re people in the United States, also, who could give
some good points to the new Emperor of Russia, and if he would take them
and use them it would be for the advantage of that country. It is true
that impressions are not facts, and one cannot run over a fashionable
route of travel holding converse with some hospitable Southern host and
return with much more than impressions. Such are likely to speak with
more confidence than knowledge, but, on the other hand, one who confines
himself to a single locality in the South and to the local facts is more
likely to have his views lean to inclination than to truth. One's
opinion ought to be estimated by his information. I have known an
otherwise intelligent citizen of New Orleans to be ignorant of the
existence of Straight University with its 500 students and its noble
accomplishment. A citizen of New York in this case could give the
citizen of New Orleans some information about the South.

Secondly, the negroes are gaining. Never were the schools better in
their entire range in different States, the studies more exacting, the
purpose on the part of students for mastery in their work more resolute.
Never was there manifested a more self-reliant spirit. The people are
having a hard time just now; many are poorer than ever before, but the
negroes are gaining, inch by inch. There are millions in schools and
unreached millions yet who could not read a word in the New Testament if
they had one; but the gain is seen in many ways; in schools, in
churches, in homes, and in the improved quality and character of the
newspapers edited by colored men, as also in their increased numbers.
The schools under the direction and superintendence of colored teachers
are gaining in standing and worthiness.

Thirdly, the white South is gaining. Not very rapidly, but gaining. The
lawless part of the South--and there is a lawless part--is as lawless as
ever. The lower and more violent elements, however, are but a small part
of the Southern people. Still they know that the general public opinion
is not positive enough to condemn them in any question between the
negroes and the whites; hence they are not afraid to do what they will
with the negro. The great body of the Southern people are law-abiding,
with the single exception that they do not propose to respect the
Fifteenth Amendment. They are committed against this. They deprecate
lawlessness. They are personally kind to the negroes. They are busy in