Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-12-11

The Montgomery Mail gives a sketcf
of the debate in the Alabama COustitu
tionsl Convention on the proposition 4
incorporate ia the Bill Of Rights a pro
vision that common carriers shall make
no distinction on account Of color. The
Hau says thst 1t gives the debate al
taken by its reporter, and guarantees its
accuracy. Tho following portion Of II
will be read with curiosity:
Mr.. Mcleod (blaek negro) said che
hoped the Convention would give this
/ matter taeir bsst consideration. Suppose
one Of the gentlemen wanted colored
man in the same car with him, the con-
ductor would not allow il. He thought
this ought to be changed" g
Mr.. Jim Green (black negro said be
f" had done q great deal OF travelling, and
! he felt Interested in this question Il was
a common thiI 2 for colored people being
put into a smoking car with drunkards
and low white men. de thought they
ought to be allowed to go among decent
white people"
Mai. SampIs said "he thought the
Convention hal better meet this question
fairly. He asked was it unreasonable,
considering the history Of this country,
and the sttituCe in which the two races
stood to each other, that the steamboat
captain should have the power to say to
the cOlOred people-'you shall not sit at
the same table with white men and mix
up with them as you please9 II had
been recently decided in some of the
States that this was a justiisble exercise
OF authority. After having inserted in
the Constitu. ion various provisions
which were intended to secure TO ali
races civil rights, he thought the ques-
ton Of what said rights were ought 10 be
left to the courts"
Mr.. Gregory (mulattO negro asked
" how could the delegates 90 home 10
their constituents, nineteen-twentieths
Of whom were colOred men, after having
voted against their enjoying the same
rights in all respects as white people
Did the gentleman from Montgomery
lSample) feel polluted by sitting along
side Of Finley, his cOlOred colleague2
And if not, why should he feel polluted
by sitting by his side in carr For him
self, ne thought Napoleon on his throne
was not 3 better man than he Gregory
Was.U %
Mr.. Carroway (mulatto negro) said
" at present the cOiOred man could not
send his wife from one part Of the State
70 another, because she would be placed
in q smoking car, and exposed to the in
suits of Tor amt obscene Uhits men! He
did not see how any friend Of the cOlored
man could vote against breaking down
this monopoly"
Mr.. Griffin "iDcarnate fiend " said
g ne was sorry this question had come
up, but he should meet the issue fairly
and vote for the proposed amendment" "
Mr.. Rspier imulattO negrO), said the
manner in whish eOlored gentlemen and
colored ladies were treated was past his
He wanted the gentle
man from Montgomery to understand
that he did not consider himself hOnOred
by sitting in 6. car beside him, because
he was white man simply, hut only be-
cause of his intelligence. He (Rapier)
had dined with lords in his life time. |
Out of respect for their constituents the !
delegates ought TO vote for the amend |
ment. #
Hlr. Stafford White said he regretted |
that such frebrand had been |
thrown unnecessarily ia their midst. !
But he hoped they would meet the issue |
like men who knew what was right and |
dared to do it. While they were pro-
,ecting the rights OF one section OF the |
people of Alabama, tbey ought not to |
neglect the rights of another. Did not |
-lC NAlA ELAlOn hAlDW " llAl A4 lEtELLlg
been the issue in the Northern States, !
and what the decision had been As q
risnd Of the cOlOred man, rs a friend of |
he protested against war
If races. They knew their opponents
Ought to force that issue upon them, and
le hoped they would not be so unwise as
o allow them TO do so. He should vote
against the proposition.
Mr.. Morgan said, 1.-THE question had
,een already legally decided in the /
North. A colored man ought to be con-
ent with getting the same value for his
money as 2 white man, and ought not to
eek 10 force himself into the same car
With white people,"
Mr.. Bingham Illuminated in a few re-
marks Of an extremely rambling and ir-
elevant character. He expressed his
urpTise " that the amendments had not
,een passed without discussion
Mr.. Dustan moved to postpone the
question until Monday, as be saw that
nost Of the delegates had left their seats.
Nhe motion was agreed to and the ques-
ion postponed.