of this much-needed college was an honorable and dignified position to
which a fair and reasonable salary was attached, so the Governor, who
had the appointing power, decided to tender the office to Senator H.R.
Revels upon the expiration of his term in the Senate. I had the honor of
being named as one of the first trustees of this important institution.
After the Governor, the trustees and Senator Revels had carefully
inspected many different places that had been suggested for the location
of the institution, Oakland College near the town of Rodney in Claiborne
County, was finally purchased, and Alcorn College was established, with
Senator Revels as its first president.

As an evidence of the necessity for such an institution it will not be
out of place to call attention to the fact that when the writer was
first elected to Congress in 1872, there was not one young colored man
in the State that could pass the necessary examination for a clerkship
in any of the Departments at Washington. Four years later the supply was
greater than the demand, nearly all of the applicants being graduates of
Alcorn College. At this writing the institution is still being
maintained by the State, although on a reduced appropriation and on a
plan that is somewhat different from that which was inaugurated at its
beginning and while the Republicans were in control of the State
government. One of the reasons, no doubt, why it is supported by a
Democratic administration, is that the State might otherwise forfeit and
lose the aid it now receives from the National Government for the
support of agricultural institutions. But, aside from this, there are
very many liberal, fair-minded and influential Democrats in the State
who are strongly in favor of having the State provide for the liberal
education of both races.

The knowledge I had acquired of parliamentary law not only enabled me to