Not long ago, when passing through the streets of a certain city
in the South, I heard some brick-masons calling out, from the top
of a two-story brick building on which they were working, for the
"Governor" to "hurry up and bring up some more bricks." Several
times I heard the command, "Hurry up, Governor!" "Hurry up,
Governor!" My curiosity was aroused to such an extent that I made
inquiry as to who the "Governor" was, and soon found that he was
a coloured man who at one time had held the position of
Lieutenant-Governor of his state.
But not all the coloured people who were in office during
Reconstruction were unworthy of their positions, by any means.
Some of them, like the late Senator B.K. Bruce, Governor
Pinchback, and many others, were strong, upright, useful men.
Neither were all the class designated as carpetbaggers
dishonourable men. Some of them, like ex-Governor Bullock, of
Georgia, were men of high character and usefulness.
Of course the coloured people, so largely without education, and
wholly without experience in government, made tremendous
mistakes, just as many people similarly situated would have done.
Many of the Southern whites have a feeling that, if the Negro is
permitted to exercise his political rights now to any degree, the
mistakes of the Reconstruction period will repeat themselves.
Pages:
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112