I will say that I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of bringing about in any way the social and political equality of the white and black races; that I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of making voters or jurors of negroes, nor of qualifying them to hold office, nor inter-marry with white people; and I will say in addition to this that there is a physical difference between the white and black races which I believe will forever forbid the two races living together on terms of social and political equality. And, inasmuch as they cannot so live, while they do remain together, there must be the position of superior and inferior; and I, as much as any other man, am in favor of having the superior position assigned to the white race. ABRAHAM LINCOLN _The Mississippi Constitutional Convention meets in Jackson, 1890, principally for the purpose of restricting suffrage_ August Thirteenth Virginia, mother of States and statesmen, as she used to be called, has contributed many men of worth to the multitude that America can number. All her sons have loved her well, while many have reflected great honor on her. But of them all, none has known how to draw her portrait like that one who years ago, under the mild voice and quiet exterior of State Librarian and occasional contributor to the Periodical Press, hid the soul of a man of letters and an artist. THOMAS NELSON PAGE _George W. Bagby born, 1828_ August Fourteenth Look, out of line one tall corn-captain stands Advanced beyond the foremost of his bands, And waves his blades upon the very edge And hottest thicket of the battling hedge. Thou lustrous stalk, that ne'er may walk nor talk, Still shalt thou type the poet-soul sublime That leads the vanward of his timid time And sings up cowards with commanding rhyme. SIDNEY LANIER (_Corn_) August Fifteenth In the hush of the valley of silence I dream all the songs that I sing; And the music floats down the dim Valley Till each finds a word for a wing, That to hearts, like the Dove of the Deluge, A message of Peace they may bring. ABRAM J. RYAN _Abram J. Ryan born, 1839_ August Sixteenth Freighted with fruits, aflush with flowers,-- Oblations to offended powers,-- What fairy-like flotillas gleam At night on Brahma's sacred stream. * * * * * Around each consecrated bark That sailed into the outer dark What lambent light those lanterns gave! What opalescent mazes played Reduplicated on the wave, While, to and fro, like censers swayed, They made it luminous to glass Their fleeting splendors ere they pass! THEOPHILUS HUNTER HILL (_A Ganges Dream_) _Battle of Camden, S. C., 1780_ August Seventeenth