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him unable to protect his life, his liberty or his property.
Not being a voter disqualifies him for jury service, makes those
elected to office not his representatives and irresponsible to
him for any act that may happen to affect his rights, whether it
be a matter of taxation or education, and oftimes insures a
higher taxation for his property than is borne by any other
class of citizens in the immediate community. This latter com-
plaint often amounts to confiscation of property rights.

The countenance of any discrimination against him by those
high in official life is misunderstood by the public generally
and the Negro suffers the boot of a new prejudice. This is nec-
essarily so because of the disparity of education of men. It
may well be conceded that education and integrity will save any
man, any nation when rightly directed. As applied to the Negro
the American spirit of fairness is more and more becoming a
name. As an ideal thirty years ago it was to me most beautiful
in contemplation, but in practice to-day it is a faint shadow
passing without making much impression.

The present situation requires strong and good men. This
the future demands of every ruler. By following error he can
write the misery of a nation or of any part of it in his life.
How many are willing to sip of the cup of sacrifice its bitter
draughts and make life a continuous round of useful service?

Sir, I trust your feet will be guided by the experience of
the ages that look down upon us; that your heart will respond

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