henry ossian flipper-第43部分

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ugh。　We　have　conned　its　remarks　with　mingled　feelings　of　sympathy　and　exultation。　Exultation！　because　we　believe　fate　has　something　higher　and　better　in　store　for　you　than　they　or　you　ever　dreamed。　Inclosed　please　find　copy　of　a　letter　to　the　Honorable　the　Secretary　of　State。　We　have　not　yet　received　a　reply。　Also；　inclosed；　a　number　of　the　Missionary　Record　containing　the　call　referred　to。　We　have　mentioned　you　in　our　note　to　His　Excellency　Anthony　Gardner；　President　of　Liberia。　Please　communicate　with　us　and　say　if　this　letter　and　inclosures　do　not　open　up　a　bright　vista　in　the　future　to　your　imagination　and　reasonable　aspirations？　We　picture　to　ourselves　our　efforts　to　obtain　a　line　of　steamers　crowned　with　success；　and　behold　you　as　commander…in…chief　organizing　and　marshalling　Liberia's　military　forces　in　the　interests　of　humanity　at　large；　and　the　especial　development　of　a　grand　African　nationality　that　shall　command　the　respect　of　the　nations：

　　　　　　So　Afric　shall　resume　her　seat　in　the　　　　　　　　　　Hall　of　Nations　vast；　　　　　　　And　strike　upon　her　restrung　lyre　　　　　　　　　　The　requiem　of　the　past：　　　　　　　And　sing　a　song　of　thanks　to　God；　　　　　　　　　　For　his　great　mercy　shown；　　　　　　　In　leading；　with　an　outstretched　arm；　　　　　　　　　　The　benighted　wanderer　home。　Selah！

Provide　yourself　at　once　with　maps；　etc。；　master　the　chorography　of　Africa　in　general；　and　the　topography　of　Liberia　in　particular；　that　is　to　say；　the　whole　range　of　the　Kong　mountains；　including　its　eastern　slope　on　to　the　Niger；　our　natural　boundary！　for　the　next　thirty　years！　after　that；　onward！　Cultivate　especially　the　artillery　branch　of　the　service；　this　is　the　arm　with　which　we　can　most　surely　overawe　all　thought　of　opposition　among　the　native　tribes；　whilst　military　engineering　will　dot　out　settlements　with　forts；　against　which；　they　will　see；　'twould　be　madness　to　hurl　themselves。　We　desire　to　absorb　and　cultivate　them。　The　great　obstacle　to　this　is　their　refusal　to　have　their　girls　educated。　This　results　from　their　institution　of　polygamy。　Slavery　is　the　same　the　world　overit　demands　the　utter　ignorance　of　its　victims。　We　must　compel　their　enlightenment。　Have　we　not　said　enough？　Does　not　your　intelligence　grasp；　and　your　ambition　spring　to　the　great　work？　Let　us　hear　from　you。　You　can　be　a　great　power　in　assisting　to　carry　out　our　Exodus。　If　you　desire　we　will　elect　you　a　member　of　our　council　and　keep　you　advised　of　our　proceedings。　We　forward　you　by　this　mail　some　of　our　numbers　and　the　Charleston　News　of　the　20th。　See　the　article　on　yourself；　and　let　it　nerve　you　to　thoughts　and　deeds　of　greatness。　Let　us　know　something　about　Baker　and　McClennan。　Are　they　at　Annapolis？　Cadets？　（We　will　require　a　navy　as　well　as　an　army。）　Also　something　about　yourself。　What　part　of　the　State　are　you　from？　Hon。　R。　H。　Cain　is　not　here；　or　probably　he　could　inform　us。

Affectionately　yours。　By　our　President；

B。　F。　PORTER；　Pastor　of　Morris　Brown　Chapel。

GEO。　CURTIS；　Corresponding　Secretary。

P。　S。We　have　received　a　reply　from　the　Secretary　of　Statevery　courteous　in　its　tonebut　〃regrets〃　to　say　that　he　has　〃no　special　means　of　forming　an　opinion　upon　the　subject。　The　measure　referred　to　would　require　an　Act　of　Congress；　in　respect　to　whose　future　proceedings　it　would　not　be　prudent　to　venture　a　prediction。〃

The　answer　is　all　we　expected。　We　have　made　ourselves　known　to；　and　are　recognized　by；　the　Executive；　our　next　step　is　to　address　Senators　Morton　and　Blaine　Hon。　R。　H。　Cain　will　see　to　it；　that　the　question　is　pushed　in　the　House。　G。C。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　COPY。


Rooms　OF　THE　LIBERIA　EXODUS　ASSOCIATION；　10　MARY　STREET；　CHARLESTON；　S。C。　June　14；　1877。

HON。　WM。　J。　EVARTS；　Secretary　of　State；　Washington；　D。C。：

Sir：　Inclosed　please　find　a　call　on　our　people　to　prepare　to　organize　for　an　exodus　to　Liberia。

We　think　it　explains　itself；　but　any　further　explanation　called　for　we　will　gladly　supply。

In　the　event　of　a　sufficient　response　to　our　call；　please　inform　us　if　there　is　any　probability　of　our　government　placing　one　or　more　steamers　on　the　route　between　here；　or　Port　Royal；　and　Liberia　for　our　transportation；　and　if　so；　then　the　charge　for　passage；　and　if；　to　those　unable　to　pay　ready　money；　time　will　be　given；　and　the　payment　received　in　produce？

Tens　of　thousands　are　now　eager　to　go　from　this　State　alone；　but　we　want　a　complete　exodus；　if　possible；　from　the　whole　United　States；　thus　leaving　you　a　homogeneous　people；　opening　up　an　immense　market　for　your　products；　giving　a　much　required　impetus　to　your　trade；　commerce；　and　manufactures；　and　for　ourselves　attaining　a　position　where；　removed　from　under　the　shade　of　a　〃superior　race；〃　we　will　have　full　opportunity　for　developing　whatever　capacity　of　soul　growth　our　Creator　has　endowed　us　with。

That　Africa　will　be　developed；　and　chiefly　through　the　instrumentality　of　its　five　millions　of　descendants　in　America；　is　certain。　Now　the　question　is；　who　shall　have　the　chief　handling　and　consequent　benefit　of　this　grand　instrument；　next　to　itself；　of　course；　for　we　are　treating　of　a　sentient　instrumentality。　We　beseech　you　that　you　do　not　send　us；　Columbus…like；　from　court　to　court　offering　the　development　of　a　new　world　to　incredulous　ears。　We　are　asking　the　President　of　Liberia；　the　American　Colonization　Society；　and　all　friends　of　the　measure；　for　their　aid；　advice；　and　co…operation。

We　desire　to　carry　our　first　shipment　of　emigrants　not　later　than　September　or　October　proximo。

We　have　the　honor　to　be；　Sir；　in　all　respect　and　loyalty；　yours　to　command。

The　Council　of　the　L。　E。　A。　By　our　President；

B。　F。　PORTER；　Pastor　Morris　Brown　A。M。E。　Church。

GEO。　CURTIS；　Corresponding　Secretary。

Here　is　an　article　from　some　paper　in　New　Orleans。　Contempt　is　all　it　deserves。　I　am　sure　all　my　readers　will　treat　it　as　I　do。　　Frogs　will　croak；　won't　they？

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　LIEUTENANT　FLIPPER。

〃With　the　successful　examination　of　the　colored　cadet　Flipper；　at　West　Point；　and　his　appearance　in　the　gazette　as　a　full…fledged　lieutenant　of　cavalry；　the　long　vexed　question　has　been　settled　just　as　it　ceased　to　be　a　question　of　any　practical　import。　　Out　of　three　or　four　experiments　Flipper　is　the　one　success。　As　the　whole　South　has　now　passed　into　Democratic　control；　and　the　prospect　for　Southern　Republican　congressmen　is　small；　the　experiments　will　hardly　be　repeated；　and　he　must　stand　for　those　that　might　have　been。

〃It　would　be　interesting　to　know　how　Flipper　is　to　occupy　his　time。　The　usual　employments　of　young　lieutenants　are　of　a　social　nature；　such　as　leading　the　German　at　Narraganset　Pier　and　officiating　in　select　private　theatricals　in　the　great　haunts　of　Fashion。　Flipper　is　described　as　a　little　bow…legged　grif　of　the　most　darkly　coppery　hue；　and　of　a　general　pattern　that　even　the　most　enthusiastic　would　find　it　hard　to　adopt。　Flipper　is　not　destined　to　uphold　the　virtues　and　graces　of　his　color　in　the　salons　of　Boston　and　New　York；　then；　nor　can　he　hope　to　escape　the　disagreeably　conspicuous　solitude　he　now　inhabits　among　his　fellow…officers　through　any　of　those　agencies　of　usage　and　familiarity　which　would　result　if　other　Flippers　were　to　follow　him　into　the　army　and　help　to　dull　the　edge　of　the　innovation。　Just　what　Flipper　is　to　do　with　himself　does　not　seem　altogether　clear。　Even　the　excitement　of　leading　his　men　among　the　redskins　will　be　denied　him；　now　that　Spotted　Tail　has　pacified　the　malcontents　and　Sitting　Bull　has　retired　to　the　Canadas。　It　is　to　be　presumed　that　those　persons　who　patronized　Flipper　and　had　him　sent　to　West　Point　are　gratified　at　the　conclusion；　and　there　is　a　sort　of　reason　for　believing　that　Flipper　himself　is　contented　with　the　lot　he　has　accepted；　but　whether　the　experiment　is　worth　all　the　annoyance　it　occasions　is　a　problem　not　so　easily　disposed　of。

〃His　prospects　don't　appear　to　be　very　brilliant　as　regards　social　delights　or　domestic　enjoyments；　but　of　course　that　is　Flipper's　business　not　ours。　It　merely　struck　us　that　things　had　happened　a　little　unfortunately　for　him；　to　become　the　lonesome　representative　of　his　race　in　the　midst　of　associations　that　object　to　him　and　at　a　time　when　the　supply　of　colored　officers　is　permanently　cut　off。　Personally　we　are　not　interested　in　Flipper。〃

I　am　indebted　to　a　Houston　Texas；　paper　for　the　following：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　COLORED　WEST　POINTER。

〃We　had　a　call　yesterday　from　Lieutenant　H。　O。　Flipper；　of　the　United　States　Army。　Mr。　Flipper；　it　will　be　remembered；　is　the　colored　cadet　who　graduated　at　the　Military　Academy　at　West　Point　last　session；　occupying　in　his　class　a　position　that　secured　his　appointment　to　the　cavalry　service；　a　mark　of　distinction。　He　was　gazetted　as　second　lieutenant　in　the　Tenth　Cavalry；　and　he　enjoys　the　honor　of　being　the　first　colored　man　who　has　passed　by　all　the　regular　channels　into　an　official　station　in　the　army。

〃This　young　officer　is　a　bright　mulatto；　tall　and　soldierly；　with　a　quiet　unobtrusive　manner；　and　the　bearing　of　a　gentleman。　As　the　forerunner　of　his　race　in　the　position　he　occupies；　he　is　placed　in　a　delicate　and　trying　situation；　a　fact　which　he　realizes。　He　remarked　that　he　knew　it　was　one　of　the　requirements　of　an　officer　of　the　army　to　be　a　gentleman；　a　man　of　honor　and　integrity　under　all　circumstances；　and　he　hoped　to　be　equal　to　his　duties　in　this　regard。　He　goes　on　to　Fort　Concho　to　join　his　regiment；　which　is　likely　to　have　work　to　do　soon；　if　there　is　anything　in　the　signs　of　the　times。

〃We　bespeak　for　this　young　officer　the　just　consideration　to　which　the　difficulties　of　his　position　entitle　him。〃

I　was　originally　ordered　to　Fort　Concho；　but　at　Houston；　Texas　I　met　my　lieutenant…colonel；　who　informed　me　that　My　company　was　en　route　to　Fort　Sill。　My　orders　were　then　changed；　and　I　proceeded　to　Sill。

Here　is　another　article　from　a　paper　in　the　same　place：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　DIFFERENCE。

〃The　Age　yesterday　had　a　call　from　Henry　O。　Flipper　second　lieutenant　Tenth　United　States　Cavalry；　who　is　on　his　way　under　orders　to　join　his　regiment　at　Fort　Concho。　So　far　there　is　nothing　very　unusual　in　this　item；　but　interest　will　be　given　to　it　when　we　add　that　Lieutenant　Flipper　is　the　first　colored　graduate　of　West　Point。　He　went　to　the　in