people that I do not with his, and I will defend that race from the aspersions of the meanest Negro hater in the land.  Heathenism and civilization live side by side on American soil, but all the heathenism is not on the side of the Negro.  Look at slavery and kukluxism with their meanness and crimes, mormonism with its vile abominations, lynch law with its burnings and hangings, our national policy in regard to the Indians and Chinese.”

“I do not think,” said the minister, “that there is another civilized country in the world where men are lynched for real or supposed crimes outside of America.”

“The Negro need not bow his head like a bulrush in the presence of a race whose records are as stained by crime and dishonor as theirs.  Let others decry the Negro, and say hard things about him, I am not prepared to join in the chorus of depreciation.”

After parting with the minister, Mr. Thomas resolved, if pluck and energy were of any avail, that he would leave no stone unturned in seeking employment.  He searched the papers carefully for advertisements, walked from one workshop to the other looking for work, and was eventually met with a refusal which meant, no negro need apply.  At last one day when he had tried almost every workshop in the place, he entered the establishment of Wm. C. Nell, an Englishman who had not been long enough in America to be fully saturated by its Christless and inhuman prejudices.  He was willing to give Mr. Thomas work, and put tools in his hands, and while watching how deftly he handled them, he did not notice the indignant scowls on the faces of his workmen, and their murmurs of disapprobation as they uttered their dissatisfaction one to the other.  At length they took off their aprons, laid down their tools and asked to be discharged from work.

“Why, what does this mean?” asked the astounded Englishman.

“It means that we will not work with a nigger.”

“Why, I don’t understand? what is the matter with him?”

“Why, there’s nothing the matter, only he’s a nigger, and we never put niggers on an equality with us, and we never will.”

“But I am a stranger in this country, and I don’t understand you.”

“Well, he’s a nigger, and we don’t want niggers for nothing; would you have your daughter marry a nigger?”

“Oh, go back to your work; I never thought of such a thing.  I think the Negro must be an unfortunate man, and I do not wish my daughter to marry any unfortunate man, but if you do not want to work with him I will put him by himself; there is room enough on the premises; will that suit you any better?”

“No; we won’t work for a man who employs a nigger.”

The builder bit his lip; he had come to America hearing that it was a land of liberty but he had found an undreamed of tyranny which had entered his workshop and controlled his choice of workmen, and as much as he deprecated the injustice, it was the dictum of a vitiated public opinion that his field of occupation should be closed against the Negro, and he felt that he was forced, either to give up his business or submit to the decree.