henry ossian flipper-第48节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



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　institution　from　Georgia；　and　graduated　last　June；　fifty…fifth　in　a　class　of　seventy…six。　There　is　a　preponderance　of　white　blood　in　his　veins；　and　in　general　appearance；　except　for　color；　he　is　a　perfect　image　of　Senator　Plumb　of　Kansas。　He　reports　that　since　he　has　struck　the　South　he　has　been　treated　like　a　gentleman；　which　is　something　different　from　his　experience　in　the　North。　He　made　the　acquaintance　of　Senator　Maxey　at　West　Point　the　Senator　himself　being　a　graduate　of　the　Academyand　regards　him　as　a　very　pleasant　gentleman。　During　the　ten　minutes　he　spent　in　the　Age　editorial　rooms　several　prominent　democrats　of　the　city　called　to　see　and　shake　hands　with　him；　partly　out　of　curiosity　to　see　the　colored　cadet　who　was　so　bitterly　persecuted　by　Northern　students　at　West　Point；　and　partly　to　bid　him　a　welcome　to　the　South　such　as　none　of　his　political　party　friends　would　have　thought　of　giving　him　in　the　North。　Before　many　years　he　will　be；　as　all　intelligent　colored　men　will　be；　a　democrat。〃

Wherever　I　have　travelled　in　the　South　it　has　been　thrown　into　my　face　that　the　Southern　people　had；　would；　and　did　treat　me　better　than　the　Northern　people。　This　is　wholly　untrue。　It　is　true　that　the　men　generally　speak　kindly　and　treat　me　with　due　courtesy；　but　never　in　a　single　instance　has　a　Southern　man　introduced　me　to　his　wife　or　even　invited　me　to　his　house。　It　was　done　North　in　every　place　I　stopped。　In　many　cases；　when　invited　to　visit　gentlemen's　residences；　they　have　told　me　they　wanted　their　wives　to　meet　me。　A　distinguished　New　York　lady；　whose　name　has　occurred　in　print　several　times　with　mine；　gave　me　with　her　own　hands　a　handsome　floral　tribute；　just　after　receiving　my　diploma。　During　five　months'　stay　in　the　South；　after　my　graduation；　not　a　single　Southern　white　woman　spoke　to　me。　I　mistake。　I　did　buy　some　articles　from　one　who　kept　a　book…store　in　a　country　town　in　Georgia。　This　is　the　only　exception。　This　is　the　way　Southern　people　t