Newspaper Page Text
COLUMBIA, S. C.
Saturday Morning, July 10, 1875.
Freedmen's Declaration of Independence.
A number of colored people celebrated
independence day nt Ilillsdalo, near
Washington city, on the 5tli instant, and
had for orators two of the most celebrated
colored men in the Union?John M.
Langston und Frederick Douglass. The
statements and sentiments of these co?
lored leaders are so significant, so ex?
pressive of tho deep dissatisfaction of
tho negro population with the hypocriti?
cal Radicals that have so misled them,
and so abused them, that wo think it will
bo both interesting and instructive to
our readers to see the salient points
made by the orators. Langston led off.
He is a professor in Howard College, in
Washington, and is nearly white, having
in bis veins only enough of negro blood
to swear by, and yet enough to exclude
him from white society, which fixes his
fealty to tho black man; and hence be
talks as strongly in favor of tho colored
people as though he were a thorough?
bred African. He is, nevertheless, a
very good speaker. His theme was
* 'self-respect" and "self-reliance" among
the colored people. He prenehed up
independence, "self-govornnient," and
urged tho repudiation of that of the
white, man, "the self-constituted guar?
dian of tho negro." Who he meant by
this "self-constituted guardian" was
plain. Langston assailed a body of
"Congrcgationalist preachers" Und met
at Atlanta, Go., on tho 20th of April last,
and, ho says, came to the conclusion
that the negro "was a failure," and pro?
ceeded to tnko charge of him as incapa?
ble of taking care of himself; and they
also proceeded to collect money for that
purpose, a measure Langston considers
always of first importance in the action
of these "solf-constituted guardians."
These Cougregationalists wero of Repub?
lican persuasion. Langston says they
exclude negro represenhitives from their
deliberations, and he charges upon them
that they havo done a great deal to de?
stroy the negroes' self-respect and self
reliance. Langston said:
"The colored man is always to be
made to feel his inferiority to the white
man. And besides all tins, these white
men fill up their treasury by saying to
the giving public: 'The negro is a dan?
gerous animal. He must bo educated,
and wo are the only persona in the coun?
try who can do it. Wo Congregationnl
ists have a society for this work; wo have
a college at Nashville, and schools all
over tho South. Give us money, and
place the negro into our bands, and we
will tako caro of him.'
"Mr. President, I am here to enter a
solemn protest against the recent doings
of tho American Missionary Society. I
am hero to-day to declare my independ?
ence and independence for all who are
my followers. The hour is come when
we must throw off this yoke of oppres?
sion, and stand up for our rights as free?
men. Tho signs of the times demand
that we shall prove our fitness for all
tho duties of citizenship.
"The same gentlemen who met in At?
lanta have at last succeeded in getting
tho Howard University into their hands.
One of their number is elected presi?
dent. And'thus tho university that was
founded upon the hard-earned money of
our fallen colored soldiers, and dedi?
cated to tho education of their children,
has passed into the hands of the greatest
proselyting society in the country. Like
Lincoln University, founded as a school
for the education of our youth, who have
knocked in vain nt the doors of white
colleges, like Lincoln, also, it has de?
nied the men whom she has graduated,
or graduates from other and older insti?
tutions, to become tutors or professors
there.
"Fellow-citizens, we will no longer
endure such indignities. Wo will no
longer consent to follow our inferiors!
We will no longer scud our children to
schools marred by men who, in conver?
sation, declare in elaborately-written ad?
dresses that tho negro is a failure?in the
body politic, in religion, in school, and
in every department of life. No; we
hero and now declare ourselves a full
and independent people. Freo to work,
free to think; in tho church and in tho
State, in the school and in the home.
And may tho God of our fathers help us
to keep this declaration inviolable, that
it may pass as a sacred legacy to our
children, and be read with religious and
patriotic enthusiasm to tho latest gone
ration." [Great applause and cheering.]
This cannot be llattering to hypocriti?
cal negrophilists. Rut Douglass was yet
more pointed and severe. Wc qnoto a
few extracts from his bold declarations:
He said that tho negro would not have
been freo now but for the quarrel be?
tween tho North and tho South, and if
the white people made peace now, what
would become of the negro? Ho spoke of
the Isrealitcs by Divine direction bor?
rowing the jewelry of tho Egyptians
upon tho ovo of their departure, and
thus leaving fuTl-handed; and hesoemed
to mourn over the fact that the negro
went out to freedom ompty-handed.
Worse than that, he seemed to bo reject?
ed by North and South, and was thus in
a forlorn condition. Pouring forth a
sort of jereuiiade in this way, be next
asserted that even the Republican party
seemed to desire to get rid ot him. He
asserted that a number of Republican
statesmen aspiring to the Presidency-,
seemed to be casting about to sec if they
could not bo elected "without the aid of
tho black vote." He only hoped that
the next President would bo as good a
friend to the negro as General Grant,
but seemed to regard him as their last
friend! Douglass finally concluded that
the colored man was 1 -thrown upon his
own resources." And here follow some
quotations showing tho now resolves as
well as tho resentments of tho betrayed
black man. See how the colored orator
poui*s bis running fire throughout the
line of Radical humbugs: .
"You will bo tho architects of your
own fortunes. All wo ask is a fair field
to work in, and the white man to leave
us alone. We have been injured more
than wo have been helped by men who
have professed to bo our friends. Thoy
uro lawyers without clients; ministers?
broken down ministers?without church?
es; wandering teachers without schools.
"They are great beggars. They have
the science of begging down to a nicety.
They are great at getting out circulars.
They scatter them broadcast over the
land, as leaves before the autumnal gnlcs.
If you arc worth anything, they will find
out where you live; and if you never got
a letter before, you will get ono now.
[Laughter.]
"Fcllow-citiecns, wc must stop these
men from begging for us! They misrep?
resent us, and cause tho country to look
upon us as a poor and helpless people.
They say, 'Please give something to help
educate the poor black people; hut do,
pray, pay it to me.' And if it is $100, it is
reduced to about 100 cents wdien it gets
to the 'poor black people' Wc do not
want?we will not havo?these second
rate men begging for us! We protest
against it! [Voices: 'That's so." 'Hear,
hear!' Loud and continued applause.]
"Mr. Chairman, I think tho colored
people of this country have hod an ex?
perience during the last decade that will
not bo repeated in the future. Wo have
had a 'Freedman's Savings Institute,'
but we don't want any more. [Laughter
and applause.] Our white friends told
us if we had cents, bring them to them,
and they would take care of them; if wo
had dollars, or hundreds, or thousands,
to bring them to them. They told us
thoy had a goose and a golden egg.
[Laughter.] Yes, we put our millions
there, but where were they now? [Voice,
'That's so.'] The men who went into
that bank a few years ago poor men, are
now domiciled in beatitiful homes, and
drive their fine turn-outs. It makes me
feel badly to think how we have been
robbod. Just enough honest men have
been put into the bank to insnro its suc?
cess. Rut while they put in two sound
apples, thoy slipped in five or six specked
ones, and wore sure to turn the specks
down. [Applause.]
"I said, follow-citizcns, that wc must
protest against these men begging for
us. Allow mo to add that wo uuvst stop
begging ourselves. If we build churches,
don t ask white people to pay for them.
If we have banks, colleges and papers,
do not ask other people to support them.
Re independent.'
Douglass concluded by proposing a
declaration of independence for the
blacks, beginning with the first para?
graph of the American declaration, and
concluding thus:
"Wc propose to cut loose from all in?
vidious class institutions, and to part
company with all these wandering men?
dicants who have followed us simply for
paltry gain. And wo now bid an affec?
tionate farewell to all these plunderers,
and in the future, if we need a Moses,
we will find him in our own tribes."
[Tremendous applause and cheering.]
If tho scurvy Radicals can stand this,
they can stand anything; and can't they?
Rut will the colored people follow Doug?
lass or hold on to their Radical alliances?
We shall see.
General Preston's Adduesh Cen?
sured.- -Many of the Southern papers
condemn the bitter and ill-timed utter?
ances of General John S. Preston, doli?
vored before the alumni of tho Univer?
sity of Virginia, last week. The annexed
extract from the Lyuchburg Vtrylnian
represents the general expression of the
press:
"We are glad to learn that tho senti?
ments of General Preston, though olc
gentlj' expressed, wore not received with
favor by those to whom thoy wero ad?
dressed,* and do not indicate tho opi?
nions of tho sound-thinking people of
Virginia and the South. Let tho North?
ern journals make a noto of this when
thoy undertake to hold us responsible
for the imprudent utterances of n retired
old gentleman, who lived inTSonth Caro?
lina when it was customary there to de?
nounce everything North of a certain
line."
Tho correspondent of tho Baltimore
Sun, in giving an account of tho pro?
ceedings at tho University of Virginia,
stated, when reporting the speech, that
its extreme sentiments wero condemned
by those present.
In tho United States Court, Charleston,
July 8, Judge Bryan presiding, in tho
case of J. A T. Green against Cyrus H.
Baldwin, receiver of the Exchange Bank
of Columbia, J. P. Carroll, L. D. Childs
and others, an appeal was granted. The
application of X. Fehrenbach, for final
discharge in bankruptcy, was referred.
Death of General Blair. .
The telegraph informs us of the sud?
den death of General Frank P. Blair, at
his home in Missouri. He had been ill
for a length of time, but bis friends bad
confidently hoped for his final reco?
very, as tho transfusion of blood into
his veins had re-invigorated him, ami
had enabled him to ride or walk at plea?
sure. The day of bis demise, he walked
down stairs. General Blair, like unto
tho other male members of his family,
was a remarkable man. and was noted
for his fiery zeal in any cause in which
he engaged, as also his doggt d opposi?
tion to the powers of reasoning or con?
viction. He was a politician of some
note, and had served in various civil and
military positions. At the conclusion of
the war, he retired to his home in Mis?
souri. In 18'i8, ho ran for Vice-Presi?
dent of tho United States on tho Demo?
cratic ticket with ex-Governor Seymour.
Shortly after his nomination, he pub?
lished his famous Broadhead letter, in
which he denounced the Reconstruction
Acts as unconstitutional and revolution?
ary in their tendency, and promised
vigorous action for their overthrow in
the event of his election. Notwithstand?
ing the devastation and outrage perpe?
trated by the army tinder Sherman, in
which Blair was a corps commander, and
wdio.se corps was the brag incendiaries
and robbers cd' that army, and which
corps ami army laid waste and made a
wilderness the whole country in their
line of march from Chattanooga te> Sa?
vannah, Charleston ami Goldsboro, N.
C, General F. P. Blair received a heavy
vote from the Democrats ef those sec?
tions. But Blair is dead; ami we are re?
minded of the proverb?"De mortui* ?ff
nisi bunnm."
Remarkable Scene at Memphis on in?
dependence DAY ?bukyino the H.vtchet
between White and Black.?The gn at
feature of the Fourth of July celebration
j at Memphis was tho pic-mc ol the In
dependent Ortler of Pole Bearers, (.co
lored,) whore the following invited
guests were present: General N. B.
Forrest, Genend Gideon J. Pillow, Cole>
nel M. C. Galloway, of the Appeal; Capt.
J. Harvey Mathias, of the Lmaer} Abler
man Henry G. Dent, Maj. Minor Meri
wether and Dr. Clark. President Hen?
ley, of the Pole Bearers, ope ned the pro?
ceedings with u brief speech. He said
they bad not come together to discuss
politics, but to pull "down the political
I and bring about peace, joy and union."
President Henley then said: "Gen.
Forrest, allow me to introduce to you
Miss Lou Lewis, wht?, as the representa?
tive of the colored ladies, will pre sent
yon with a bouquet, to assure yon of the
sincerity they entertain for the objects of
this occasion [cheers] ami as an offering
of peace."
Lou Lewis then advanced to where
Genend Forrest was standing, and pre?
sented tho bouquet with the following
remarks:
"Mr. Forrest, allow me to present you
this bouquet, as a token of reconciliation
and an offering of peace and good will."
[Applause.]
General Forrest received the bouquet,
and in response said:
Ladies and Gentlemen: I accept the
flowers as a memento of reconciliation
betwee n the white and colore d races e>f
the Southern States. I accept it more
particularly as it comes from n colored
lady, for if there is any one in God's
earth who loves the ladies, I believe it is
myself. [Immense applause and laugh?
ter.] This day is a day that is proud to
me, having occupied the position that I
did for the past twe lve years, and been
misunderstood by your race. This is
the' first opportunity I have bad during
that time to say that I am your friend.
I am he ro a re presentative of the South?
ern people, one more slandered and ma?
ligned than any man in the nation. I
will say to you and the colored race that
the nu n wdio bore arms and followed the
ting of tho Confederacy arc, with very
few exceptions, your friends. It has al?
ways been my motto to elevate every
man?to depress none. [Applause.] I
want to elevate you to take positions in
law offices, in stores, on farms ami
wherever you arc capablo of going. I
don't propose to say anything about poli?
tics. You have a right to elect whom
you please; vote foi* the man you think
best, and I think, when that is done,
that vou ami I aro free men. Do as you
consider right and honest in electing
men for office. I have been in the heat
of battle when colored men asked me to
protect them. I havo placed myself be?
tween them ami tho bullets of my men,
ami told them they should bo kept un?
harmed. Go to work, bo industrious,
live honestly and act truly, and when
yon are opprcssod I'll como to your re?
lief. I thank you, ladies and gentlemen,
for this opportunity yon have afforded
me to be with you, and to assure you
that I am with you in heart and in band.
[Prolonged applause]
Gen. Pillow made an address of con?
siderable length, in which he gave tho
colored people some sage advice. Hon.
Casey Young, who had expected to bo
present anel make a speech, was unable
to elo so on aocount of illness, sent a
letter, which was read and well received.
Great enthusiasm was manifested by
ceoelings, and the patriotic sontiments
expressed' by the speakers were fre?
quently* applauded.
m -
A ge nnine frizzly bear is creating a
commotion in tho St. Paul's section of
Darlington County.
tho colored
City Matters.?The pleasure-seekers
are departing springs-wards.
Luna shines forth gloriously now.
The days are growing shorter at the
rate of two minutes daily.
Which would you rather do this hot
weather?or go n fishing? Not otherwise.
Messrs. J. G. Thompson and C. C. |
Puffer have been admitted to practice as
attorneys at law.
The bridge corner of Bull and Taylor
streets is in a dangerous condition end
j should be attended to.
Northern travelers will rind the. route
vii Charleston and Clyde steamers just
tho thing. The vessels are commodious,
the accommodation all that could be de?
sired, the officers attentive, and tho
i tables supplied with everything good.
The heated term is worse than the
third term. Yesterday the sun pound
torrid beams upon the town, and those
who believed a few days ago that the
winter would last all summer, found
their error when the thermometer stood
at ninty-five degrees in the shade.
Florida.? Tho information, only de?
veloped in the last few years, of the de?
lightful climate of Florida, its remarka?
ble salubrity, and the extraordinary for
l tunes being realized from its oningc,
banana and pine apple crops, has elrawn
visitors and settlers in thousands fre-m
ev< ry State in the Union. Upwards of
50.UU0 persons are estimated as having
visited that State last winter, and the
number is increasing each year. Many
of our readers who have been seek?
ing information on this entertaining
subject will be pleased te> have an op?
portunity of hearing an interesting lec?
ture, to-uigbt, from Hon. Wni. Kcndrick.
Mr. K. was many years State Senator in
Florida, and being a native Floridiun,
one of the old Indian fighters, is well
able to tell all about that State. Wo
learn that he and our old friend, Col. J.
G. Gibbes, propose a tour during the
next three months through the North
und North-west, lecturing on tho sub?
ject in the intere st of Florida emigration.
Our readers will find much to instruct,
interest and amuse them, by attending
to-night.
Special Term Court e>> Common
Pleas?The Parker Trial?Damaging
Testimony. --The ease of the State
against Nile:; <;. Parker was continued
yesterday.
James O. Laeld was the first witw ss
(railed for the plaintiff, and bis testimony
proved to bo the most inte resting to the
auditors and important to the State of
any that has been thus far produced.
He was book-ke< per first, and then chief
clerk in Parker's office, from November,
1808, till January, 1871. The rule re?
garding coupons that had matured be?
fore the bonds to which tin y were af?
fixed were issued from the Treasury,
was that such coupons should be do
tacked and tiled in the office. The wit?
ness stated that he bad no business re la?
tions with Barker, other than Hu so of an
official character, up to 1871; knew no?
thing of his own knowledge, or by
Parker's admissions, of Parker's having
abstracted over $-150,000 <>f coupons
from tho Treasurer's office at nnv time.
In May. 1873, while at the dinner table,
talking about defendant's proposed trip
te? Europe, Parker turned from the table
and opened his sale und showt d to \. it
ness packages which Parker said, con?
tained $150,000 worth of coupons. Thert
were five r?r six packages, each contain?
ing $25,000 worth of coupons, excepting
one, which contained $o0,000. Parker
told witness that be bad got these; cou?
pons at the final settlement in New York
with Kimpton; that the y were bis part ol
$150,000 worth of coupons, which were
distributed as follows: Kimpton, $150,
000; B. K. Scott, $50,000; J. L. Noagle,
850,000; Governor D. H. Chamberlain,
$50.000, and Park? r. $150,000. Witness
stated that -Parker said at that time that
he did not know that Gov. 1). H. Cham?
berlain bad ? vex received a cent of these
coupons.
In response to the Court, witness
staled that Parker bid not said that
Chamberlain did not know anything
about these $50,000 coupons, but that he*
(Parker") did not know that he. had ever
received a cent of them. In June or
July, 18711, Parker went to Europe. In
May, 1871, witness had another conver?
sation with Parker, which was about the
funding of the coupons; witness was
asked to assist in funding some of them,
and consented. Parker said that W. B.
Gulick, Es<p, would fund coupons for
outsiele parties, and askeel witness to see
him in that connection, which witness
did, by writing him from Charleston.
After this witness hael another conversa?
tion with Parker, in July, 1871, when
witness asked defenelant what hael been
done about funding tho coupons. Par?
ker replied that Senator Y. J. P. Owens
would fund them for him. In the con?
versation in May, 1874, Parker marked
or checked off from an advertisement
under tho Funding Act made by tho
Treasurer, thoso bonds to which tho
coupons ho owned belonged, as follows:
Capitol bonds, bonds for redemption of
bills receivable and payment of public
debt, bonds for funding the bills of the
Bank of the State, anel bonds for the re?
lief of tho treasury. Witness produced
the advertisement as Parker had marked
it and give it to him. The following is
the substanco of a letter received by wit?
ness whilo in Charleston from Parker.
The envelope und letter bear date Co?
lumbia, hi. C, June 2, 1874:
"Dear Captain: Gulickwillad. (.adver?
tise) in New York nt onec. I have seen
copy of ad. It will go on immediately.
I think he will ad. here, but he bus not
done so yet. Please write him und ask
him if he is prepared to attend to such
business. Say you have heard he was.
Say you have some to be funded?do
not say for w hom. Yon must not say
wdio for under any circumstances, be?
cause I have foHqht (tinder-scored in
letter; the whole scheine from beginning
to end. It is an outrage, but I am fenced '
to take advantage of it. or I would not.
Of course you understand me. \"oumust
not keep this letter, but destroy it."
The remaimh r of the letter was of a
private- nature. The witness, on the
cross-examination, statctl that he had
known Parker since 180C or '?',7. Wit?
ness staled that his feelings had always
bei n kindly towards Parker, and that if
be had ever said that Parker could not
have treated him better had he been hi^
father, the remark would have been just
and true, though he did not remember
ever to have said so. He said that Par?
ker had got hkn into the Treasurer's e.f
fice; then into a situation on the Wash?
ington Clirvuicb', in Washington, D. C.,
of which Parker was then a part owner,
at a salary of $50 per week. Witness
borrowed of Purk? r $500, which Parker
said he could pay back when he was able
and was aske d for it. Parker advanced
money to witness in 1S71 for the pur?
pose of setting him up in business.
Witness failed; did not pay any of his
en ditors in full; settle.; with the largest
creditor twenty minutes before Sheriff
dosed his store und.-r an execution; did
not run off any of his goods; gave Hose
some whiskey e>n account of Lis board
and Parker a good many goods in pay?
ment oi money due him: Parker got
most of the goods taken from the store.
Witness did not represent himself to
Hozlett A: Co. as a partner of Parker.
He claimed the right to explain about
his failure, which was granted. He said
Parker had represented to him that if he
would begin business on capital Parker
would advance and use his own name,
he (.Parker") would assist him and
come into tho business also. Helving
upon this, witness had, within two
months from opening the store, four
times as much steck as the original capi?
tal, and had to stave off notes falling due
as best he could?Parke r giving him no
assistance. Did not get from Parker
more than SluU after the busim ss started.
Witness faib d becnuse be relied on Par?
ker's assistance. No blame to Parker for
his failure, because he know Parker's
embarrassed financial cemditie>n. Up to
the time of Porker's arre st, witness had
neve r spoken harshly of him to any one.
Had never told any one that there was
nothing in this case that could injure
Parker; on the contrary, he bad told Dr.
Neagle and Mr. J. G." Thompson that
the re was, although he hael no elesnre to
injure hint. Witness explained that on
the day before, he had been sent for by
Puffer; took a drink with Puffer; then
met Maurice Parker, elefendant's son;
took a drink with him and Puffer; then
went with Puffer alone'to bis room, in
Parker's Block; then Puffer tried to per?
suade him from testifying against Par?
ker; said be thought his testimony un?
necessary, Ac. The Court took this a>
sufficient excuse for his absence on yes
terday, and orde red the attachment to bo
vacated upon payment of costs thereof
by witness.
J. ('. McKinney, chief clerk in tho
Tn asnrc-r's office, was next e xamined.
The coupons then exhibited to him wen
the same counted a month ago in his
otlice. Ho fun.led for Y. J. 1'. Owens
coupons as fedlows: Ftth June, 1--7S,
$2-1,000; liltb June, 1874, $100,000; 1Mb
June. 187-1, $18,001; 21th June, 1874,
$114,000 total. $280,001. He bad fun l
ed for Y'. J. P. Owens all the- coupons
that were on the stand.
T. C. Dunn, Comptroller-General, tes?
tified that the COUponS identified by J.
('. McKinney were the s-ame- funded for
Y. J. 1'. Owens. Witness got them from
th.- Treasurer, and examined a part of
these coupons personally. He- was one
of a committees consisting of himself,
Nash, Meotzc, Bray ton, Humbert, Huym
ami Whittemore. He then gave a classi?
fication of these- coupons, as made by
this committee, tho total of w hich was
$280,000. lb- testified that all the cou
pons that had been funded for Owens
were as agreement. While testifying*!!!
relation to another point, the Court ad?
journed until 10 A. M., to-day.
List of New Advei-.tisemests.
G. M. Walker?Bank Notice.
II. A' S. Beard?Auction Sale.
Oliver Ditson A Co.?Music Book.-.
J. WntieH A Co.?Wanted.
Meeting Y. M. C. A.
Win. Ke-ndrick- Florida Lecture.
W. B. Burke -Corn, Hay, Egg-, &c.
Statement Union Bank. *
Mfi.DEi:, Bemoi-.se and .Sncii>e.? In
Point Conpce Parish, La., a few elays
since, David Gay, Jr., a planter, becom?
ing engaged in on altercation with e>nc
of the coloreel hands on the place, whom
he had previously orelercel to leave the
plantation, and being so much exaspe?
rated at finding tho man in tho field
among the other bands, in defiance of
bis authority, drew his revolver ami shot
the man eleael, and immediately after?
wards, as if actuated by remorse for
having taken the lifo of a fellow being,
he placed the weapon to bis own head
and shot himself, but the first shot hav?
ing faileel to extinguish life, he fired a
seconel shot, which took effect in his
brain, and be fell a lifeless victim by his
own hand within a few feet of the man
be bad just slain.
< ? ?
During the celebration of the Fourth
at West Unity, Ohio, a man named Peter
KrimUe was killed by the premature
discharge of a cannon. He leaves a
family.
