Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-05-19
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rrespOndcpce Cincinnati Co1,a.e,.;,,,

Correspondence Cincinnati Confidential
WAsHINGToN, May Is, lS6g.-A number
of newspaper correspondents who advocated
the Civil Rights Bill, and saving A Te Deum
over its passage, have lately shown signs of
uneasiness at the assertion that its provisions
would effect tie States of the North as well
as ofthe South. This may be construed into
an acknowledgement that if they believed
this assertion TO be true, they wouldn't have
seen so much wisdom or craftsmanship in
the measure, as thinking differently, they
dld-that 1t was only wise and patriotic in
so far as 1t was part of the rae-uictes pro-
gramme of the Radicals. The correspondent
OF the Gazette labors at great length to show
that ONO viii not be affected by the bill,
lnasmnch, as Ohio contains no law making
distinctions in civil rights on account Of
color. l know no such law exists in Ohio.
but the Civil Rights Bill is not confined to
= the notifications of ldC. It's effect, as stated
IN It's own language, Is TO set at naught "ey-
cry law, ordinance, statute, or custom Of
community" Now, under custom of a
community" colored people have been de-
med great many civil rights in Ohio
suppose before the passage of the Civil
Rights Bill a colored man and his family
had applied for rooms at the Burnet House.
My impression is that "custom Of COM
munity" would have denied him at least
seat at the first table. So of the theatre.
There was no law preventing a colored man
from taking a reserved seat in the dress
circle or parquet, but custom of COM
munity" generally escorted him to the top
gallery. Since the passage of the Civil
Rights Bill, suit has been entered under it
against the manager of one of the Baltimore
theaters, for refusing to sell dress-circle
ticket to a colrored man. So of railroads.
There is no law in Ohio to compel eolored
man to sit up all night while there is a
sleeping car attached to the train and a va
cant berth in it, but that Ter non scripta
aimed at in the Civil Rights Bill under the
vague title of "custom of community" has
either induced or compelled him to do it.
Under the Civil Rights Bill he can demand
the same accommodation that is extended
to 4 white man, provided he pay the same
amount of money for it. But it is said by
some that the class Of rights to which refer
are, properly speaking, social and not civil
rights, They are no such thing Public
corporations are not chartered for "socialo
purposes and the rights which may be de-
manded ofthem are not of a social charac-
ter, The Civil Rights Bill having become
a law, it is the duty Of all good citizens TO
see to its enforcement, instead of trying to
show that it doesn't mean any thing in one
section of the country and was only intended
for Southern rebels. 1t was intended as
great measure of reform-applicable in every
State and Territory of the Union, including
loyal Massachusetts and Gcd-fearing Yer
mont; and it is sad sign of the degeneracy
and hypocrisy of the times to see the patri-
otto Radicals trying thus early to dodge it,
or to explain it as inapplicable to them.
The fdt justitia party ought to be ashamed
Of themselves.