The Crum Appointment Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABB CCD A EE FFGG HHII DDII JJII III IIII| You no doubt have heard the story told of Charleston by the sea | A |
| How they persecute a Negro when a man he tries to be | A |
| 'Tis of national importance and the world enjoys the sport | B |
| Caused by William Crum's appointment as collector of the port | B |
| - | |
| When the president decided to appoint him to the place | C |
| Then a train of opposition from the city set apace | C |
| 'Our objection to a Negro ' said the whites 'has ever been | D |
| That we fear contamination from the color of his skin ' | - |
| - | |
| This the president dishonored then they brought another plea | A |
| 'To the great and grand old party he has faithless proved to be ' | - |
| Crum his loyalty established and the fallacy declared | E |
| Brought McComas to his rescue and the prejudice was bared | E |
| - | |
| To the friends within the senate they directed their appeal | F |
| To defeat his confirmation and suppress a Negro's weal | F |
| For a time the plan succeeded thus a vote was thwarted twice | G |
| He was promptly re appointed till the same was numbered thrice | G |
| - | |
| Then they tried intimidation told him how the race would lose | H |
| All the favors of the white man and between these he must choose | H |
| They persuaded and they threatened aye the Southern press was wild | I |
| In denouncing such an outrage how the city was defiled | I |
| - | |
| He with patience bore their envy heard the clamor and the din | D |
| Ev'ry accusation answered save the color of his skin | D |
| As a pillar of Gibraltar he in firmness took a stand | I |
| Braved the storm of opposition like a Moses of the land | I |
| - | |
| When at length he was commissioned great indeed the city's change | J |
| 'Twas a hundred aye and fifty that applied for work how strange | J |
| 'Twas the very class of people that his color filled with dread | I |
| Who then asked for sub positions though a Negro man was head | I |
| - | |
| Then a telegram was brought him saying salary was paid | I |
| To no one who was appointed when the senate gave no aid | I |
| Equal to the dire occasion he made answer ''Tis no test | I |
| Till the government shall warn me I'll take chances with the rest ' | - |
| - | |
| Now contamination's mountain sinks away to common dust | I |
| They are not afraid of Negroes but desire the place of trust | I |
| They want Negroes to be servants and their bosses to be white | I |
| Prejudice distorts their visions and they cannot see the right | I |
Lizelia Augusta Jenkins Moorer
(1)
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