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Lot #
046
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Outstanding 1870's Howard University Student's Letter Group with a Historic Account of His Civil Rights Experience
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| Exceedingly scarce Howard University student correspondence grouping, pertaining to Cornelius C. Scott a Howard University student during 1872-1873. Howard University, a historically black university, was established in 1867 and named after the Freedmen's Bureau commissioner, General Oliver Otis Howard, who also was the university's third president. This outstanding grouping includes letters during the 1870's and 1880's penned by Cornelius Scott who later became a reverend at the 'Silver Hill' Methodist church in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Several of these letters are datelined from Howard University and includes an ultra rare Civil Rights letter. The grouping also includes a small grouping of related correspondence penned by various colored persons in South Carolina during the late 1800's and early 1900's. Cornelius Scott's letters read in small part: "...[Greenville, S.C. April 8, 1880] On last Thursday night I met with a very unpleasant and aggravating occurrence: A panorama was given at the Opera House on Wednesday night before last. The Presbyterians made arrangements with the exhibitor and it was repeated on last Thursday night for the benefit of that church (white). The panorama was called 'The Apocalyptic Vision of St. John.' Hearing it spoke of so highly on Thursday morning , I concluded to go. That night I was to the ticket office and handed the man 50 cents, the full price of admission; he handed me a 'half ticket' and 25 cents in change. I told him I wanted a full ticket. He took back the other and the change, and gave me the 50 cent ticket. I handed it to the man at the door and walked into the parquet and took a seat. I hadn't been there long before a white fellow came to me and said that 'the gallery is for colored people.' I told him all right and did not notice him. He went off, but soon he or another fellow returned and said 'Say, you will have to go in the gallery.' I told him I would do nothing of the kind; that my ticket entitled me to sit where I was, and I intended to do so. He said it was the request of the proprietor and I would have to move. I told him I would not. He then went off. I saw a stir in all parts of the room, the fellows at the door were whispering among themselves, and seemed to be somewhat excited. I sat there about fifteen minutes and the music had commenced playing. I concluded that they did not intend to interfere with me further when one of the men came to me again, this time with a policeman, a contemptible 'poor white trash' who looks more like a colored than a white man. They told me I would have to go either in the gallery or out of the hall. I said to the man, I have already told you I shall do neither, and I have no more to say, after further conversation, I told the policeman I had already said I didn't intend to go out or in the gallery, and I meant it. I inquired of him if he came to arrest me for being in there; that if he did I should not resist him. He said 'If they authorize me to arrest you, I shall do so.' He then went off but again returned bringing me my money. I refused it. He then said I must go out. I told him I would not unless I was arrested. Then said 'I arrest you.' I told him to lay his hands upon me and make the arrest. He tried to get me to come out without his putting his hands upon me, but I would not. Finally he took me by the shoulder and said 'I arrest you, come on', and I accompanied him. When we got to the door he tried again to make me take the money, but I would not. I told him I thought he had arrested me, and I had got out of my seat to accompany him to the guard house. I then turned around to go back to my seat, when he said 'Come on then,' and stepped out. As soon as I was out of the door he stepped in again, and tried to make me take the money back. I was now sick of the thing, I was boiling over with indignation, but kept perfectly cool. I wouldn't say much for fear of saying what I should regret. I tried to make him take me to the guard house but he went inside and I saw him no more. After waiting outside a while, I left. Saturday, I went to consult a lawyer. Capt. W.E. Earle [3rd Battn. South Carolina Artillery], about the case. He advised me not to bring a civil action against the policeman as he was worth nothing. He told me of the obstacles I would meet with if I brought an action against the proprietors of the Opera House. he then advised me to have the policeman indicted for assault and battery. I asked him what would be his fee if he took the case against the proprietors, but he charged so much, and wanted cash, that for the present, I shall not undertake to bring an action against them unless I could have the case take place in Charleston. I next went to the solicitor, and stated my case. He told me I would have to go to a trial justice and have a warrant issued for the arrest of the policeman. The justice would then send the case up to him; he would send it to the grand jury, and if they reported a true bill the case would then come up in the court. 'But', said I, suppose the trial justice stops it there, 'Then' said he, 'it will not be sent up.' This is as far as I have gone with the matter. I do not intend to drop it unless I find it utterly impossible to do anything about it. The proprietor of the theatre or rather, one of the proprietors, is the county treasurer. There are two partners in the Opera House. Burgis and Gilreath. Gilreath is anxious to know what I am going to do about it. he has been speaking to several persons about it, but has said nothing to me. When I went to the Opera House I hadn't the slightest idea of being interfered with as I had heard that colored people had sat down stairs before. I went in about 8 minutes before eight oclock and did not come out till half past eight. You may let any of my friends whom you wish read this, as I do not risk to mention it in my letters to any of them...[Orangeburg, S.C., August 6, 1872] I am sorry that you are so unsuccessful with your fans. I hope you will sell them before you return home. Did you mean that Wm. Dart and Paul and also Alonzo are out at Saratoga?...Tell Dart I was just going to post this letter to him at Howard University. I am not making money enough to support me now so I am going home as soon as I can...My chief reason for coming home so soon is to take a little rest and prepare myself for Howard...[Howard University, Washington, D.C. 10/10/1872] I shall give you the particulars beginning from the time I left home till the present. I began to feel sick just after we got past Fort Sumter. Just as we begun crossing the bar, about half past two oclock, I was called into dinner of which I always got a plenty during my sojourn on the boat. Just as I went into dinner the boat begun reeling and tossing from side to side... I begun feeling rather unwell so that I left the table and stood at the side of the boat till about three oclock when I gave three successive cheers for New York and emptied all my dinner into the waters of the wide Atlantic whose waters are nearly as black as ink....I went to the side of the boat once more to pay my tribute to New York which I did in an indescribable and yet ludicrous manner. I heaved about five times and the two last times a good deal of bile came from me and then I felt relieved. From the time we left Charleston till we entered the Chesapeake Bay...we had a rough time....Two of the firemen and even the steward, was sick. The only word the captain said to me was whether I was ever to sea before and I told him no. The purser (who is for Grant and Wilson) and I had quite a conversation and he was very polite to me. Also the steward, waiter and the cook...landed at Baltimore about half past seven. It cost me one dollar to go from there to Washington Depot and one dollar and twenty cents from Baltimore to Washington, where I arrived about half past ten and then took the railway for Howard University....I was quite surprised to meet Conyers here, who was waiting for his money to come. He left here last Saturday for the academy. I met with a warm reception from the boys and especially Wm. Dart and Paul. Townsend and Paul room together. John and Joe Morris, Stewart by himself, Dart by himself and I by myself. We have ninety-nine rooms and nearly every one is occupied. I am on the first floor back room, No 10, one of the coldest in the building. The place is called Clark Hall. Money was given by a Mr. Clark to build it. Then there is the University building where we go to recite our lessons besides these two buildings there Isminer Hall where the young ladies live and also where the boarding hall is. It contains thirteen tables with about twelve at each and about eight or ten waiters. The board is three dollars per week in advance and washing for fifty cents per week in advance. Soon we will have to pay for gas bill, room rent, fuel, tuition, &c. I have now exactly fifteen dollars. I have paid about four dollars for books. There is a Greek Lexicon at a second hand book store (where I buy nearly all my books) for three dollars and a half. The cost price is six dollars. I could not buy it as I did not have the money. There are a great many books I shall want soon such as the 'History of Greece', 'Shakespeare's works', Byrons works and various other useful books. We have young men of intelligence here whose desire to gain knowledge and who are seeking for it with their whole hearts. I joined a literary society composed of the Senior and Middle classes of the Preparatory department, last Friday night and was elected as Secretary of the board of directors by a majority of (9) nine to (five) 5 for my opponent. I expect to join the Young Men's Christian Association very soon....I am a little behind my class in Greek but hope to up with them soon....Tell Merton I will write him very soon and tell him we are reading Cicero's Oration against Cataline and the first three books of Xenophon's Arabasis...My best regards to Mrs. Beuford, Brown, Pierce, Potter, Thomas, Smith, Sinkler, Myers, Misses Vaughn, Bragg and all their families....We have a library where we can get books to read....There are three Chinese here, Leon Sing, Choy Awah and Fung Assoo. Fung is very sociable polite and funny. Sing is also very sociable and good natured. We were playing football the other evening and in running at the ball we came in contact with each other and I being the heavier knocked him down; he just jumped up and went on playing and said nothing about it. We have also an Indian young man, a student, a little boy picked up on the plains by Gen. Howard, also an Indian young miss, a student, and an African....[Howard University, 4/2/1873]A murder is committed here about once a month. A man George Jenkins, was hung sometime ago for killing his wife. Another was sent to the penitentiary for insulting a woman at a picnic and then murdered her husband, another was hung in Alexandria, a few miles from here for killing a man. One is being tried now for murdering a peddler and another has just been arrested for killing a farmer a few nights ago and robbing him. Beside this one is arrested for killing a man in self defense last Wednesday....We were examined in Laliv only for our professor had so much business to attend to and we were also tired as well as prof. so we voted to have no examination in Greek and Geometry as we will be examined in these same studies at the close of next term. I think I passed a creditable examination...Wednesday night was devoted to prize speaking for the Freshman class. John, Paul, Alonzo, and William did very well but neither of them succeeded in obtaining the prize; it was awarded to Inman Page for delivering the best declaration. Thursday night our class, the Senior Prep delivered our orations. We all did very well indeed. My subject was, Shall we be something or nothing. I was congratulated as having done first rate though I suppose it was all flattery, Job Hayne did well also. On Friday the Sophomore class had their prize speaking and also the Junior class their exhibition. There are only six in the Sophomore class and two in the Junior. Thomas Stewart for some reason not assigned would compete for the prize. Though, after the speaking was over the judges said that he declared best, but as he did not compete, the prize was awarded to Joe Morris who was second best. Some think that Morris did just as well as Stewart and some think he did better. Stewart's declaration was English but Morris' was Latin. We had a first rate time every night. They gave us holiday from last Friday till next Monday....They are making improvements in the city very much now. The small pox is still prevalent in the city. A fire occurred the other night but was soon extinguished. A steamship, the Atlantic went down yesterday with a thousand and thirty-eight (1038) person on board and only about three (300) hundred were saved. I visited the medical museum the other day and saw all kinds of skeletons, skulls, arms, legs & c, & c, also a little Indian papoose all shriveled up. The sight was worth seeing....The inaugural address of Pres. Grant has been severely criticized by the English and also many of the papers in the United States. I visited ex Senator [Frederick Adophus] Sawyer in company with a friend but he was not at home. I have not seen Mr. [Representative Alonzo Jacob] Rausier yet....Do you know where Prof. [William H.] Crogman is? So you see what nepotism is carried on at Claflin. Tis a pity the people of Charleston won't take any interest in it. I suppose Dr. Fox himself will be there soon as teacher or something. He never did answer that letter I wrote him....[Speech mentioned in previous letter, titled 'Shall we be Something or Shall we be Nothing?] Every man, as he enters the arena of life, should have some purpose in view. Animals of the lower class merely exist for a time, and when they die are no more, beside the several matters with which they were formed. They live for the accomplishment of no purpose, hence they accomplish nothing worthy of record. But not so with man; created in the image of his maker, he is placed here for a much nobler and holier purpose. He is not created to be a mere nothing, but he is made to be something real, noble and God-like, so that when this earthy tabernacle shall have been dissolved and his spirit shall have winged its flight to its maker, he shall leave behind him in the memory of all something that shall be a lasting benefit to nations yet unborn. Says one 'Man is fearfully and wonderfully made' and also 'What is man that thou art mindful of him' and the son of man that thou visitest him, for thou hast made him a little lower than the angel and hast crowned him with glory and honor. Must he not then be something noble who is worthy to be so estimated by God as to be just a little lower than the angels?...[Metropolitan Hotel, East Long Branch, 7/25/1873]Day before yesterday made one month since I have been working here. I have been getting on very well considering my dislike for the business. I was hoping to clear about $60.00 but I hardly think I shall make more than $50.00. The second waiter is a very fine man also the first waiter except when he takes a little something stronger than water, which I am afraid is very often; at such times he is rather cross and disagreeable. There have been several excursions here. About ten Indians are stopping at a hotel near us, who go out begging almost daily. We have splendid sport here bathing. I went in last night and also this morning....My table is for transient boarders and has to be kept set (and I have to remain by it also) from 6 to 10 for breakfast, from 1 to 3 for dinner and from 6-1/2 to 8 for supper. ...Pres. Grant drove past here in a buggy yesterday. It has been my good luck to room with a pretty good set of fellows. No cursing, swearing, gambling or scuffling allowed under penalty of being cowhided. You write of my not giving you an account of our examination & c. I was so disappointed when our standing in the class was read that I took no interest in anything at all. I was not the only disappointed one but many others. Our Prof. either made a gross mistake or else he told a bare faced falsehood, at our second examination he made a mistake in making out my certificate so I would not receive it and told him no. He then said he would have the mistake rectified but failed to do so though he told me he had. The day before he left I looked at his book and saw that he had not rectified the mistake and told him but he said he had no time to attend to it as he had to leave for England the next day. Some of the fellows cursed him very much. Our examination was very well also our exercises a program of which I sent you. Everything went off nicely....[Howard University 11/21/1873] Today is 'Thanksgiving day.' I have had a good time and have enjoyed myself very well...Last Saturday one of our young lady students died; and her remains were forwarded home on Monday. She is the Indian young miss of whom I spoke some time ago., Minnie Bappan. This is the second lady student we have lost this year. The other Virginia McLemore died last July while teaching at her home in Alabama. I wrote a piece of poetry on the death of each, a copy of which I will send you in this letter...'On the Death of Miss Virginia McLemore' They laid her gently neath the sod/ Of her own native land./ Her soul returned unto her god/ And joined the Angel's band./ Her gentle voice we oft shall miss,/ Her form no more shall see./She is dwelling now in endless bliss/She's dwelling, Lord, with thee./ But in the spirit land we may/ All meet around the throne,/ To sing the praises of the lamb/ And of the Savior learn.'...'To Minnie' Thou art gone! Oh how we miss thee!/ Thou art gone to the land of the bliss./ The Savior stands to greet thee,/ And thous art, safe at rest./ But oh! how we do miss thee!/No more we'll see they face./ But God is ever with thee/ And hath filled the with grace./ With Angels and archangels/And all the hosts above/ The praises thou art singing/ Of God's redeeming love./ They soul its flight hath taken/ Up to the 'Spirit land',/ Thank God! In Heaven thou'rt dwelling/Above with angel's band....[Greenville, S.C. 2/23/1886] There are two things I am jealous of and hold dear, my honor and my reputation for veracity. I won't lie to any man or for any man. When any one questions my honor he treads on dangerous ground. When any one questions my veracity he lays himself liable to get in trouble....[Sumter, S.C. 1/29/1896] I think things will work out all right. Will know better however tomorrow. Keep up heart, sweetheart. I have good friends here, and I don't believe they will see me injured...." and More. All VG or better....plus; Howard University report card for Cornelius C. Scott, Fall Term 1872, and stating that he had a 98 average in Xenophon, 94 in Cicero and 94 in Rebet. Ex. Frid." VG.. Rare....plus; Autograph Letter Signed, "Erastus H. Everson" 1p. quarto, on "University of South Carolina," lettersheet, Columbia, SC, April 2, 1874, addressed to Cornelius C. Scott and reads "You are hereby notified, that you have been admitted to the University of South Carolina, matriculation to date from January 5th 1874 and assigned to the Classical Course, Freshman Class..." VG...plus; Autograph Letter Signed, "Wm. Main, Jr. Secy" 1p. quarto, Columbia, April 4, 1874, and reads "It is hereby certified that Mr. Cornelius C. Scott after a competitive examination before the State Board of Examiners, has been assigned to a Scholarship, in the University of South Carolina, for Marion County and is entitled to its benefits after his admission to the said University..." About VG...plus; Autograph Letter Signed, "L.M. Dunton" President of Clafin University (1884-1922), 6p. octavo, "The McCall Hotel" Bennettsville, South Carolina, April 23, 1916, and reads in part: "...I find here considerable sentiment against you in regard to the attitude of the B-ville Church against Bro. Sawyer and some are holding you responsible for it. Now whether you are or not it is unfortunate for you to break with some of the most influential men on your Dist. at the very beginning of your administration. In church work your success must be based very largely on your ability to harmonize discordant elements and hold the pastors & people to the one idea of saving souls and advancing the Redeemers Kingdom. Personally I am very anxious to have you succeed and to have your Dist make a creditable record. The Romans case has hit you a hard blow how ever and it will yet down you I fear unless you pray much & get into and keep in harmony with all of your brethren. Every minister and every Quarterly Conf. has their own individuality & no two can be managed in the same way. Some things they can do better in their own way and in my judgment your men & Conferences will be more efficient & more loyal to you if you will consent to recognize their individuality and in no instance deal with them arbitrarily. Our people can be led but they can not be driven nor can their opinions, even tho, they may be crude at times, be ignored. I know you pretty well and while you may not like this letter I know this that I am prompted solely in this for your good & the good of your Dist. I think I see trouble ahead and much of it for you unless you change in some way and harmonize elements that are already against you and are stronger than you are. Your appointment as D.T. did not give universal satisfaction and there will serve to say 'I told you so' & no one but yourself can demonstrate to the S.C. Conf. that your appointment was a wise one...I as a friend believe you are going to lose out unless you make some radical changes in your administration..." ...plus; a few miscellaneous documents pertaining to Rev. C.C. Scott. All are VG. A very historic archive pertaining to this early student of Howard University and the University of South Carolina. | |||||||||||
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