all are not determined,
all are not forceful. The fiercest courage will now and then lose its
force when battling against steady odds. Moreover, our shortcomings,
like the shirt of Nessus, are not only with us ever, but they are on
constant exhibition to shame, mortify and humiliate us. While it is
not sensible to shut our eyes to these painful reminders of the
obstacles to our progress, while it is even best to invite a searching
scrutiny of them to the end that they may be torn off by heroic
methods, if need be, after all an occasional study of our strong parts
is a help in the struggle.

DISCARD SELF GRATULATION.

In the attempt to reflect on the staying powers of the race, I have
not the remotest idea of pandering to conceit or vanity, to the
contrary, I decry any disposition to extol and magnify whatever we
are subjectively, and whatever we have achieved. The fierce conflicts
we have undergone and the terrible crucible through which the cruel
hand of fate promises to pass us, dispel the idea of self gratulation.
Life for us in the conflict ahead is all stern and serious. Wounds and
scars will for generations yet to come be the decorations for our
leaders in thought and action; there is no niche in the edifice
consecrated to our present and coming heroes for fulsome, windy
flatteries airing their importance to the galleries. Hearts true and
stout charged with big emotions to raise and elevate their suffering
kind to a higher plane, should be the only thinkers to claim our
considerate attention and command our homage.

THEME UNDER CONSIDERATION.

In the theme I have chosen for this paper, I shall endeavor to show
that the latent and active attributes of the negro eminently adapt him
to be classed among the survivals of the fittest in the family of
races. Before proceeding, however, to a formal discussion of the
subject, it might not be amiss for a minute or two, to take a running
retrospect of the race since its advent into its present civil life.

The three decades which mark the close of our Civil War have perhaps
not only written history more broadly in the behalf of humanity in
general as interpreted by Christian civilization, than any other
similar period, but they have been the most momentous in shaping the
national life by moulding and settling policies of a lasting nature.
The admission of millions, of what is termed an alien race into the
solution of an untried problem of government by the people,