeable to the terms of their enlistment, and have thereby, of course, contributed towards the establishment of American liberty and Independence, should enjoy the blessings of freedom as a reward for their toils and labors;

"Be it therefore enacted, That each and every slave, who by the appointment and direction of his owner, hath enlisted in any regiment or corps raised within this State, either on Continental or State establishment, and hath been received as a substitute for any free person whose duty or lot it was to serve in such regiment or corps, and hath served faithfully during the term of such enlistment, or hath been discharged from such service by some officer duly authorized to grant such discharge, shall, from and after the passing of this act, be fully and completely emancipated, and shall be held and deemed free, in as full an ample a manner as if each and every one of them were especially named in this act; and the Attorney-General for the commonwealth is hereby required to commence an action, in "forner pauperis," in behalf of any of the persons above described who shall, after the passing of this act, be detained in servitude by any person whatsoever; and if, upon such prosecution, it shall appear that the pauper is entitled to his freedom in consequence of this act, a jury shall be impaneled to assess the damages for his detention.

"III. And Whereas, It has been represented to the General Assembly, that Aberdeen, a negro man slave, hath labored a number of years in the public service at the lead mines, and for his meritorious services is entitled to freedom;

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"Be it therefore enacted, That the said slave Aberdeen shall be, and he is hereby, emancipated and declared free in as full and ample a manner as if he had been born free."

The following are some of the testimonies as to which we did toward the purchase of this country: We have paid more blood, tears, sighs, groans and suffering on account of the glory of this country than any one class of persons in it. We have contributed more labor of muscle and brain and received less pay for it than any other class. We have, if we were equally dealt with, a claim on every foot of land, on every house, on every horse and mule, pig and cow in the South. If the mechanic has the first lien on the building until he is compensated; if the hod-carrier has his claim on every hod full of mortar until he is satisfied, and the brick man holds his claim on brick and stone until paid, what a change there would be in the South and North; for many of the profits of the Southern plantation went to the North, to some firm in the free States. But we don't ask to be given these houses, lands, or horses and cattle. All we ask now is to give us our portion of the labor; give us an opportunity to make a living for our wives and children. Help us to save something for a rainy day. We want to work at all the pursuits of life; we want the privilege of having our boys learn trades. We want to make it possible for them to go into the workshop and there develop whatever mechanical genius they may have, and into the grand work of the subjugation and controlling of the forces of nature. But now we are denied the privilege of having our boys learn trades. We find men combining against us in the North and in the South; but we have better chances in the South to pursue our trades than in the North. The prejudice in that direction is not so strong for there they believe the negro ought to do the work and they boss and get the money. By that means a large part of the work in the South is done by the colored man. You will find more occupations filled by colored men in the South than in the North, except the city of Springfield, Ohio. In that city an enlighted and protective policy is pursued; they make no distinction with their workmen. If a colored man is the best mechanic, he is the boss. They say that brain, not color, superintends in their shops. As soon as this policy becomes more general we will find more young men of color with their buckets in the morning, on their way to the centres of industry, laying the foundation for usefulness and honor to the race.

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There is one thing that I want understood; that is, that in traveling in the South you will find the colored man in the cotton field. It is true; but then he is engaged in the city, the most of the labor is performed by him and his sister. He is the hack-driver; he works on the street, he is policeman, he is night-watchman, he is porter in the store, he is telegraph messenger, he is clerk, he waits on all the tables, serves most all of the weddings, works on the railroad; he is among the section hands and is on the construction and reconstruction train; he is hostler in the round-house, he is laborer in the depot, he is fireman on the engine, is brakeman on the freight and passenger trains; he is in the school-house, he has charge of the blind asylum and teaches the dumb how to talk.

SOME OF OUR HEROES OR STARS OF THE CENTURY.The following are some of the men and women that we can feel proud of. They have made their way to the temple of fame, and their names are written where they will defy the gnawing teeth of time, and resist the weight of rolling years, but will grow brighter and brighter with the march of the centuries.

Benjamin Bannaker, the astronomer and philosopher, printed an almanac, 1792, which was sent to France and was commended by Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of State. He also made a watch out of wood without a model. He was one of the men that laid out the city of Washington, D.C.

Richard Allen, the religious reformer, led his people out of St. George, Philadelphia, 1787, and started a church on the basis of manhood Christianity. It has grown until it is the largest organization in the world controlled by colored men, and is doing much to solve the race problem.

Phillis Whately, the poetess of nature, was brought from Africa at five years of age and was educated, and was complimented by General Washington.

Daniel A. Payne, the carpenter of South Carolina, became the apostle of an educated ministry to his race, and one of the leading educators of his time; established Wilberforce University, and is now the senior Bishop of the largest body of moral and religious workers of the race. 006063Henry Highland Garnet, a slave, a fugative and a citizen, an orator, clergyman, statesman and representative at a foreign court. He was loved by all who knew him. He preached the first sermon in the House of Representatives, Feb. 12, 1865, after the passage of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. He went to Liberia and died, and sleeps in his fatherland.

Fredrick Douglass, the prince of American orators, has stood for more than a generation the prince among his people, a leader of the leaders in the care of human rights, and the champion of universal liberty, at home and abroad, for the Negro and Irishman.

James Poindexter was born in Virginia. To-day he is one of the pioneers of the cause of his race. A man who never lost an opportunity of speaking for his race when it was dumb; he was its eyes at the capitol of the State, and often joined in secret council for the race's good, while other men with more pretentions were asleep. He is one of the noble men of the times. May his number increase. Long live the silver-haired hero, the time honored pioneer, to enjoy the blessings of freedom.

John M. Langston, lawyer, teacher, orator and statesman.

Hon. E.D. Bassett, the first man to represent the United States in a Foreign Court, and is now the Consul of the government of Hayti.

Mrs. Francis Ellen Harper Watkins was the poetess of hope. In the darkness of the night she sung aloud on the borders of oppression. "Yes, Ethiopia shall stretch her bleeding hands abroad. Her cry of agony shall reach the burning throne of God.Redeemed from death, and freed from chains, her sons shall lift their eyes, From cloud capped hills and verdant plains, shall shouts of triumph rise."

J.M. Bell, the poet of the Maumee, whose voice we have heard to-day with so much pleasure, has cheered the heart of the bondman, in the time of trouble, and was one of the counsels of the immortal John Brown.

Bishop B.T. Tanner, who for twenty-five years edited the "Christian Recorder," and has written more editorials and conversed with more people through the press than any of his race. He was 006164the editor of the "Church Review" where only the cream of thought is admitted. He stands to-day as one of the best informed of his race, and his articles are admitted to the best papers in the land. We ought to feel proud of him as an editor.

Rev. B.F. Lee, the worthy successor of Dr. Tanner, a son of New Jersey, is making firm headway as an editor. He was successful as an educator and president of Wilberforce University. We ought to rejoice in this Jubilee to think that we have men whom we are not ashamed of.

Thomas T. Fortune is one of our brilliant orators and editors. He is one of the principal editors of the "New York Sun," and is assisting that paper to illuminate the Empire State.

Richard T. Greener, a graduate of Yale, a lawyer of no mean reputation, a scholar, a brilliant orator, Secretary of the Grant Memorial Fund of New York, is one whom the young men may see what is possible for one who will give himself to study.

William Nesbit, of Pennsylvania, was one of the pioneers. He went to Africa, but returned with his race love increased, and has worked very hard for their rights, North and South.

W.D. Forten has long been connected with race elevation. I have worked hard with him in Penn. in 1864-65. There are a host of men who in the past century deserve the thanks of the race.

Dr. Martin R. Delany was one of the leading men of his day. He was the first colored doctor I ever saw. He was a brilliant orator, and never lost an opportunity to speak for his people. The following words, uttered after a lecture under the Fugitive Slave Law, will show the man.

In a mass meeting in Allegheny City, Penn., to denounce the Fugitive Slave Law, Dr. M.R. Delany spoke, and it was generally conceded that his was one of the most powerful and impressive speeches of the memorable occasion. We extract the following from it.

Honorable Mayor:--Whatever ideas of liberty I may have, have been received from reading the lives of your revolutionary fathers. I have therein learned that a man has a right to defend his castle with his life, even unto the taking of life.

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Sir, my house is my castle, in that are none but my wife and children as free as the angles of heaven, and whose liberty is as sacred as the pillars of God.

If any man approaches that house in search of a slave, I care not who he may be, whether constable or sheriff, magistrate or even judge of the Supreme Court, may let it be he, who sanctioned this act to become a law, surrounded by his cabinet as his body guard, with the Declaration of Independence waving above his head as his banner, and the constitution of his country upon his breast as his shield,--if he crosses the threshold of my door, and I do not lay him a lifeless corpse at my feet, I hope the grave may refuse my body a resting place, and righteous heaven my spirit a home.

O, no! he cannot enter that home and we both live.

Dr. M. R. Delany was one of the first in the West, and was distinguished as physician, orator, scholar, soldier, and explorer. He will be known in history as the first black Major in the United States army.

Rev. T. McCants Stewart, the first fruits of the New South, is one of the products of the new order of things in the South. He graduated at the State University, and was admitted to practice at the bar of his native State. He has since then been admitted and is now practicing in the State and National Courts of New York. He has been in the holy ministry, and was more successful in the pulpit than he has been at the bar, but whether in the pulpit, at the bar or in the professor's chair in Liberia, he has shown what a young man may do "with energy, tact and push."

Rev. W.B. Derrick, D.D., Pres. Elder of the A.M.E. Church, New York, is the star of hope from the Antilles. He has shown by his intelligence, energy and success what we may hope from the coming generation of men of the West Indies. He came to this country as a minister, but when the war broke out he enlisted in the army, and fought for the triumphs of freedom; when the war was over, he went out in the mountains of Virginia and taught the children of liberty the first lessons of their rights as citizens, he hung the bow of hope over the cabin of the lowly, and followed the star of promise to the nation. He is now one of the leaders of his race, church and party, and many of his brethren of the island home have called him 006366blessed. Thus we have men from all parts of the land worthy of the imitations of the young, and will give inspiration to those who are to come after us in fighting the battle of the human race.

Peter H. Clark, A.M., the pioneer teacher of the West, is one of the products of our western civilization. He is broad and free in thought and action. He was one of the first to be able to pass the necessary examination as school teacher. This was one of the greatest advancers of the race. When a people can furnish their own teachers there is hope, but until we can become our own instructors there is hope, for there can be no race pride, while another has to lead us. We should remember him as a teacher, for this will he be the longest honored by all of the friends of education and the race.

President S. T. Mitchell, A.M., of Wilberforce, has proved himself one of the leading men of the race, and is doing much good in the training of young men and women for their duties.

Hon. James M. Townsend, D.D., Missionary Secretary of the A.M.E. Church, a member of the Indiana Legislature, a successful school teacher, a distinguished minister of the New Testament. He will be honored for what he has done in his adopted State for the repeal of the laws that discriminate against his race, the last of the discriminating laws in the Northwest Territory. We hope they will be among the things in the past, and all legal distinction shall be done away with.

The Hon. B. K. Bruce, the silent and brave successor of Jefferson Davis, the Register of the United States Treasury, the man whose name was necessary to legalize the nation's currency, he had to give the pledge of the race that the money would be redeemed.

Dr. James McCune Smith, M.D., New York, was one of the first in his profession, and we have hundreds of them. Among them Dr. Sam'l Cook, of Washington, D.C.; Dr. Purvis, of the same city; Dr. Elbert, of Indianapolis, stands among the foremost of the State; Dr. C.F. Buckner, of Cincinnati, has been very successful for twenty-five years.

John S. Rock was the first lawyer to be admitted to the Supreme Court of the United States, since that time we have many graduates of the Law Departments of our colleges.

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Judge R. L. Ruffin, of Boston, was honored by his State, and did credit to the State.

Judge M. R. Gibbs, of Arkansas, is one on the list of attorneys. D. A. Straker has distinguished himself as a writer, lawyer and orator.

Among the young orators there is none more promising than the Rev. C. S. Smith, Secretary of the Sunday-school Union of the A. M. E. Church.

Hon. F. L. Cardoza was the distinguished minister, Secretary of State and Treasurer of South Carolina, and is now the principal the High School of Washington, D. C.

Bishop John M. Brown, D. D., was the pioneer teacher in Michigan, was president of the first seminary in the State for colored persons, and was the first missionary to the city of New Orleans, La. He has been distinguished for his love of race and education.

Bishop H. M. Turner D. D., L. L. D., was born in South Carolina. He has distinguished himself as a leader of his race. He was a Chaplain in the army, General Missionary of the A. M. E. Church in Georgia, laid the foundation of the condition of things in that State, and helped to reconstruct the State on the basis of liberty and justice. He is a champion of temperance, and is a grand specimen of a man.

Bishop W. J. Gaines, of Georgia, was one of the slaves of Robert Toombs, but has risen to the distinguished position of a leader of the greatest organization among the colored race.

Prof. John R. Blackburn is a model teacher and has done good work for the race. He is one of the trustees of the Ohio University, at Athens.

Rev. W. J. Simmons, D. D., is one of the leaders in the Baptist denomination of the United States, and is doing much good.

Dr. W. S. Scarborough is one of the most distinguished young men of the race. He is the author of First Lesson in Greek, and has one in Latin, in press. He is the first colored Greek author in this country; he was born in the State of Georgia. Thus it is with the children of freedom, they are coming from every State in the Union.

Dr. T. H. Jackson, D. D., was raised in the State of Kentucky, and has made his mark in the world as an orator and scholar.

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Prof. J.P. Shorter, A.M., is a worthy successor of the distinguished Mathematician Furguson.

Prof. W.H. Parham, of Cincinnati, is an educator, lawyer, and business man, and worthy of the imitation of the young men of the coming generation.

Rev. J.C. Price, D.D., the prince of orators, is a good man, a good scholar, and one of the most popular men of the nation. He is engaged in the educational work of the South, and is the honored president of Livingston College, Saulsbury, N.C.

What can I say of our women who have distinguished themselves in the literary walks of life. Are there any to be proud of? Yes, there are many of them. The mothers who in other years, before the break of day, labored to educate their children, deserve the honor and the respect of all. But some of them have been pioneer teachers and others took the platform to plead for their children and the coming generation.

Among the many women to-day that we feel proud of are Madam Selika, the Queen of Song.

Miss Hallie Q. Brown, the Queen of Elocutionists in this land, one of the daughters of Wilberforce.

Miss Henrietta Vinton Davis, the Queen of the Stage, is one of the coming stars, and is a credit to her race.

Among the singers is Miss Nellie Brown Mitchell and Mrs. Flora Batson Burgan. all of them have honored the profession and brought distinction to their race.

Among the distinguished women of the race is Miss Edmonia Lewis, who is in Rome with the masters.

Miss Mattie F. Roberts, of Adrian, Michigan, is one of the children of the Northwest, and has few equals as a crayon artist.

There are very many women of the race whose names are to be immortal as teachers, lawyers, doctors and preachers. Mrs. Dr. McKinney, Mrs. Dr. Anderson and Miss Cary, as lawyer, teacher and reformer will be remembered.

Miss Amanda Smith, as an evangelist, has visited America, Europe, Asia and Africa, and all have paid her tribute. She is the 006669most honored woman of the race. Her speech and songs have won for her the title of Singing Pilgrim.

THE EMANCIPATION OF THE BLACK INDIAN.There is another phase to this question to which I want to call your attention, and that is the Indian tribes.

The Cherokees, Creeks, Choctaws, Chicasaws and Seminoles, at the close of the war of 1861-1865 had 12,606 negro slaves. They were held not according to the laws of the States, but according to the laws of the Indian tribes and nations.

After the Emancipation Proclamation was issued, and the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution was passed, the United States demanded their liberation, but each demand was unheeded, because the government had not dealt with them as a Nation for the enforcement of the emancipation edict, or the provision of the national constitution. But the government made a treaty with the Seminoles March 21, 1866, in which the following language was used:

"The Seminole nation covenant that henceforth in said nation slavery shall not exist, nor involuntary servitude, except for and in punishment of crime, whereof the offending party shall first have been duly convicted in accordance with law, applicable to all the members of said nation."

The Commissioner, in 1860, uses the following language about this subject:

A new element has been developed by the present census, viz: That of the statistics of negro slavery among the Indian tribes west of Arkansas, comprising Choctaw, Cherokee, Creck and Chickasaw nations. Also the number of white and free colored population scattered throughout these tribes; all of which, with an estimate from the most reliable sources of the whole number of aborigines will be found appended to the population table. By reference to this table it will appear that the Choctaws held 12,297 negro slaves, distributed among 385 owners; the Cherokees, 2,504, held by 384 owners; the Creeks, 1,651, owned by 267 Indians, and the Chickasaws, 917 to 118 owners. As under all the circumstances of slavery everywhere, the servile race is very unequally distributed, so will appear to be the case with the Indian tribes. While one Choctaw is the owner of 227 slaves, and ten of the largest proprietors own 638, averaging nearly 006770sixty-four, the slaves average about six to each owner of slaves in that tribe, while the Indian number about eight to one slaves. Among the Cherokees the largest proprietors hold fifty-seven slaves. The ten largest own 353, averaging a little over thirty-five, and the number to each holder averages a little more than one-half per cent more than with the Choctaws, while the population of Indians in the tribe to slaves is about nine to one. Among the Creeks two hold seventy-five slaves each; ten own 433, while the ratio of slaves to the whole number of Indians varies but little from that with the Cherokees. The largest proprietor among the Chickasaws holds sixty-one slaves; ten own 275 slaves, or an average of 27 1/2, while the average is nearly eight to each owner in the tribe, and one to each five and a half Indians in the tribe. It thus appears that in those tribes there are nearly eight Indians to each negro slave, and that the slaves form about 12 1/2 per cent of the population, omitting the white and free colored. The small tribe of Seminoles, although like the tribes above mentioned, transplanted from slave-holding States, holds no slaves, but inter-marry with the colored population. These tribes, while they present an advanced state of civilization, and some of them have attained to a condition of comfort, wealth and refinement, form but a small portion of the Indian tribe within the territory of the United States, and allude to on account of their relation to a civil condition recognized by a portion of the States, and which exercises a significant influence with the country at large.

We find that the country is grand in its possibilities, but it is subject to the dangers that follow illiteracy and intemperance. We will call your attention to the following figures, so that you may have some idea of the greatness of our country and work to be done:

Total population in the United States, 50,155,783. Total population ten years of age and upward, 36,761,607. Number of these ages who cannot read, 4,923,451; being 13.4 per cent. Number of these ages who cannot write, 6,239,958; being 17 per. cent. Number of white persons ten years of age and upward, 32,160,400. Of these, 3,019,089, or 9.4 per cent. cannot write. Number of native white persons ten years of age and upward, 25,785789. Of these, 2,255,460, or 8.7 per cent. cannot write. Number of foreign-born whites of same ages, 6,374,611. Of these, 763,620, or 12 per cent. cannot write. Number of colored persons ten years of age and upward, 0068714,601,207. Of these, 3,220,878, or 70 per cent. cannot write. Number of persons twenty-one years of age and over in the United States who cannot write, male and female, white, 2,056,463; colored, 2,147,900; total, 4,204,363. Number of voters in the United States about 10,000,000. Of these, about 2,000,000, or one in five cannot write his name. Our ignorant voters represent ten of our fifty millions of people. In all the Southern and nearly all the Northern States, the illiterate voters hold the balance of power at every election.

ILLITERATES IN THE SOUTHERN STATES.There are in the Southern States about 12,000,000 of whites and about 6,500,000 of negroes. In these States, with one-third of the nation's population, are found nearly three-forth's of the nation's illiterates. Thirty per cent. of the whites minors, from ten to twenty-one, and seventy per cent. of the negroes of same ages are illiterates in the South. The illiterate voters in the South, where 153 of the 201 electoral votes necessary to elect a President are cast, number 1,354,974. Here is the startling record of twelve States as to their voting population:States.Voting Pop.Votes Cast, 1860.Illiterate Voters.Alabama259,884151,507132,526Arkansas182,977106,23959,340Florida61,697 51,61825,319Georgia321,438155,651159,506Kentucky376,221264,304107,730Louisiana216,787 97,201106,801Mississippi238,532117,078117,955North Carolina294,750241,218145,294South Carolina205,789170,956117,195Tennessee330,305247,827122,836Texas380,376241,47893,472Virginia334,505212,135142,622

The population of these States over twenty-one years was 3,203,261; the number who voted in the national election in 1880 was 2,957,202, and of this number there were 1,330,622 who could not read their own ballots. In this lies one of the greatest dangers to our institutions. It matters not whether the illiteracy is among the cabins of the South or the workshops of the North, it must be removed by the friends of civil and religious liberty, and make it possible for every citizen to read and cast one ballot and have it counted as cast.

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IGNORANCE AMONG THE WHITES IN THE SOUTH.The following shows the number of white persons ten years of age and upward, who cannot write. These are facts given in the census of 1880. Iowa is added by way of contrast.CANNOT WRITE.States.Enumerated.Number.Per Cent.Alabama 452,72211,76724.7Arkansas 893,90598,54225.0Florida 99,13719,76319.9Georgia 563,977128,93422.9Kentucky 973,275214,49722.6Louisiana 320,91758,95118.4Mississippi 328,29653,44816.3Missouri 1,453,238152,51010.5North Carolina 608,806192,032216.6South Carolina272,70659,77721.9Tennessee709,744210,22727.3Texas 808,931123,91215.3Virginia630,584114,69218.2West Virginia410,14175,23718.3Delaware1,872 3,88 4.3Maryland544,08644,3168.1Iowa 1,174,06344,3373.8---------------------United States32,160,4003,01,00894.

More than half the white illiteracy of the whole nation is in the South, where are found a little more than one fourth of the nation's white population.

The above shows the work to be done by the whites to meet the demands of the age: We must admit that the work of mind training is going on in every State of the Union, and a more liberal spirit is being manifested toward the race in its struggle against ignorance.

Here is the sad picture seen in the South as shown by census of 1880,--negroes ten years of age and upward, who cannot write:CANNOT WRITE.StateEnumerated.Number.Per Cent.Alabama399,058321,68080.6Arkansas137,971103,37375.0Florida85,51360,42070.7

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CANNOT WRITE.StatesEnumerated.Number.Per Cent.Georgia479,863391,48281.6Kentucky190,223133,89570.4Louisiana328,154259,42979.1Mississippi425,397319,75475.2Missouri104,39356,24453.9North Carolina351,145271,94377.4South Carolina394,750310,07178.5Tennessee271,386194,49571.7Texas255,265192,52075.4Virginia428,450315,66073.7West Virginia18,44610,13955.0Delaware29,24511,06857.5Maryland151,27890,17259.6------------------United States 4,601,207 3,220,87870.0

This was in 1880, but since that time there has been a change in all parts of the land; the necessity of learning to write has been brought home to the families as never before. There was a time when the communication between family and family was prohibited, and husband and wife could only communicate once a year, or once a week; but that day has gone and gone forever. The communications which makes writing one of the greatest blessings of our civilization is now free. The walls of separation are down to be built no more, and the light of knowledge is shining on both sides of the street, and the bow of promise has been thrown out by the State and friends of knowledge, so that while the field is dark, the harvest is great, but the laborers are many. We now call your attention to what is being done to remove this evil of the nation.

The Hon. G. W. Williams, in a history of the negro, makes the following analysis: "Group the States and Territories into three geographical classes and designate as Northern, Pacific and Southern. The first may comprise all the 'free States,' where slavery never existed; put in the second, the three Pacific States and all the Territories, except the District of Columbia; and in the third, gather all the 'slave States' and the District. Now then, in the Northern class, out of every fourteen persons who can neither read nor write, thirteen are white. In the Pacific class, out of every twenty-three who 007174can neither read nor write, twenty are white. In the Southern class, out of every forty-two who can neither read nor write, fifteen are white. Thus it can be seen that the white illiterates of the United States outnumber those of all the other races together. It might be profitable to the gentlemen who, upon every convenient occasion rail about 'the deplorable ignorance of the blacks,' to look up this question a little."

The educational forces that are at work for the elevation of the race, we will give a contrast between 1865 and 1886.

On the 20th day of May, 1865 Major-General O. O. Howard was appointed Commissioner of the Freedmen's Bureau. He gave great attention to the subject of education; and after planting schools for the freedmen throughout the South, in 1870-five years later the work was begun-he made a report. It was full of interest. In five years there were 4,239 schools established, 9,306 teachers employed, and 247,333 pupils instructed. In 1868 the average attendance was 89,396; but in 1870 it was 91,398, or 79 3/4 per cent. of the total number enrolled. The emancipated people sustained 1,324 schools themselves, and 592 school buildings. The Freedmen's Bureau furnished 654 buildings for school purposes. The wonderful progress they made from year to year in scholarship may be fairly judged by the following, corresponding with the half year in 1869.July, 1869.July, 1870.Advanced readers43,74643,540Geography36,99239,321Arithmetic51,17259,417Writing53,60658,034Higher branches7,6279,690

There were 74 high and normal schools, with 8,147 students; and 61 industrial schools, with 1,750 students in attendance. In doing this great work for buildings, repairs, teachers, etc., $1,002,896.07 was expended. Of this sum the Freedmen raised $200,000.00. This was conclusive proof that emancipation was no mistake. Slavery was a twofold cross of woe to the land. It did not only degrade the slave, but it blunted the sensibilities, and, by its terrible weight, carried down under the shiny rocks of society some of the best white people in the South. Like a cankerous malady its venom has touched almost every side of American life.

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The table showing the number of schools for the colored race and enrollment in them by institutions, without reference to states.Class of Institutiens.Schools.Enrollment.Public Schoolsa17,603a 1,002,313Normal Schools5610,771Institutions for secondary instruction478,695Universities and Colleges213,177Schools of Theology26800Schools of Law499Schools of Medicine3141Schools for the deaf and dumb and the blind7123--------------Total17,7671,026,119

a There should be added the 655 schools in free States, having an enrollment of 54,322, making total number of colored public schools, 18,258 and total enrollment in them 1,056,635. This makes the total number of schools, as far as reported, 18,422, the total number of colored race under instruction in them 1,080,441. In free States in which no separate report of colored schools is made, the figures of the United States Census of 1880 have been used.

Industrial schools have been established in the South. There are forty-five of them now in operation; they are supported by the liberality of individuals and by State appropriation. The general thought is, that what we want as a race, is the complete training of the man, the head, heart and hands. One man, John F. Slater, has given one million dollars to help train our sons and daughters to the industrious and domestic economy. The men of the North and South are taking hold on this work and are doing much. The Robert Paine College is supported by the M. E. Church, South. God hasten on the day when there will be no North, nor South, in the work of race elevation; when a man's color will not be a bar to his advancement in church or state, but knowledge, morality, religion and integrity will be the true standard of manhood and womanhood.

We now call your attention to the moral and religious army of men who have taken their lives in their hand and are now lifting up the standard among the people, and are casting up an highway for the next generation to walk on. The following are the Methodist leaders.

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TRAVELING PREACHERS, COLORED.Africa Methodist Episcopal Church, 2,901; African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, 2,200; Colored Methodist Episcopal Church, 1,046; Methodist Episcopal Church (colored), 1,121; Union Methodist Episcopal Church, 112; total, 7,380.

LOCAL PREACHERS AND EXHORTERS.African Methodist Episcopal Church, 9,760; African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, 2,750; Colored Methodist Episcopal Church, 683; Methodist Episcopal Church (colored), 2,542; Union Methodist Episcopal Church, 40; total, 15,775.

Total ministers, 23,155; if each of these preachers two sermons on Sunday, we have 46,310 sermons every Sunday, and 52 Sundays in the year gives us for the colored Methodists in the United States, 2,408,120 sermons for the people; if there be only one thought in each sermon, the race has produced in a year 2,408,120 thoughts.MORAL AGENCIES AT WORK AT RACE ELEVATION--THE COLOREDCHURCH IN THEUNITED STATES, IN 1887.African Methodist Episcopal Church403,920African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church325,000Colored Methodist Episcopal Church155,000Methodist Episcopal Church200,000Union Methodist Episcopal Church500-------Total members1,088,920

The total population, or the number of persons that the colored ministers speak to during the year are 3,266,760, men and women. They are only a part of the army that are at work for the race elevation. The Congregational Church has a large number of intelligent men at work all through the South and North, lifting up the standard of religion, morality and knowledge. The Presbyterians are bending their energies in the same direction, their schools and papers are doing much. The Episcopalians have touched us with the apostolic succession, and we are connected with the historic Church and are now entitled to all its rights and privileges. The Catholic Church is doing much toward the training of the race. One of our number has been ordained a priest and has officiated in the cathedral 007477at Cincinnati. Who would have thought that one hundred years ago, that a colored man would be a priest in the Catholic Church, and receive a full and complete recognition by the Arch Bishop. So it is. Is not that a sign of progress, when all the churches recognize our manhood, and Christian rights? If we can get recognition at the sacramental altar, it won't be long before we will get it at the ballot-box, in the jury-box, as well as when we are in the undertaker's box.

The following are the number of Baptists at work in this country from the last Year-Book, 1887:

Rev. Richard DeBaptiste, corresponding secretary, made an elaborate report, having spent two years in carefully gathering statistics; he reported 26 institutions of learning for colored Baptist, with 152 teachers, and 3,609 pupils, though 6 institutions did not report the number of pupils. There were 19,375 volumes in their libraries, with 9 not reported. The total value of the institutions (3 not reporting) was $1,072,140. The religious status was shown to be as follows: Three hundred district associations; 10,068 churches; 6,605 ordained ministers; total last reported baptisms, 48,212; total membership, 1,155,486; Sunday Schools, 3,304; their officers and teachers, 10,718; and pupils, 194,492; the value of church property, $3,056,571; the contributions reported for salaries and expenses, $230,445.51; for missions, $23,253.67; for education and other matters, $47,899.96; making a grand total of $301,798.14. There are 40 journals edited and controlled by colored Baptists. The corresponding secretary complains that the returns are by no means as full as the facts would warrant, owing to the difficulty in obtaining reports. In this the editor of the Year-Book most deeply sympathizes, as the obstructions in the way of obtaining the reports of the colored Baptists of the United States are beyond the power of a reasonable explanation. In the Southern States there are about 900,000 Baptists, or over two-thirds of the entire number. Reference may be made to the usual tables for the latest available statistics, those used in the report of the corresponding secretary being a year in advance of the reports utilized for this issue.

There are other agencies at work. The Charitable, Mutual Aid and other organizations are at work. They are having a good effect on the members and their families. The Masons have a large number 007578of lodges, men who have taken all the degrees. In 1787, there was only one colored lodge of Masons in the United States, now in almost every State in the Union there are Grand Lodges. The Odd-Fellows, the Grand United order, is doing much for the moral training of the men and women. We have in the United States to-day: Whole number of members, 52,814; whole number financial members, 47,055; non-financial members, 5,729; past officers, 9,978; brothers relieved, 3,862; brothers buried, 522; widows relieved, 618; orphans relieved, 462; whole amount paid to sick, $39,142.61; whole amount paid for funerals, $22,145.65; whole amount paid widows, $8,210,25; whole amount paid for charity, $5,126.50; whole amount paid for other objects, $17,050.25; whole amount paid out, $91,675.26; whole amount invested, $106,420.50; value of property and funds, $369,401.13

Ohio District Lodge, 1887.--Total number of members, 2,615; total number financial members, 2,064; total number of non-financial members, 551; total number past officers, 1,095; total number of brothers relieved, 211; total number brothers buried, 32; total number widows relieved, 24; total number of orphans relieved, 26; total number members relieved, 428; total number members cleared, 17; total number members suspended, 66; total number members expelled, 21; total number members reinstated, 51; total number members rejected, 22; total amount paid to sick, $2,576.65; total amount paid for funerals, $1,465.63; total amount paid to widows,$472.46; total amount paid to charity, $415.05; total amount of incidental expenses, $6,720.42. Value of property, $22,338.62; total amount in treasury, $5,875.13. Total number lodges reported, 68; total number lodges in the district, 75; total number household of Ruth, 31; total number members Household of Ruth, 753; total number of Grand Master's Council, 11, total number of members, 305; total number, Patriarchists, 9; total number, members, 214.

THE CONFLICT OF THE FUTURE.The conflict of the future will not be for the suppression of the slave trade, nor the abolition of domestic slavery. It will not be for the non-extension into the Territories,-each of these questions have been settled for the centuries. It will not be to secure political, civil or social rights, for we have them now. The only thing that is 007679needed is to have the privilege of exercising them as freemen, in all parts of the land, in every State of the Union. The work for the race and its friend for the next decade will be to contend with caste in the East and West, as well as in the North and South. It is the same in all parts of the land, but has different forms of approach and manifestations. We meet it in every walk of life; it is in the churches of the living God; it is in the theater of the devil; it is in the barrooms and billiard halls. It stands at the door of the mutual aid and charitable societies and denies us admittance. It has barred the doors to the trade unions in many places. It will sell you arsenic in the drug store and deny you a glass of soda water. It will sell you poison, but will not sell you refreshments. It will put you in the smoking-car, so that you may be alone, and then they will come and smoke you to death. But, thank God, the thing is changing for the better; there is hope for the future; the cars are giving better accommodations to all. We can now take our wives and daughters with us. Yet we will find in the North, we get a whole seat; very seldom any one will disturb you. In the South they are more generous; they want you to have a whole car to yourself, or at least the front part of the smoking-car In the North they won't speak to you, and in the South they won't look at you; but things are changing; the walls are somewhat lower than they were at the beginning of the century. When I arrived in the State, in 1867, the there was a jim crow car for the colored people to ride in, and we had to go into it or not ride; but the same brakemen have witnessed the changed and liberty has opened the cars for us. In 1865, there were special cars in Washington city for colored persons. If you want on any other car, you had to ride on the outside; and in going to the capitol of the nation, in 1864, I had to ride on the "Negro car" of the Pennsylvania railroad. But it is now redeeming itself, and wherever that road has control you can get first-class accommodations for first-class fare. that road is doing a grand work in South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia and Florida. Whenever it lines extend it makes no distinction on account of color; its only distinction is account of money. It is not generally known, that while Sherman was marching from Atlanta to the sea, and the sweet potatoes were starting from the ground, that a wicked caste was abroad in the land, in the border States as well as the Northern States. It cannot be wondered at that the Goddess of Liberty was not enthroned 007780until the District of Coulmbia was free and redeemed, and the children of the republic had their rights in the street cars. But to-day one of the worst cities in the Union for accommodations is in Washington, D. C. When the armies of the republic were in grand review, in 1865, the colored men who fought to save the Union could not receive accommodations in any first-class hotel. But I need not go to the days of strife and war; but to-day, while the State of Ohio stands at the head of the column of liberty and equality, there are places in this State where we cannot be accommodated as a traveler, but if we attempt to stay over night we will be too well accommodated for our comfort.

But the question is, what are you going to do about it? Well, we will not stand and complain, but we will go to work to meet the demand of the day and times, and by our individual effort use the weapons that will most effectively destroy the work of distinction. As individuals we will have to have daily conflicts, and if we gain a victory or make a good impression each day, at the end of the year we have gained for the race three hundred and sixty-five victories, or good impressions by word or action. That is the thing that will help us the most in this battle. I know that is not the true method of computing the virtues of race, but it is the one adopted by a large majority of Americans. A man of our race may labor for five years in a community and nothing will be said about it to encourage him, or to give him moral support in his battle; nothing to honor him or his family; but let him do something, no matter how small he will be in the Associated Press, and the United Press will send him around the world for stealing a twenty-five cent chicken. My complaint is not that they tell it, but that it is said that all negroes will steal. It is so now that if one negro does any thing mean or low, we all have to suffer for it. What we want is that every on stand on his merits or demerits. In the name of our daughters and sons, we say judge each individual of our race as is done in all other cases, and to all other races. It is so, that now in many cases if a colored man becomes like his brother and wants notoriety he must do something wrong. But my advice to the young men, do right all the time, notoriety or no notoriety. That is one of the duties of the hour; to do right because it is right to do right.

What will be the harvest of this jubilee? God only knows; its our business to plow, harrow and sow the seed, then wait for God to 007881send the dew, rain and sunshine, and then in its seasons we may look for a harvest. Our fathers sowed in tears, year after year, and no fruit; but they continued to plow, pray and sow, and by and by the bud, blade, and then the full ear, the fruit for the children, chains broken, liberty enthroned in every home and joy in every heart, and peace in every community. But if they had not sowed there would not have been any seed corn for the children; but thanks to the loyalty of the men who preceeded us in the march of humanity and have left, as a legacy, an empire of morality, religion and knowledge, within an empire of material, political greatness, such as has not been seen in a thousand years.

INTERNAL FORCES.The analysis of what the race is doing to assist in its own elevation, what moral, educational, social and religious forces are at work from within. What are we doing for ourselves? Are we meeting the demands of the age? Are we making any progress? Yes, I answer all in the affirmative. With the experience that I have of the condition of the race, there is hope, there is a bright future for us, if we take the correct powers of race elevation, and then use them wisely. We have the following forces at work.1. The churches: all denominations and their ministers and laymen.

2. The schools, teachers, doctors, lawyers, and professional men and women.

3. The charitable and benevolent societies, and mutual aid organizations.

4. The press, religious and secular, and magazines.

5. The statesman and office holder,--those who hold offices of trust, honor and emoluments.

6. The schools owned and controlled by the race--men who plan and then execute.

7. The orators, lecturers and public speakers-men who talk for the race

8. The authors of books, histories, and those who publish pamphlets giving the thoughts of the race.

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9. The artist: painting, crayon, statuary, etc.--those who immortalize on canvass and in marble.

10. The soldiers in the State and National Militia.

11. The fire companies-men who protect the property of others.

12. The naming societies after their own men--honoring self others. will then honor us.

These twelve forces are at work from within, and then there are many from without, all assisting in the grand work.

What must we do for the rising generation? They must have: 1. Education for the head; 2. Religion for the heart; 3. Money for the pocket; 4. Integrity for the rule of life.

Then they must cultivate personal pride, pride of race, pride of family, pride of country, pride in the institutions of the country, be ready to defend them to the last.

We have had many grand friends in the past century. Men who laid their, time, talent and reputation on a common alter, that we might be brought out of the house of bondage, into the sunlight of liberty. We cannot forget Benjamin Rush, Dr. Franklin, Benjamin Lundy, Wm. L. Garrison, Wendell Phillips, S. P. Chase, Levi Coffin, the Tappins, the family of Beechers, Ben. Wade, J. R. Giddings, Dr. Cabel, in the magazine; Dr. A. G. Haygood, who refused the office of Bishop in the M. E. Church, South, that he might be the Bishop of Education of this country. There is hope.

Having the triumphs of the past, one hundred years to rejoice over, we come to-day to lay our children on the altar of freedom, and like Hannibal of old, make them take an oath to make no compromise with ignorance, sin or intemperance, but let them consecrate their time and talent to the elevation of the race, to the dissemination of the truth, as found in the Declaration of Independence and the Ten Commandments. Let the fires of race love be kindled in the breast of every man, woman and child. Let us no more despise ourselves, but let this be the beginning of the day when we will take a just pride in the interests of the race. Let it be no longer said that we have no pride of our ancestors, or of our fatherland. Young men, in the name of the men of the past who prayed for this day, but died without the sight, stand up and quit yourself like men. In every 008083walk of life be intelligent, industrious, frugal and loyal to all the interests of the race, society and country.

Maintain the dignity and honor of your citizenship, by your devotion to the best interest of your fellowmen, of all races. In the performance of your duty, know no race or color, no North nor South, but join hands with the best men of the country. Let your motto be that of the song of the angels over the plains of Judia, "peace and good will between man and man, family and family, race and race, and nation and nation, until all are bound with the cord of love for God and man.

Young woman, in the name of our mothers, who with tears and labor in the past trained us to be what we are, mothers who by day and night sought the best interest of one and all, but some of them have gone to their reward, honor their memory by being true to your womanhood, to your honor and to your race. We must have women who will guard the gateway of posterity with vigilance, and suffer nothing to make them surrender.

THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES.What are the signs of the times? Is there no hope beyond for the race? Is there any thing to live for in the future? Is there no bow of promise in the heavens? to give assurance that the deluge of bondage is past, that no more will the storm-king robe himself in darkness, marshal the armies of the sky, nor play with the tempest and whirlwind on land nor sea; a promise that the earthquake shall not hold a grand review on the earth's surface, nor build an altar to the god of destruction. But this bow shall show to men and women that no more will the waters of sorrow cross their path, no more will the billows of material sorrow roll over the heart of loving mothers, as their children are taken away, to see them no more in time.

Brother, there is hope beyond, the fires in which were forged the chains of more than two hundred years are all out, they are cold in death, the bellows are broken, the anvils have been taken to the Temple of Liberty, the hand that wrought them has been palsied by the law of land. The sentiment that allowed the hymenial alter to be torn down, and our daughters to become the prey of licentious men has changed, and the new sentiment has been and is now at work rebuilding the altars that were broken down. It is educating 008184our daughters in domestic economy and training them to be useful in their day and generation, The bow of hope is hanging over the cabin door in the South. It is resting with one corner on the church and the other on the school house, while beneath may be seen the home and farm, with happiness, plenty and peace singing the new song.

The bow of promise is now over the Court Houses in many States of the Union; in our State it is in every county. The men of color are called on the jury. The jury-box is a school for the citizen, he learns the distinction in law, of person and property. The blessed bow of hope is hanging with all its beauty and glory; when we are permitted to sit in the jury-box, there is hope of justice for the race. But as it is, when you see a colored man in prison, it is no evidence that he is guilty, but is only one that he has been accused and convicted. At the beginning of the century we were not allowed in the jury-box, now it is conceded by all, that it is a right not to be denied. This is a perpetual bow hanging over the head of justice.

One hundred years ago the negro was denied the right to bear arms and the right to pay poll-tax. But what have mine eyes beheld? What a grand sight at the Re-union at the opening of this Centennial? We had our men belonging to the National Guard, as soldiers, officers of different rank-lieutenants, captains, majors and chaplains, each one in the line of duty. This is one of the bows of hope for the race when we bear arms to defend the country and its institutions. At the meeting of the Grand Army of the Republic on September 11th, 1888, when the men who saved our country and wrought the salvation of our free institutions, marched behind the flags they had followed in the storm and shock of battle, the colored men were there in the ranks, carrying the musket, sword and bucket, and one was on the staff of the Department of Ohio, and another on that of Kansas.

What grand encouragement to all of us, that the century closes with so much hope in it for us.

The printing press is another bow of hope to the race. One hundred years ago we had no printing presses controlled by the race, no editors or reporters. Now we have papers of different political of administration, some for high and some for low tariff. There are about two hundred papers 008285controlled by colored men--men of intelligence and energy. David Jenkins was one of the first to have a paper in the northwest.

We now have short hand reporters, men and women, who take down words as fast as spoken, and record the thoughts of our thinkers. This is another hopeful sign. We have started a Review, a quarterly Magazine, published by the A. M. E. Church, to record the best thought of the race on on the more difficult social and economic questions of the day. The magazine "Our Women and Children" has made its bow to the second century. May it never grow old, but strong.

The bow is now hanging over the pianos and organs, we have these instruments in the North and in the South. It is very difficult to travel far without meeting some one who can play the organ or piano. I remember when you could travel for days at a time without meeting some one who could perform upon the organ or piano.

The bow has been hanging on the stage. Our sons and daughters are contending for the laurels, and we not sitting in the galleries as we did one hundred years ago.

The bow of promise is Shining in letters of gold over the banking house counter of W. E. Matthews; while a Douglas, Smyth, Holland and Ware are teaching the coming generation how to buy land, build houses and save money.

Everywhere we look we can see the heavens illuminated with the bow of hope. Let everyone take courage and gird himself for the conflict.

Friends, let us welcome the second century with a shout of joy and a song of freedom. Let every man, woman and child of every race join with us in hailing the coming years, and in saluting the advancing generation with the music of the age, in harmony with mind, soul and body, liberty. We live in a grand age of the world's history; we live in the time when the inhabitants are all free; when the anthems of freemen are heard from the banks of Newfoundland to where the adventurous Magellen passed from sea to sea. It has swept in its march all of South America, and to-day there is not a slave in the vast empire of the South. Freedom works in the plains, digs the gold, and is now enthroned on the peaks of Mt. Chinborazo. All along the mountains, peak has answered peak; and from 008386valley to valley has rolled the glad refrain of universal freedom. The chorus has been sung by ten thousand times will continue until every nation on the face of the earth shall be redeemed and disenthroned.

The time has come for all men to join in the happy refrain of the children of the northwest. We have made wonderful progress. Marvelous has been the increase in numbers, wealth, power and culture since the ordinance of 1787. We can hardly realize the change since 1863, but will call on all, to say to old and young men, let us walk side by side in the new century, and give to the world something new in government. Old women and maidens, leap for joy, and join with the children in the songs of gladness.

The voice of nature is to be heard, the woodland shall be vocal with the vesper hymns of the children of the air, while the sylvian boys and girls will hold their concerts of joy at eventide. The trees shall lift aloft their heads, and stretch forth their arms to grasp in all the free. The mountain streams shall laugh with joy as they leap down the cataracts. the brooks, rills and rivers, all will join with the men and women and sing on land and sea.Wake the songs of Jubilee,Let it echo over the sea;Let it sound from shore to shore,Freedom reigns for evermore.

008487

A POEM.READ BY J. MADISON BELL, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, AT THE CENTENNIALGROUNDS, COLUMBUS, OHIO, AT THE JUBILEE OFFREEDOM, SEPTEMBER 22, 1888.Never in all the march of time,Dawned on this land a more sublineA grand event than that for whichTo-day the lowly and the rich,Doth humbly bow and meekly sendTheir orisons to God, their friend.The severance of the bondsman's chain;The opening wide the prison door,And ushering in this glorious reignOf liberty from shore to shore,Has formed an epoch in the lifeOf this great nation that shall stand,And consecrates to sanguine strifeThe full redemption of the land.Wave your banners let them wave,O're a land without a slave,O're a land you fought to saveWave for victory.Hail! hail! glad day; thy blest return,We greet with speech and joyous lay.High shall our altar fires burn,And proudly beat our hearts to-day.And thou, thou ancient holiday!We hail thee with a new delight,Since hope's bright beams and freedom's rayHas dawned upon the bondsman's night--Dawned on his night and interspersedA deathless yearning to be free;A heaven-approved and burning thirst,That naught can quench but liberty008588 As in the past to shall it beThrough all the unborn years afar;Till earth is wholly purged and free,Will man' gainst man go forth to war.Wake, in your minds the sleeping world,From Eden's banished pair till now,Behold war's crimson flag unfurledOn every plain and mountain brow.The sword has been the pioneer--The civilizer of mankind--The John the Baptist sent to clearThe way and fix the erring mind;And the priest with Bible spread,Walks more securely where the treadOf the swordman in his wrathHas left his foot-prints in the path.Nor could the sciences unfoldTheir wings that's purer far than gold,Had not the savage in the breastOf savage men been put to rest.And thus our land has been redeemedFrom Thraldom's foul and ruthless sway;And Freedom's radiant light has steamedAlong the bondman's gloomy way!And in those dungeons of despare,Whence every ray of hope has fled,Blest Liberty has entered there,And breathed new life into the dead.And o'er those regions of the brand,Where toil was recompensed with scorn,Has waved abroad her flaming wand;And lo! a nation there is born--And clothed upon with scared rights;Those scared rights of jealous care,In whose defense the torch she lights,And strips her arm of vengeance bareO, Liberty! thou peerless queen!008689 Thou quenchless essence of the soul,Preside o'er these in every scene,And ward them 'gainst all base control;Plant in their hearts a love of thought,An anxious spirit to acquireThose mighty truths that are only boughtWith perseverance and desire.Move them to keep grasp with hand and heart,And with a deathless will beside,Each mode of Science, skill, and art,Consistent with our Nation's pride:So that the world may ne'er regretThe mighty work that's been performed,And so that Time his seal may setUpon their future all adorned.Hence when the time had quite expired;The hundred days of the decree,And God and justice now requiredThe bondman's promised liberty--The noble Lincoln, armed with might,And clothed with honor, truth and right,Stretched forth his hand, and ta'en the quill,And tracing it along the page,He framed, with heaven-admiring skill,The crowning feature of his age--That God inspired instrument!Charter of manhood--Liberty!Heaven ordained and heaven sentTo rid our land of slavery!The news thereof spread far and wide,And filled each humble slaves abodeWith the grand and joyous tideOf blessings which had been bestowed.And when the sound fell on their ear,They laughed, they wept, they knelt in prayer;And rising from their bended knees,They sang in joyous ecstasies,Till hill and vale and distant plain008790 Gave back the gladsome sound again.Oh! for a Raphael's hand to drawThe matchless grandeur of that sigh,That earth might see an angel sawFrom off the parapets of light;For shining ones of heavenly birthBent o'er the Jasper walls on high,And caught the jubilant songs of earthAnd bore them upward to the sky;And Heaven gave audience to the strainOf those fair minstrels as they sang,Gathering up the glad refrainWith which the hills and valleys rang,And sending them forever on,And on, and on, eternally;For Heaven itself can boast no songOf sweeter strain than liberty.The heart with exultation glows,Discanting on the joyous themeOf broken chains and buried woes--'Twere glorious though 'twere but a dream.O, Liberty, what charm so great!One radiant smile one look of thine,Can change the drooping bondman's fateAnd light his brow with hope divine,His manhood, wrapped in rayless gloom.At thy approach throws off its pall,And rising up as from the tomb,Stands forth defiant of the thrall.No tyrant's power can crush the soulIllum'ed by thine inspiring ray;The fiendishness of base controlFlies thy approach as night from day.Ride onward, in thy chariot ride,Thou peerless queen, ride on, ride on--With Truth and Justice by thy side--From pole to pole, from sun to sun!Nor linger in our bleeding South,008891 Nor domicile with race or clan;But in thy glorious goings forth,Be thy benignant object Man.Of every clime, of every hur,Of every tongue, of every race,'Neath heaven's broad, ethereal blue;Oh! let thy radiant smiles embrace:Till neither slave, nor one oppressedRemain throughout creation's span,By the unpitied and unblestOf all the progeny of man.We fain would have the world aspireTo that proud height of free desireThat flamed the heart of Switzer's Tell(Whose archery skill none could excel),When once upon his Alpine brow,He stood reclining on his bow,And saw careering in his might--In all his majesty of flight--A lordly eagle float and swingUpon his broad, untramelled wing.He bent his bow, he poised his dart,With full intent to pierce the heart;But as the proud bird nearer drew,His stalwart arm unsteady grew,His arrow lingered in the groove--The cord unwilling seemed to move,For there he saw personifiedThat freedom which had been his pride;And as the eagle onward speed,O'er lofty hill and towering tree,He dropped his bow, he bowed his head;He could not shoot; 'twas Liberty!Upon this far North-western strand,The soul inspiring symphonyIs welling up all o'er the land.008992 For lo! Arkansas doth rejoice,And Texas sings with cheerful voice,And Mississippi's heart doth swellAnd hail with joy rising knell.Now sounding on her gulf-bound coast--The dirge of a departed ghost.And Louisiana's fields of caneDoth wave in triumph the refrain;And Alabama's lofty pines,And Florida's sweet-scented vines,To-day doth joyously exhaleRich odors on each passing gale.And Georgia, freed from every vice,Now offers up her fields of rice--And South Carolina; first to err,Repentant of the days that were,Now waves her chainless hands on high,In praise of freedom's victory.And North Carolina's Dismal Swamp,Arrayed in rich and gorgeous pomp,Doth hail with pride the loud acclaim,And sweetly sing in freedom's name.And Old Virginia, proud and grand,With her fair sister Maryland,Doth chant the chorus, swell the song,The which to-day shall roll alongIn paeans deep, and loud, and strong,O'er every hill and vale and plainThroughout the land, from Gulf to Maine,And in one grand halo of sound,Sweet fair Columbia's distant bound,And on the radiant wings of lightSoar upward to the Infinite,And pour upon the Eternal's earOne song and shout of grateful cheer.With one allusion, we have doneThe task so joyously begun:009093 It is to speak, in measured lays,Of him the Nation loves to praise.When slavery had basely crucifiedJohn Brown "The bondman's Winkleried"The glorious truths for which he diedSpread everywhere, and multiplied,And rolled on like a foaming sea,Until the sons of LibertyIn all their majesty came forth,And styled themselves the mighty North;And from their ranks selected one,An unassuming woodman's son,'Who bore their standard midst the feud,And mighty contest which ensued.He was from nature's plastic mold,What kings and mighty men of oldThrough lengthened years of toil, in vainHad sought and striven to attain;All that a language could expressOf noble-hearted faithfulness.There was no grace he did not court,Nor blemish in his manly port,Tall and of commanding formAnd Heaven ordained to rule the storm.There was a calm serenity,A kind, persuasive, artless artPervading the DivinityWhich filled his great and manly heart.All manly forms that graced his sight,He deemed them men or black or white;He bowed to all with deference,And won a world of reference.He was that Son of Liberty,Whose heaven-approved fidelityMade every act of his sublime.And safely might we challenge Time,With his deep, enveloped page,The annals of a nameless age,To bring forth one of purer mold,009194 Or one who had a stronger holdUpon his country's throbbing heart,Than he whose native, artless artHas carved his own undying nameUpon the deathless scroll of fame.Need I here that name pronounce,Where if each heart would speak at once,The glorious, grand response would be"Lincoln, the friend of Liberty!"If fame's all glorious scroll were lost,And there remained the merest ghostOf all the present, of all the past,If deathless liberty could last,Her share of glory to receive,Great Lincoln's name would also live!His name shall grow a household word,Where'er the human voice is heard;And tribes and peoples yet unborn,Shall hail and bless his natal morn.For when that glorious instrument,The subject of this great event,Forth from the Nation's mansion cameWith even justice as its aim"Twas deemed by some a fiendish rod,But otherwise adjudged of God,Who, turning earthward from His throne,Beheld great Lincoln all alone,With earth-bent in pensive mood,Pondering o'er some unsubdu'dAnd knotty problem, half dissolved,And half in mystery yet involved.The interest of a continent,All broken up by discontent--His own dear land, land of his love.The fairest' neath the realms above--Weighed down his form and rack'd his brain,And filled his patriot heart with pain.But when his mind conceived the thoughtTo write four million captives free!An angel to his conscious broughtApproving smiles of Deity;And ere he had with flesh conferr'd,He gave the bright conception birth,And distant nations saw and heard,And blessed his mission on the earth.His mission was to rend the chainAnd let the long oppressed go free;And having wholly filled his reign,He laid aside mortalityAnd donned the vesture of the spheres,And passed beyond our mortal ken,To regions far remote from men--Where all the great and good appears.Though gone from earth he is not dead,The great the good they never die,But when these transient forms they shed,In fadeless youth they bloom on high.Oh! could we pass beyond the doomAnd range through fields forever fair,Arrayed in Heaven's eternal bloom,We'd find our benefactor there.

009296

THE BLACK REGIMENT.RECITED BY MISS HALLIE Q. BROWN, OF WILBERFORCE OHIO, ATTHE CENTENNIAL GROUNDS, COLUMBUS, OHIO, AT THEJUBILEE OF FREEDOM, SEPTEMBER 22, 1888.Said she: "After listening to the burning, eloquent words that have fallen from the lips of the last speaker, Bishop B. W. Arnett, I can think of nothing more appropriate than 'The Black Regiment.'"Dark as the clouds of even,Ranked in the western heaven,Waiting the breath that liftsAll the dead mass, and driftsTempest and falling brandO'er a ruined land;--So still and orderly,Arm to arm, knee to knee,Waiting the great eventStands the black regiment.Down the long dusky lineTeeth gleam and eyeballs shine;And the bright bayonet,Bristling, firmly setFlashed with a purpose grand,Long ere the sharp commandOf the fierce rolling drumTold them their time had come--Told them what work was sentFor the black regiment."Now," the flag-sergeant cried,"Though death and hell betide,Let the whole nation seeIf we are fit to be free009397 In this land; or boundDown, like the whining hound--Bound with red stripes of painIn our cold chains again!"Oh! what a shout there wentFrom the black regiment!"Charge!' Trump and drum awoke;Onward the bondman broke:Bayonet and sabre strokeVainly opposed their rush.Through the wild battle's crush,With but one thought aflush;Driving their lords like chaff,In the guns' mouth they laugh;Or, at the slippery brandsLeaping with open hands,Down they tear man and horse,Down in their awful course;Trampling with bloody heelO'er the crushing steel,--All their eyes forward bent,Rushed the black regiment."Freedom!" their battle-cry,--"Freedom! or leave to die!"Ah! and they meant the word;Not as with us 'tis heard,Not a mere party shout;They gave their spirits out;Trusted the end to GodAnd on the gory sodRolled in triumphant blood,Glad to strike one free blow,Whether for weal or woe;Glad to breathe one free breathThough on the lips of death,Praying-alas! in vain!--That they might fall again,009498 So they could once more seeThat burst to liberty!This was what "freedom" lentTo the black regiment.Hundreds on hundreds fell;But they are resting well;Scourges and shackles strongNever shall do them wrong.Oh, to the living few,Soldiers be just and true!Hail them as comrades tried;Fight with them side by side;Never in field or tent,Scorn the black regiment.