up from slavery-第32部分

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sion　were　prominent　coloured　citizens　in　carriages；　as　well　as　several　Negro　military　organizations。　I　noted　that　the　Exposition　officials　seemed　to　go　out　of　their　way　to　see　that　all　of　the　coloured　people　in　the　procession　were　properly　placed　and　properly　treated。　The　procession　was　about　three　hours　in　reaching　the　Exposition　grounds；　and　during　all　of　this　time　the　sun　was　shining　down　upon　us　disagreeably　hot。　When　we　reached　the　grounds；　the　heat；　together　with　my　nervous　anxiety；　made　me　feel　as　if　I　were　about　ready　to　collapse；　and　to　feel　that　my　address　was　not　going　to　be　a　success。　When　I　entered　the　audience…room；　I　found　it　packed　with　humanity　from　bottom　to　top；　and　there　were　thousands　outside　who　could　not　get　in。

The　room　was　very　large；　and　well　suited　to　public　speaking。　When　I　entered　the　room；　there　were　vigorous　cheers　from　the　coloured　portion　of　the　audience；　and　faint　cheers　from　some　of　the　white　people。　I　had　been　told；　while　I　had　been　in　Atlanta；　that　while　many　white　people　were　going　to　be　present　to　hear　me　speak；　simply　out　of　curiosity；　and　that　others　who　would　be　present　would　be　in　full　sympathy　with　me；　there　was　a　still　larger　element　of　the　audience　which　would　consist　of　those　who　were　going　to　be　present　for　the　purpose　of　hearing　me　make　a　fool　of　myself；　or；　at　least；　of　hearing　me　say　some　foolish　thing　so　that　they　could　say　to　the　officials　who　had　invited　me　to　speak；　〃I　told　you　so！〃

One　of　the　trustees　of　the　Tuskegee　Institute；　as　well　as　my　personal　friend；　Mr。　William　H。　Baldwin；　Jr。　was　at　the　time　General　Manager　of　the　Southern　Railroad；　and　happened　to　be　in　Atlanta　on　that　day。　He　was　so　nervous　about　the　kind　of　reception　that　I　would　have；　and　the　effect　that　my　speech　would　produce；　that　he　could　not　persuade　himself　to　go　into　the　building；　but　walked　back　and　forth　in　the　grounds　outside　until　the　opening　exercises　were　over。



Chapter　XIV。　The　Atlanta　Exposition　Address

The　Atlanta　Exposition；　at　which　I　had　been　asked　to　make　an　address　as　a　representative　of　the　Negro　race；　as　stated　in　the　last　chapter；　was　opened　with　a　short　address　from　Governor　Bullock。　After　other　interesting　exercises；　including　an　invocation　from　Bishop　Nelson；　of　Georgia；　a　dedicatory　ode　by　Albert　Howell；　Jr。；　and　addresses　by　the　President　of　the　Exposition　and　Mrs。　Joseph　Thompson；　the　President　of　the　Woman's　Board；　Governor　Bullock　introduce　me　with　the　words；　〃We　have　with　us　to…day　a　representative　of　Negro　enterprise　and　Negro　civilization。〃

When　I　arose　to　speak；　there　was　considerable　cheering；　especially　from　the　coloured　people。　As　I　remember　it　now；　the　thing　that　was　uppermost　in　my　mind　was　the　desire　to　say　something　that　would　cement　the　friendship　of　the　races　and　bring　about　hearty　cooperation　between　them。　So　far　as　my　outward　surroundings　were　concerned；　the　only　thing　that　I　recall　distinctly　now　is　that　when　I　got　up；　I　saw　thousands　of　eyes　looking　intently　into　my　face。　The　following　is　the　address　which　I　delivered：

Mr。　President　and　Gentlemen　of　the　Board　of　Directors　and　Citizens。

One…third　of　the　population　of　the　South　is　of　the　Negro　race。　No　enterprise　seeking　the　material；　civil；　or　moral　welfare　of　this　section　can　disregard　this　element　of　our　population　and　reach　the　highest　success。　I　but　convey　to　you；　Mr。　President　and　Directors；　the　sentiment　of　the　masses　of　my　race　when　I　say　that　in　no　way　have　the　value　and　manhood　of　the　American　Negro　been　more　fittingly　and　generously　recognized　than　by　the　managers　of　this　magnificent　Exposition　at　every　stage　of　its　progress。　It　is　a　recognition　that　will　do　more　to　cement　the　friendship　of　the　two　races　than　any　occurrence　since　the　dawn　of　our　freedom。

Not　only　this；　but　the　opportunity　here　afforded　will　awaken　among　us　a　new　era　of　industrial　progress。　Ignorant　and　inexperienced；　it　is　not　strange　that　in　the　first　years　of　our　new　life　we　began　at　the　top　instead　of　at　the　bottom；　that　a　seat　in　Congress　or　the　state　legislature　was　more　sought　than　real　estate　or　industrial　skill；　that　the　political　convention　or　stump　speaking　had　more　attractions　than　starting　a　dairy　farm　or　truck　garden。

A　ship　lost　at　sea　for　many　days　suddenly　sighted　a　friendly　vessel。　From　the　mast　of　the　unfortunate　vessel　was　seen　a　signal；　〃Water；　water；　we　die　of　thirst！〃　The　answer　from　the　friendly　vessel　at　once　came　back；　〃Cast　down　your　bucket　where　you　are。〃　A　second　time　the　signal；　〃Water；　water；　send　us　water！〃　ran　up　from　the　distressed　vessel；　and　was　answered；　〃Cast　down　your　bucket　where　you　are。〃　And　a　third　and　fourth　signal　for　water　was　answered；　〃Cast　down　your　bucket　where　you　are。〃　The　captain　of　the　distressed　vessel；　at　last　heading　the　injunction；　cast　down　his　bucket；　and　it　came　up　full　of　fresh；　sparkling　water　from　the　mouth　of　the　Amazon　River。　To　those　of　my　race　who　depend　on　bettering　their　condition　in　a　foreign　land　or　who　underestimate　the　importance　of　cultivating　friendly　relations　with　the　Southern　white　man；　who　is　their　next…door　neighbour；　I　would　say：　〃Cast　down　your　bucket　where　you　are〃cast　it　down　in　making　friends　in　every　manly　way　of　the　people　of　all　races　by　whom　we　are　surrounded。

Cast　it　down　in　agriculture；　mechanics；　in　commerce；　in　domestic　service；　and　in　the　professions。　And　in　this　connection　it　is　well　to　bear　in　mind　that　whatever　other　sins　the　South　may　be　called　to　bear；　when　it　comes　to　business；　pure　and　simple；　it　is　in　the　South　that　the　Negro　is　given　a　man's　chance　in　the　commercial　world；　and　in　nothing　is　this　Exposition　more　eloquent　than　in　emphasizing　this　chance。　Our　greatest　danger　is　that　in　the　great　leap　from　slavery　to　freedom　we　may　overlook　the　fact　that　the　masses　of　us　are　to　live　by　the　productions　of　our　hands；　and　fail　to　keep　in　mind　that　we　shall　prosper　in　proportion　as　we　learn　to　dignify　and　glorify　common　labour　and　put　brains　and　skill　into　the　common　occupations　of　life；　shall　prosper　in　proportion　as　we　learn　to　draw　the　line　between　the　superficial　and　the　substantial；　the　ornamental　gewgaws　of　life　and　the　useful。　No　race　can　prosper　till　it　learns　that　there　is　as　much　dignity　in　tilling　a　field　as　in　writing　a　poem。　It　is　at　the　bottom　of　life　we　must　begin；　and　not　at　the　top。　Nor　should　we　permit　our　grievances　to　overshadow　our　opportunities。

To　those　of　the　white　race　who　look　to　the　incoming　of　those　of　foreign　birth　and　strange　tongue　and　habits　of　the　prosperity　of　the　South；　were　I　permitted　I　would　repeat　what　I　say　to　my　own　race：　〃Cast　down　your　bucket　where　you　are。〃　Cast　it　down　among　the　eight　millions　of　Negroes　whose　habits　you　know；　whose　fidelity　and　love　you　have　tested　in　days　when　to　have　proved　treacherous　meant　the　ruin　of　your　firesides。　Cast　down　your　bucket　among　these　people　who　have；　without　strikes　and　labour　wars；　tilled　your　fields；　cleared　your　forests；　builded　your　railroads　and　cities；　and　brought　forth　treasures　from　the　bowels　of　the　earth；　and　helped　make　possible　this　magnificent　representation　of　the　progress　of　the　South。　Casting　down　your　bucket　among　my　people；　helping　and　encouraging　them　as　you　are　doing　on　these　grounds；　and　to　education　of　head；　hand；　and　heart；　you　will　find　that　they　will　buy　your　surplus　land；　make　blossom　the　waste　places　in　your　fields；　and　run　your　factories。　While　doing　this；　you　can　be　sure　in　the　future；　as　in　the　past；　that　you　and　your　families　will　be　surrounded　by　the　most　patient；　faithful；　law…abiding；　and　unresentful　people　that　the　world　has　seen。　As　we　have　proved　our　loyalty　to　you　in　the　past；　nursing　your　children；　watching　by　the　sick…bed　of　your　mothers　and　fathers；　and　often　following　them　with　tear…dimmed　eyes　to　their　graves；　so　in　the　future；　in　our　humble　way；　we　shall　stand　by　you　with　a　devotion　that　no　foreigner　can　approach；　ready　to　lay　down　our　lives；　if　need　be；　in　defence　of　yours；　interlacing　our　industrial；　commercial；　civil；　and　religious　life　with　yours　in　a　way　that　shall　make　the　interests　of　both　races　one。　In　all　things　that　are　purely　social　we　can　be　as　separate　as　the　fingers；　yet　one　as　the　hand　in　all　things　essential　to　mutual　progress。

There　is　no　defence　or　security　for　any　of　us　except　in　the　highest　intelligence　and　development　of　all。　If　anywhere　there　are　efforts　tending　to　curtail　the　fullest　growth　of　the　Negro；　let　these　efforts　be　turned　into　stimulating；　encouraging；　and　making　him　the　most　useful　and　intelligent　citizen。　Effort　or　means　so　invested　will　pay　a　thousand　per　cent　interest。　These　efforts　will　be　twice　blessed〃blessing　him　that　gives　and　him　that　takes。〃

There　is　no　escape　through　law　of　man　or　God　from　the　inevitable：

The　laws　of　changeless　justice　bind　Oppressor　with　oppressed；　And　close　as　sin　and　suffering　joined　We　march　to　fate　abreast。

Nearly　sixteen　millions　of　hands　will　aid　you　in　pulling　the　load　upward；　or　they　will　pull　against　you　the　load　downward。　We　shall　constitute　one…third　and　more　of　the　ignorance　and　crime　of　the　South；　or　one…third　its　intelligence　and　progress；　we　shall　contribute　one…third　to　the　business　and　industrial　prosperity　of　the　South；　or　we　shall　prove　a　veritable　body　of　death；　stagnating；　depressing；　retarding　eve