New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-11-21


Bon Franklin or that the Declaration of Independenoe
tons and therefore do not the propricty Of your
having so ostentatious!y raTadcd item before The
public"
ARSrerS ~ The 1rilune:
|. We hold that Mr.. Bernard Graves, and
every other human being, should be- Mt perfect
liberty TO associate on such terms as shall be
mutually acceptable, with every other human
heing who chooses to associate with him. We
further affirm the corrclatiye right Oh Mr..
Graves, and of every one else, not to associate
with any Others, White or Black than those
with whom be chooses to associate. il this Is
" Social equality" we are for it; if not, not
Mr.. Graves must judge for himself.
H. Regarding the government Of God as the
best yet devised and being assured that said
government is without Partially" and that
He is mo respeoter Of persons" but that those
Of every race or rank who do righteously are
accepted of Him, we believe in making human
governments resemble the Divine as nearly as
possible. Unlike Mr.. Webster, we would have
every human organization "rocuact the law OF
God. so far as they can apprehcnd it. We are
quite willing 10 see drunkards, thieves, burglars,
Migrants, loaters and all manner OF roprobates
and habitual cvil-doors, deharTed from voting;
and we object TO no intellectual or moral test OF
fitness 20 exercise the Right OF Suffrage. Mere
color or race we regard as no criterion at all,
and would never apply it. And, a, TO eligibility
to olice. we would impose no restriction what
ever on the free choice of the electoral body
Let men vote in perfect freedom if they are
allowed to vote at all.
III. Wherever the Whites see fit TO provide
a, good schools for Black children especially
rs for their own. we do not object 10 separate
schools, though We do not realize need oil
them. Where no such are provided, We de-
mand the admission Of all children TO the Com
mon schools We attended for several terms a
Vermont common school which was also at
tended by the three or four children Of the only
negro living in that district, andwcr not aware
that those children were better or wore than
others. They learned rather bettor than the
average Of Whites and behaved quite as well.
We are not aware that the Whites were in any
degree injured or contaminated by thcm.
Now, mark the contrast:
Visiting the thrifty young city Of Muscatiue,
iora, several years since. the mulatto barber
under the principal hotel gave "a, this leaf from
his experience: 81 came here among the
earliest settler; ! have worked hard, been
frugal, and have pro pcrcd: | have now
$4,000 worth of real estate ON which J am
taxed heavily TO school the children OF my
neighbors, who pay little or no ta1; bar my
children are not allowed to attend the school
supported by my money, nor any common
school whatever / think hi, hard" So do
We think it not only hard but cruelty unjust
and. if Mr.. Graves upholds it, we trust there Is
no negro in Iowa who is not morally his
superior.
So much for Mr. c. questions. Are they not
frankly answered
! We regret that Mr.. Graves had not seen ht 90
! favor Us with bis Interpretation OF those grand
afirmations, preceding our fathers Declaration
IofIndepeudencc that IAN men are created
equal. and endowed by their Creator with GER
tain inalienaLle right, among which are liic
liberty and the pursuit of happiness 10 scc"e
which governments are instituted among men,
dc. Mr.. G.. custily tells us VIVA, be thinks
they do nj mean; but we can better Judge Of that
when we shall have first determined what they
really intended to affirm and declare. i Mt 10
better and more workmanlke to begin at this
end
TEE sHENlNBOAU.