Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-02-22

a contingent fund, | will be gratihed II your Ex
cellency will refer me TO the legislation BY virtue
of which the warrants of your Excellency were
drawn and paid.
Exclusion of Colored Persons from
Cars-POliticaI and social Equality
of the Negro.
The following debate occurred in the United
States Senate ON the 10Th inst:
Mr. Sumner: offer the following resolution.
and ask for it, present consideration:
Resolred That the Committee on the District of Co.
unbia be dir cse to consider the expediency o further
providing by law against the exclusion of coored per-
frem the equal njoyment Of all railroad privileges
in the District of Columbia
There being no objection, the Senate proceed
ed to consider the resolution.
Mr. Pomeroy: | wish the Senator would so
amend his resolution as that it might prevent the
difficulties which cOlored have in getting
out of this District They cannot 20 on a rail-
road ear get out of the District.
Mr.. Sumner The first question is on taking up
the resolution
The Vice President: The resolution is now be
fore the Senate m
Mr.. Sumner Ny special motive in offering
this resOlaii8n is TO call attention recent out
rage hch has occurred in-this District | do il
with great hesitation. At one moment was dis
posed to keep silence with regard TO it believing
that upon the whole the good name OF our coun-
try required silence: but / notice that il has al
ready tuund its way into The Journals aud think
therefore it ought to find It's way into this Cham
/ Der. ~
An officer of the United States with the com
mission OF Major, with the uniform Of the Uni
Ted States. has been pushed of one Of these cars
on Pennsy vania avenue by The conductor for no
other otfense than that he was black. Now, sir
l am free 10 say thatI think we had better give
up railroads in the District Of Columbia if we
cannot have them without such an Outrage upon
humanity and upon the good name OF our coun
try. An incident like that, sir, is worse for or
country at this moment than defeat in battle
/ Ii makes for our cause abroad enemies and sows
/ distFust, i hope, therefore, that the Committee
on the District of Columbla-l know the dispO
sition of-my honorable friend the chairman of
that commitiee-in the bills which we are TO con-
slider relative to the railroads in this District will
take care that such safeguards established
as will prevent the repetition of any such out
RACES. -------s-----
Mr.. Hendricks: Let the resolution be read
! The Presiding officer, Mr. Foster in the char:)
/ lt will he again read alf
The Secretary read Y.
MIR. Salisbury: Let us have the yeas and nays
on that proposition,
The yeas and NAYS were ordered
Mr.. Johnson: have not heard The resolution
| Is it re~olu tioa af inquiry only?
The Presiding Officer: Il is resolution di-
rectins The committee to inquire into the subject
| ma med. So.
Mr.. Wilkinson: saw IL New York nexs-
paper the other day account of transaction
similar 10 the alluded To by the Senator from
Massachusetts. / was in hopes then. aud indeed
| Thought there some mistake about il, be-
cause | did not know that any eolored persons
we're commissioned with The rank of major BY
\ the President of the United States; and WIS in
/ hopes for the honor of the coumrry and for the
honor of the capital, that there was some mistake
la regard TO IT,
Mr. Sumner: He was surgeon in the mill
tary service
surgeon in the army; suPPose~a surgeon of
colored regiment
I. Mr. Sumner: Certainly
Mr. Wilkinson: Sir, hope this reference
viii be made; and that the Committee On the
District of Columbia will to it that no
/ corporation shall hereafter commit such an out
4 rage.
Mr Hendricks: would have given a silent
vote on this resolution. indeed. should not have
cared to vote any way except for the explana-
! tons that have been made by the Senator who
introduced il and the Senator from Aiinnesota.
Itseems TO be considered a great outrage that
the negroes in the District of Columbia are not
allowed to take their seats in the same cars with
the white men and women who travel on the
railroads OF this city i'll we're to. express any
opinion on the subject, should say the outrage
would be the other way, But perhaps it is due
To the company 20 say that have observed the
fact. as | suppose other Senators have observed
IT, that there are cars furnished for the colored
people OF the District and those cars are plainly
indicated, 50 that there can be no mistake.
/ do not understand from the Senator who has
introduced this resolutions that any negro has
been denied the right to ride in the which, at
the expense OF the company. have been provided
for their accommodation; but the difficnty /
suppose. has Hrisen because the negro declined 20
ride on the ears that are provided for persons of
his color. and clamel the right ride i'm the cars
that are provide for the white men aud women
who travel on these railroads. = vs.-,-. g.
L am perfectly willing that upon all questions
tile committee shall investigate and report what
their Investigations require them to report to the
Senate. aud this being mere resolution OF in
quiry there can be objection to il, perhaps ex-
cept for the meaning that is given to IL by the ex-
pl#nations of Senators. and therefore shalt vote
against the resolution
Mr. Grimes: Mr. President, have no objec.
ton TO this inquiry. and am in favor of it, al
Though ! hope and an inclined TO believe thai
there must be some mistake about the facts /
saw "a teieeraphie dispatch that had been sent
throughfrom this city TO one OF the New York
papers. making this statement. aud tiiat the mat,
ter had benn reierredto Gen. Martndale, Who Is
she Mtht"ry puserhof, oeiseFe, oi TINS District
had supposed. situated as l was. that If there
was any occurrence OF this kind, il sould be
breaghl % my attention by somebody or n. some.
manner other than through a New York news
paper. but have never heard any ailnsion to il
BY anybody either before | saw II IN that paperor
since Ny friend from New Hampshire saws il
] has been mentioned IN tie papers of the District,
i botit escaped my observation ~ 80 80
4 think the Senator from Indiana is right in.
sayi0g that there we're or have been cars for COLI
ored pecple. but doubt whether there are any
now. At any rate not one has attracted my at
tention for some weeks. 90 49, sd -
Mr.. Csflile: saw several Yesterday e s;s,
Mr.. sherman; rode in one a day or two
! ago. 49,. sl s.1se5 fss.Ili,r
Bic Hendricks; will say TO the Senator from
| Iowa that very recently; without observing il, 1
found mysei crowding on the colored population
in one OF their own cars, and as did not choose