The colored American., 1866-01-13
EQUALITY.
SOCIAL AND POLITICAL.

SOCIAL AND POLITICAL.
In our last issue we considered th'
question: What is Social Equality?
If, in defining that question, as we found
it, by the every day practice of the white
man, We gave utterance to language which
might have offended the finer feelings Of
the guilty, we plead in extenuation Of our
conduct, that zoe could not help at-truth
would out. If it has done it's mission by
cUndemning the guilty and generating
the innocent, it has accomplished the
work which we intended it to perform.
Truth, plainly spoken, although it is
given in language not altogether pleasant
to the ear, ought never to produce Of
fence; but to the contrary, it ought to
arouse the mind to proper sense Of the
sin, and endeavor to atone to the best of
its ability for the wrong committed, and
we hope this win be the result of our last
honest and outspoken homethrust.
We shall now consider the other ques
tion under the above head, namely;
what is Political Equality?'
If all mer acted upon the great funda-
mental Law Of equality, by doing unto
others as they would have others dc unto
them, there would be no need, for gov
ernments and law makers, and conse>
quentty we would NOT Know wnaJ po1ItIcs
meant. But the fact that men will net
DO this is the reason that we must govern
and be governed, and that fact gives birth
to thousand and one difficulties and
troubles which otherwise would not exist
if they would all act upon the laws
simple mandates. Somebody, however,
must make laws, and somebody has the
right to say who that privileged some~
body shall be. Now if these laws are to
be Catholic, or universal in their nature
and operations, it would only be just and
reasonable to suppose that all would have
a right to judge and to consent who it
shall be that shall make and administer
those laws, but this is far from being the
case. When we take into consideration,
the number Of those who hare, and those
who haze not that right, we will find that
the latter is vastly in the majority. Now
the question arises, Why is this? There
must be reasons for this, and good ones
also, for it is almost universal in it's work
ing. We presume they are both hume
rous and sufficient, but whether they are |
or not, it would only be wasting words
on our side-to find fault with them,
for they are the some in every well gov,
erned country, apd consequently must be
just and reasonable. Bat it may not be
uninteresting to know who these are which
are thus excluded, and the reasons for
their exclusion, for it may afford us some
definite idea of the justice of the reasons
given for the exclusion of the colored man
L
along with them. The first Of these is
the Foreigner. He is excluded from
participating in the choice of Lawmakers,
irst, because be is not native born, Sc
,oud, because not being native born, be is
ignorant of our institutions of govern
ment, and must understand them before
be can participate il them; and third he
8 excluded, as precaution, for the safe
y Of the country. There is another
easOn which might Be given, and that is,
n nearly every case he is ignorant of
'ur language. Every one Is wiling to
cknoWledge that these reasons ere right