up from slavery- 第42部分

As　I　write　the　closing　words　of　this　autobiography　I　find　myselfnot　by　designin　the　city　of　Richmond；　Virginia：　the　city　which　only　a　few　decades　ago　was　the　capital　of　the　Southern　Confederacy；　and　where；　about　twenty…five　years　ago；　because　of　my　poverty　I　slept　night　after　night　under　a　sidewalk。

This　time　I　am　in　Richmond　as　the　guest　of　the　coloured　people　of　the　city；　and　came　at　their　request　to　deliver　an　address　last　night　to　both　races　in　the　Academy　of　Music；　the　largest　and　finest　audience　room　in　the　city。　This　was　the　first　time　that　the　coloured　people　had　ever　been　permitted　to　use　this　hall。　The　day　before　I　came；　the　City　Council　passed　a　vote　to　attend　the　meeting　in　a　body　to　hear　me　speak。　The　state　Legislature；　including　the　House　of　Delegates　and　the　Senate；　also　passed　a　unaminous　vote　to　attend　in　a　body。　In　the　presence　of　hundreds　of　coloured　people；　many　distinguished　white　citizens；　the　City　Council；　the　state　Legislature；　and　state　officials；　I　delivered　my　message；　which　was　one　of　hope　and　cheer；　and　from　the　bottom　of　my　heart　I　thanked　both　races　for　this　welcome　back　to　the　state　that　gave　me　birth。






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