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

4
Der ia a with some cOlored people.
Mr. sumner: Mr.. President, am sure that the
Senator from Indiana is mistaken in regard 10
the provision for colored persons. They may be
here and there, now and then, once in a long in
terval of time, car which colored persons may
enter; Tut any person who traverses the Avenue
must see that those cars come very rarely; and il
am person takes the trouble to acqnaint himself
with the actual condition of things he will know 1
that there great abuses and hardship<. partic-
ulary among women, growing out of that cut
rage. | use plain language, sir. for il is out
rage; u Is disgrace TO this city, it is disgrace
10 this government, which sanctions il under its
eyes. Ii is a mere offshoot of the slavery which
happily we have banshed from Washington.
But now go back to the facts which pred
icated my motion. The Senator from Iowa has
referred to the Of the colored officer. have
in Gay hand the letter Of that officer addressed to
his military superior. making a report of the case,
and as il is very brief i will read it:
WASHINGTON, d c., February !, 1894
SIR. have the honor to report that have been OBJ
struced in getting to the court this morning by the con-
ducor Of No So of the Fourteenth street line OF the
city railway.
from my lodgings to go to the hospital for
merly had charge Of TO get notes Of the
20 give evidence in, and hailed the the OF
Fourteenth and streets Il was stopped for me, and
when attempted TO enter the conductor pulled me back
and informed me that must ride on the front with the
driver, il against the rules for coOrcd persons to
ride inside told him would not ride the front and
he said should ride al He then elected from
the platform and at the time gave orders TO the
driver to go on. have therefore been compelled TO
waI the distance in the mud and rain. and have also
been delayed in my attendance upon the court.
Therefore most respectfully request that the offender
may be arrested and brOuzht punishment.
Ir~-,-ia, Dir, your obedent servant,
t. AUGUSTA, MB
Surgeon 9TH u 5. COl0red troops.
Captain G. w. CIIPPNGroS, Judge Advocate.
believe that the writer of this letter had lust
rh int that.
diana, and believe that il was Just rs grelt an
outrage to eject him from the car as il would be
to eject that Senator l go further and / say-I
merely take him for Illusiration--that the ejec-
ton Of that Senator from a car would not bring
upon this capital half the shame that the eiec-
ton OF this c0lored officer from the car necessa-
rily brings upon the capital, any other Senator
| for do not mean of course make the remark
PERSONAL but as the Senator from Indiana has
entered into this discussion aud chooses to WIZ
dictate this nhunsnity, allude to him person
/ ally.
Mr. Wilson: Mr. President, saw this state
ment in the New York papers, and | supposed,
OF course, it was true; for we all know that
very large quantity of the knowled we get of
what is going on. not only in the city. bus in Con-
gress, is obtained from New York papers; but
as is suggested by The Senator from ew HnmD
shire. / have also seen it in the Washington pa
| pers tits case thatl think calls for the action
of Congress. know no right that this company
has to make these distinctions here in the capital
where all persons are free and equal before the
| law
But, sir. tins is not the only place that needs
reform There ase other portions of the country
that need reform also where. perhaps, the matter
is not under our control. On our own cars that
| we running our own military roads these
outrages are committed. The other dry friend
of mine came up from the army. aud with him two
| colored men, and they forcei INTO "a
cattle car while he rode alone in a freight
car over that road. forced there by the persons
exercising the control under the authority OF the
United States %
The truth about it is, sir, that slavery has had
its corrupting aud malign influences upon the
country The country. will vet, however be ab
olitionized and civilized and humanized bat il
must be ,bolitonized before the high civilization
or the high humanity will come IL is all going
well and right hope that some action. will be
taken in reference To this matter, and / hope the
Federal Government will correct these outrages
that are perpetratej By persons employed by them
on some OF our own military roads.
Mr. Hendricks: | desire TO add single re
mark to what / have felt il my duty to say.
And first wish to ask the Senator from Massa-
chusetts who has Just taken his seat If lie h ,s not
heard OF tens of thousands of cases where white
soldiers have been compelled 10 ride in cattle or
burden Cars know that nothing is more COM
mon in the pressure upon the railroads OF the
Northwest than for that very thing to occur
Mr.. Wilson: In reply to the question of the
Senator | will say that there is no doubt that il
is true. That. however. take it was matter
OF necessity | have idea that any soldiers in
any part of the country have been driven into
the cattle cars while other cars used for carrying
freight aud being clean and ne,, go without pas
sehgers. In this case these persons were forced
Into the catlle car. and the gentleman told ME he
rode nearly all the way alone, when there was
room for a large number of other persons in the
car. He inquired about il OF two officers. and
the answer was that the cattle were Tor '.ihe
niggers -
Mr.. Hendricks: During the very cold winter
weather toward the commencement of this ses-
sion, under the very eve of Senators, the vete .
ans from the Potomac and the RapidAn came
into this city in that were not at al til tor
white people. in which they suffered extremely
for the want Of fire aud yet neither that Sena
tor nor any other Senator felrSAat the cause of
humanity and right required them to call the at
tenticn of the Senate to the circumstance.
I am satisfied, sir that the Senators have now
declared the end to which we are to come and
that bythe action OF the Federal Govern ment
the soical as well Us The political equality of the
negro IL Ia be forced upon the white race If
that be the judgment of the country we shall
have to accept it. The people that | represent
in this Cha mber have not yet adopted that seuii-
ment The distinction between the Two races is
yet maintained in Indiana How much longer it
will he maintained am not able to say.
The Senator saws that aDolitiOnism Is to do It's
work. and one of It's works AS | understand from
him is bring about social equality. + pre-
sumo he means also political eGuaiity.@E think
that we will not consent TO that very readily in
the State OF IBsiiaBa. Indiana has not been for
great number of years in fact or ia law .slsy e
State At one time there were a few slaves in
that State, but il has been substantially free
State since 1916. the time of its admission, and
yet, sir, accustomed rs we are 70 white labor
there. and to none other. we are not content that
equality social and political, of the black race
shall he forced upon and am glad now that
In plain terms the distinguished Senators
from Massachusetts and the Senator from Min
inesota have told the country that this is the end
we are to come 10, that this war is NOT only for
the freedom of the negro, but for The equulity OF
the negro socially we'll as politically. aud the
country now appreciate the issue that is be-
fore il
MIR. Pomeroy:iI think Mr.. President, the
Senator is mistaken in saving that indiana is a
free State. ineyer heard of that, because have
noticed that white men in Indiana are not free
There is law in that State which prohibits white
men from employing colored men unless they
were in the State at the adoption of the Consiitu-
ton. Colored men who happened to live in indi-
ana at the time the State constitution was adopt
ed, can be employed ms laborers; but any white
man in that State employs a colored man who
has gone 10 since, ne is subject 10 fine and also
to forfeiture, aud believe IMPRISONMENT. II
that makes Indiana free State, il is such a
free State as would make, if i We're to make
one.