up from slavery-第31部分

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k　me　heartily　for　my　frank　words。

The　change　of　the　attitude　of　the　Negro　ministry；　so　far　as　regards　myself；　is　so　complete　that　at　the　present　time　I　have　no　warmer　friends　among　any　class　than　I　have　among　the　clergymen。　The　improvement　in　the　character　and　life　of　the　Negro　ministers　is　one　of　the　most　gratifying　evidences　of　the　progress　of　the　race。　My　experience　with　them；　as　well　as　other　events　in　my　life；　convince　me　that　the　thing　to　do；　when　one　feels　sure　that　he　has　said　or　done　the　right　thing；　and　is　condemned；　is　to　stand　still　and　keep　quiet。　If　he　is　right；　time　will　show　it。

In　the　midst　of　the　discussion　which　was　going　on　concerning　my　Atlanta　speech；　I　received　the　letter　which　I　give　below；　from　Dr。　Gilman；　the　President　of　Johns　Hopkins　University；　who　had　been　made　chairman　of　the　judges　of　award　in　connection　with　the　Atlanta　Exposition：

Johns　Hopkins　University；　Baltimore；

President's　Office；　September　30；　1895。

Dear　Mr。　Washington：　Would　it　be　agreeable　to　you　to　be　one　of　the　Judges　of　Award　in　the　Department　of　Education　at　Atlanta？　If　so；　I　shall　be　glad　to　place　your　name　upon　the　list。　A　line　by　telegraph　will　be　welcomed。

Yours　very　truly；

D。C。　Gilman

I　think　I　was　even　more　surprised　to　receive　this　invitation　than　I　had　been　to　receive　the　invitation　to　speak　at　the　opening　of　the　Exposition。　It　was　to　be　a　part　of　my　duty；　as　one　of　the　jurors；　to　pass　not　only　upon　the　exhibits　of　the　coloured　schools；　but　also　upon　those　of　the　white　schools。　I　accepted　the　position；　and　spent　a　month　in　Atlanta　in　performance　of　the　duties　which　it　entailed。　The　board　of　jurors　was　a　large　one；　containing　in　all　of　sixty　members。　It　was　about　equally　divided　between　Southern　white　people　and　Northern　white　people。　Among　them　were　college　presidents；　leading　scientists　and　men　of　letters；　and　specialists　in　many　subjects。　When　the　group　of　jurors　to　which　I　was　assigned　met　for　organization；　Mr。　Thomas　Nelson　Page；　who　was　one　of　the　number；　moved　that　I　be　made　secretary　of　that　division；　and　the　motion　was　unanimously　adopted。　Nearly　half　of　our　division　were　Southern　people。　In　performing　my　duties　in　the　inspection　of　the　exhibits　of　white　schools　I　was　in　every　case　treated　with　respect；　and　at　the　close　of　our　labours　I　parted　from　my　associates　with　regret。

I　am　often　asked　to　express　myself　more　freely　than　I　do　upon　the　political　condition　and　the　political　future　of　my　race。　These　recollections　of　my　experience　in　Atlanta　give　me　the　opportunity　to　do　so　briefly。　My　own　belief　is；　although　I　have　never　before　said　so　in　so　many　words；　that　the　time　will　come　when　the　Negro　in　the　South　will　be　accorded　all　the　political　rights　which　his　ability；　character；　and　material　possessions　entitle　him　to。　I　think；　though；　that　the　opportunity　to　freely　exercise　such　political　rights　will　not　come　in　any　large　degree　through　outside　or　artificial　forcing；　but　will　be　accorded　to　the　Negro　by　the　Southern　white　people　themselves；　and　that　they　will　protect　him　in　the　exercise　of　those　rights。　Just　as　soon　as　the　South　gets　over　the　old　feeling　that　it　is　being　forced　by　〃foreigners；〃　or　〃aliens；〃　to　do　something　which　it　does　not　want　to　do；　I　believe　that　the　change　in　the　direction　that　I　have　indicated　is　going　to　begin。　In　fact；　there　are　indications　that　it　is　already　beginning　in　a　slight　degree。

Let　me　illustrate　my　meaning。　Suppose　that　some　months　before　the　opening　of　the　Atlanta　Exposition　there　had　been　a　general　demand　from　the　press　and　public　platform　outside　the　South　that　a　Negro　be　given　a　place　on　the　opening　programme；　and　that　a　Negro　be　placed　upon　the　board　of　jurors　of　award。　Would　any　such　recognition　of　the　race　have　taken　place？　I　do　not　think　so。　The　Atlanta　officials　went　as　far　as　they　did　because　they　felt　it　to　be　a　pleasure；　as　well　as　a　duty；　to　reward　what　they　considered　merit　in　the　Negro　race。　Say　what　we　will；　there　is　something　in　human　nature　which　we　cannot　blot　out；　which　makes　one　man；　in　the　end；　recognize　and　reward　merit　in　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；　a