up from slavery-第39章

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　another；　regardless　of　colour　or　race。

I　believe　it　is　the　duty　of　the　Negroas　the　greater　part　of　the　race　is　already　doingto　deport　himself　modestly　in　regard　to　political　claims；　depending　upon　the　slow　but　sure　influences　that　proceed　from　the　possession　of　property；　intelligence；　and　high　character　for　the　full　recognition　of　his　political　rights。　I　think　that　the　according　of　the　full　exercise　of　political　rights　is　going　to　be　a　matter　of　natural；　slow　growth；　not　an　over…night；　gourd…vine　affair。　I　do　not　believe　that　the　Negro　should　cease　voting；　for　a　man　cannot　learn　the　exercise　of　self…government　by　ceasing　to　vote；　any　more　than　a　boy　can　learn　to　swim　by　keeping　out　of　the　water；　but　I　do　believe　that　in　his　voting　he　should　more　and　more　be　influenced　by　those　of　intelligence　and　character　who　are　his　next…door　neighbours。

I　know　coloured　men　who；　through　the　encouragement；　help；　and　advice　of　Southern　white　people；　have　accumulated　thousands　of　dollars'　worth　of　property；　but　who；　at　the　same　time；　would　never　think　of　going　to　those　same　persons　for　advice　concerning　the　casting　of　their　ballots。　This；　it　seems　to　me；　is　unwise　and　unreasonable；　and　should　cease。　In　saying　this　I　do　not　mean　that　the　Negro　should　truckle；　or　not　vote　from　principle；　for　the　instant　he　ceases　to　vote　from　principle　he　loses　the　confidence　and　respect　of　the　Southern　white　man　even。

I　do　not　believe　that　any　state　should　make　a　law　that　permits　an　ignorant　and　poverty…stricken　white　man　to　vote；　and　prevents　a　black　man　in　the　same　condition　from　voting。　Such　a　law　is　not　only　unjust；　but　it　will　react；　as　all　unjust　laws　do；　in　time；　for　the　effect　of　such　a　law　is　to　encourage　the　Negro　to　secure　education　and　property；　and　at　the　same　time　it　encourages　the　white　man　to　remain　in　ignorance　and　poverty。　I　believe　that　in　time；　through　the　operation　of　intelligence　and　friendly　race　relations；　all　cheating　at　the　ballot…box　in　the　South　will　cease。　It　will　become　apparent　that　the　white　man　who　begins　by　cheating　a　Negro　out　of　his　ballot　soon　learns　to　cheat　a　white　man　out　of　his；　and　that　the　man　who　does　this　ends　his　career　of　dishonesty　by　the　theft　of　property　or　by　some　equally　serious　crime。　In　my　opinion；　the　time　will　come　when　the　South　will　encourage　all　of　its　citizens　to　vote。　It　will　see　that　it　pays　better；　from　every　standpoint；　to　have　healthy；　vigorous　life　than　to　have　that　political　stagnation　which　always　results　when　one…half　of　the　population　has　no　share　and　no　interest　in　the　Government。

As　a　rule；　I　believe　in　universal；　free　suffrage；　but　I　believe　that　in　the　South　we　are　confronted　with　peculiar　conditions　that　justify　the　protection　of　the　ballot　in　many　of　the　states；　for　a　while　at　least；　either　by　an　education　test；　a　property　test；　or　by　both　combined；　but　whatever　tests　are　required；　they　should　be　made　to　apply　with　equal　and　exact　justice　to　both　races。



Chapter　XV。　The　Secret　Of　Success　In　Public　Speaking

As　to　how　my　address　at　Atlanta　was　received　by　the　audience　in　the　Exposition　building；　I　think　I　prefer　to　let　Mr。　James　Creelman；　the　noted　war　correspondent；　tell。　Mr。　Creelman　was　present；　and　telegraphed　the　following　account　to　the　New　York　World：

Atlanta；　September　18。

While　President　Cleveland　was　waiting　at　Gray　Gables　to…day；　to　send　the　electric　spark　that　started　the　machinery　of　the　Atlanta　Exposition；　a　Negro　Moses　stood　before　a　great　audience　of　white　people　and　delivered　an　oration　that　marks　a　new　epoch　in　the　history　of　the　South；　and　a　body　of　Negro　troops　marched　in　a　procession　with　the　citizen　soldiery　of　Georgia　and　Louisiana。　The　whole　city　is　thrilling　to…night　with　a　realization　of　the　extraordinary　significance　of　these　two　unprecedented　events。　Nothing　has　happened　since　Henry　Grady's　immortal　speech　before　the　New　England　society　in　New　York　that　indicates　so　profoundly　the　spirit　of　the　New　South；　except；　perhaps；　the　opening　of　the　Exposition　itself。

When　Professor　Booker　T。　Washington；　Principal　of　an　industrial　school　for　coloured　people　in　Tuskegee；　Ala。　stood　on　the　platform　of　the　Auditorium；　with　the　sun　shining　over　the　heads　of　his　auditors　into　his　eyes；　and　with　his　whole　face　lit　up　with　the　fire　of　prophecy；　Clark　Howell；　the　successor　of　Henry　Grady；　said　to　me；　〃That　man's　speech　is　the　beginning　of　a　moral　revolution　in　America。〃

It　is　the　first　time　that　a　Negro　has　made　a　speech　in　the　South　on　any　important　occasion　before　an　audience　composed　of　white　men　and　women。　It　electrified　the　audience；　and　the　response　was　as　if　it　had　come　from　the　throat　of　a　whirlwind。

Mrs。　Thompson　had　hardly　taken　her　seat　when　all　eyes　were　turned　on　a　tall　tawny　Negro　sitting　in　the　front　row　of　the　platform。　It　was　Professor　Booker　T。　Washington；　President　of　the　Tuskegee　（Alabama）　Normal　and　Industrial　Institute；　who　must　rank　from　this　time　forth　as　the　foremost　man　of　his　race　in　America。　Gilmore's　Band　played　the　〃Star…Spangled　Banner；〃　and　the　audience　cheered。　The　tune　changed　to　〃Dixie〃　and　the　audience　roared　with　shrill　〃hi…yis。〃　Again　the　music　changed；　this　time　to　〃Yankee　Doodle；〃　and　the　clamour　lessened。

All　this　time　the　eyes　of　the　thousands　present　looked　straight　at　the　Negro　orator。　A　strange　thing　was　to　happen。　A　black　man　was　to　speak　for　his　people；　with　none　to　interrupt　him。　As　Professor　Washington　strode　to　the　edge　of　the　stage；　the　low；　descending　sun　shot　fiery　rays　through　the　windows　into　his　　face。　A　great　shout　greeted　him。　He　turned　his　head　to　avoid　the　blinding　light；　and　moved　about　the　platform　for　relief。　Then　he　turned　his　wonderful　countenance　to　the　sun　without　a　blink　of　the　eyelids；　and　began　to　talk。

There　was　a　remarkable　figure；　tall；　bony；　straight　as　a　Sioux　chief；　high　forehead；　straight　nose；　heavy　jaws；　and　strong；　determined　mouth；　with　big　white　teeth；　piercing　eyes；　and　a　commanding　manner。　The　sinews　stood　out　on　his　bronzed　neck；　and　his　muscular　right　arm　swung　high　in　the　air；　with　a　lead…pencil　grasped　in　the　clinched　brown　fist。　His　big　feet　were　planted　squarely；　with　the　heels　together　and　the　toes　turned　out。　His　voice　range　out　clear　and　true；　and　he　paused　impressively　as　he　made　each　point。　Within　ten　minutes　the　multitude　was　in　an　uproar　of　enthusiasmhandkerchiefs　were　waved；　canes　were　flourished；　hats　were　tossed　in　the　air。　The　fairest　women　of　Georgia　stood　up　and　cheered。　It　was　as　if　the　orator　had　bewitched　them。

And　when　he　held　his　dusky　hand　high　above　his　head；　with　the　fingers　stretched　wide　apart；　and　said　to　the　white　people　of　the　South　on　behalf　of　his　race；　〃In　all　things　that　are　purely　social　we　can　be　as　separate　as　the　fingers；　yet　one　as　the　hand　in　all　things　essential　to　mutual　progress；〃　the　great　wave　of　sound　dashed　itself　against　the　walls；　and　the　whole　audience　was　on　its　feet　in　a　delirium　of　applause；　and　I　thought　at　that　moment　of　the　night　when　Henry　Grady　stood　among　the　curling　wreaths　of　tobacco…smoke　in　Delmonico's　banquet…hall　and　said；　〃I　am　a　Cavalier　among　Roundheads。〃

I　have　heard　the　great　orators　of　many　countries；　but　not　even　Gladstone　himself　could　have　pleased　a　cause　with　most　consummate　power　than　did　this　angular　　Negro；　standing　in　a　nimbus　of　sunshine；　surrounded　by　the　men　who　once　fought　to　keep　his　race　in　bondage。　The　roar　might　swell　ever　so　high；　but　the　expression　of　his　earnest　face　never　changed。

A　ragged；　ebony　giant；　squatted　on　the　floor　in　one　of　the　aisles；　watched　the　orator　with　burning　eyes　and　tremulous　face　until　the　supreme　burst　of　applause　came；　and　then　the　tears　ran　down　his　face。　Most　of　the　Negroes　in　the　audience　were　crying；　perhaps　without　knowing　just　why。

At　the　close　of　the　speech　Governor　Bullock　rushed　across　the　stage　and　seized　the　orator's　hand。　Another　shout　greeted　this　demonstration；　and　for　a　few　minutes　the　two　men　stood　facing　each　other；　hand　in　hand。


So　far　as　I　could　spare　the　time　from　the　immediate　work　at　Tuskegee；　after　my　Atlanta　address；　I　accepted　some　of　the　invitations　to　speak　in　public　which　came　to　me；　especially　those　that　would　take　me　into　territory　where　I　thought　it　would　pay　to　plead　the　cause　of　my　race；　but　I　alwa