All
the members of this committee were white men except Bishop Grant,
Bishop Gaines, and myself. The Mayor and several other city and
state officials spoke before the committee. They were followed by
the two coloured bishops. My name was the last on the list of
speakers. I had never before appeared before such a committee,
nor had I ever delivered any address in the capital of the
Nation. I had many misgivings as to what I ought to say, and as
to the impression that my address would make. While I cannot
recall in detail what I said, I remember that I tried to impress
upon the committee, with all the earnestness and plainness of any
language that I could command, that if Congress wanted to do
something which would assist in ridding the South of the race
question and making friends between the two races, it should, in
every proper way, encourage the material and intellectual growth
of both races. I said that the Atlanta Exposition would present
an opportunity for both races to show what advance they had made
since freedom, and would at the same time afford encouragement to
them to make still greater progress.
I tried to emphasize the fact that while the Negro should not be
deprived by unfair means of the franchise, political agitation
alone would not save him, and that back of the ballot he must
have property, industry, skill, economy, intelligence, and
character, and that no race without these elements could
permanently succeed.
Pages:
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224