Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1854-11-25
EQUAL SCHOOL RIGHTS IN BOSTON.

In the Court OF lommon Pleas, before Judge
Perkins, Tuesday, Oct 81 the case of Edward IL.
Pindal, by his next friend, the City of Boston,
was tried This was an action brought in behalf
Of the plaintiff, minor, by his father, Wm. r.
Pindall, against the city, for election from school
on the ground that he is colored person, and the
damage laid is $500. In the month of August
1853, Mr.. Pindall, who is white man. or so near
ly as to pass for such. applied to Mr. Andrew
Cushing, Chairman of the Committee Of Primary
School District No. 9, for the admission Of his son.
(who is about five or six pears old, and nearly
white, into the Primary School in Southac street,
near his residence. The father SO light cClured
that no suspicion of coored blood in his veins WAS
raised in the mind Of the committeeman, and the
required permission granted.
The child went to school about two weeks, when
Mr. Cushing wrote note to the father, giving
notice Of the dismissal of the child from school, on
account of its color, and conveying the informl-
ton that he would be received at colOred school
in Belknap street. The boy sent to the school
house the next morning, but the mistress, miss
Turner, refused to allow him to remain, for the
reason assigned above. The father, instead of
sending his boy to school in Belknap street, bro't
an action against the city, Robert Morris Jr., ESQ
appearing for the plointF, and Hon. George S.
llilard for the city. The question to be settled
was, whether the boy was sufficiently 'coored' to
come within the rule Of the Supreme Court that
the City Of Boston has right to provide separate
schools for cUlored children. Evidence was intro
duced to show that the parents Of Mr.. Pindall were
both white, but that the mother of the boy was q
lght-cOiOred muatto woman. Drs. Clark and
Stedman examined the boy, and testified that in
their opinion he Was Of one sixth oEe.eighth AZ
rican blpod but were not positive that he was not
of Spanish blood. The Court instructed the Jury
in accordance witt the decision of the Supreme
Court in the case of Roberts that the School Com
mitce may establish separate schools and that the
question rested solely upon tEe evidence Of color.
This morning the jury returned verdict in favor
of the city. We learn that Mr.. Morris intends to
move for new trial, on t,fo grounds-frst, that
the verdict against the law and evidence; Sec
0nd account Of exceptions to the rnling Of the
of the Court, in effect that the jury must be salts.
fed from the evidence, rather than the personal
appearance, that the child is of African descent.
In connection with the above report, the Telc-
graph says:
We record with pleasure that Mr.. Hillard, City
Solicitor while defending the Of the city, had
the irankness and magnanimity to say that he be-
! leved the law in question an unjust one. Some
months ago, Alderman Williams made an excel.
lent report to the Board This subject, recon.
mending the School Committee to take action to-
wards the abolition Of colored schools. We trust
it will not be long before this suggestion will be
acted upon tavorably.'
Some years since, when this question was dis
cussed by the School Committee, the names Of
George S. Hillard and John T. Sargent stood alone
in favor Of the admission of colored children It
separate schools in their several wards since
which Time a gradual change has been percep
tible the cause has gained many new adherents
presaginG to the persevering coming victory
though not so speedily as the outraged parties con
tinually pray for.
Whatever may be the result of this pendin.
trial. it but affects the one individual. Or perhaps
the few others who can pass the examination Of
sAn-scannng committee, but it is absolutely o
advantage in estal fishing the principle thUt al
children, of whatever complexion are equals befor
the law.
What,a commentary upon the free institution
of Puritan New England does such spectacle
present! When the child of tax-paying ctizei
knocks at the door of public school for admis
sion, the consent is held in allegiance until tn
scales of cOlorphobia determine whether in thu
estimation of hair, his rights to common schoo
instruction may not be con6scated. To this com
lpexion of things has Boston come at last. Blu
there is a remedy. Let general feeling peryad
the friends of human Progress. that Boston shoul
no longer resist the glorious example of all othe
cities and towns in the Bay State, but that, lik
them no child within her precincts shall be dc
barred, by reason of accidental differences, from
equal school rights, and let this feeling be mani
tested by numerous signatures to the following pc
titon for presentation to the next General Court
end this stigma upon the fair fame of our city vi
be speedily removed.
The undersigned, inhabitants of-----, T
spectiully request the Legislature 10 provide, D.
due Legislation, some ef6cien. means to prever
the colored children of Boston from being deprive
of the equal privileges of the common schools {
that city.
Let us take advantage of the times, and wear
not in well-dong In a cause like ours, there
no such word as fail
W.C.N.
Boston, Nov, 1854.
-
The Washington Union thinks that the reccr
political campaign of ). A. rougns. in !
; linois was the most arduous ever undertake
by any mortal. lie had pretty hard trial b,
he selected his own jury, and cannot complain
the verdict A favorable construction may
placed on anything. We presume the admirers