The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-08-17


disastrous results, t also tell the colored peo-
pie that the rights which they now enjoy are oy
the suferance Of. the whites You have Only q
temporary majority. There ls no emlRratlon
from Africa, and your poplation increases D9'
slowly, while the white man with wea!tn, mtei.
hgence and energy, every day ados 10 Ine le
strength and influence OF hls race. lou are
cedure. Some of you like myself have been
thrown into your present position by revolt
tion-by accidental circumstances, and it be-.
hooyes us to exercise the power thus obtained
with caution and Judgment.
Look about the State and you will find seven
tenths Of the colored BARRIERS making distlnc-
ton of color.
Jones, of Georgetown tcolored). Does the
gentleman know any such establishmentsI
Mr.. Ferriter. The member has probably been
refused the services of a colored barber in this
very town. This is q question which, In my
Judgment, will largely affect the future pros
perity Of the State and the welfare OF the color,
ed man. The majority Of the colored people OF
the country would oppose this measure. Il ls
only intended to satisfy few and to make po-
litical capital for others who are depending upon
the colored vote for their promotion. L know
that sacrifice large amount Of popularity on
this floor and away from it, but am one OF
those willing to face any responsibility that duty
demands, whatever may be the cost to myself.
My advice is, let this bill alone. l shall vote
against i.
r. c. DeLarge. If had not heard the com
mencement of the argument OF the gentleman ~
from Sumter, I should have concluoed tnae ne
was attempting to pass the bill bya large ma
iority. NV objections to the biz, as have al
ready stated, were not to- its principles, but be-
cause wanted more 6n1s Tor its conslde deration,
and, If necessary, its amendment. I believed
that it could be bettered. Since that. has NOT
been granted, shall support the measure IN
its present shape. The gentleman from Sumter,
who has prated 50 much about the injury that
was to be done by it, has furnished us with an
admirable campaign document. The argamen5 mt
on this floor to vote for the bill without hesitation
or modification. He has driven in the very
wedge he seems to dread go much. - H..
Now, the points he makes about social equal
ity are entirely foreign to the subject. Neither
this, nor any other bill passed by the body can
regulate the social question III the slightest
degree. He knows that as well as any member.
This is matter that must regulate itself out
side Of an law and we should be little oetIer !t1
than fools were We to attempt to interfere with
that subject at all. Ii the gentleman did not
desire to make political capital for our enemies,
he would have assisted Us great deal by say
ing nothing, because he has used line OF ar
gnment calculated to do injury not only to this
body. but to the people for whom ne pretends
to care 40 much: 1t was line OF argument
which compelled every man to adopt 8 certain
course wheth sr he desired to do 30 or not. His
own self.respect required him to do it. trust
no such triffing objections will be made again.
George Lee (colored), Of Berkeley. l hope
this amendment will prevail. The gentleman
from Sumter has said great deal about social
.equality-about breaking up the Republican
party, aud about everything else save the ques-
ton before us. Now, II he knows anything at
ali, he knows that every plank in the Repub-
the 1aw-equality In every particular IN which
it will regulate itself. Social equality is thing
which does not enter into this question at all,
and if it did, it would be opposed with better
taste by our side than by him. "a
The gentleman has referred to suffrage in
Massachusetts,. Let me tell him there is no
distinction made there on account OF race or
color; nor is there q. single inhabitantiot the
Stateyho hves out Of the sight Of school
they have an educational qualification But
there Is q statute. also, which makes 1t crimi:
nal for any man to establish distinction OF
any kind on account Of race OF color.
The gentleman has said that this measure
will break up the Republican party. II he is
not frankly and openly q Republican, let him
come out, as did his friend from Lexington
(Mr. bewie}, and declare himself, 30 that We
may know where he, stands; but while he
works with and is sustained by this party, it
becomes him as man to sustain all these
measures, OF which this is one, which are call
culated to secure its integrity, increase its
strength. and enlarge its influence.
Now was snot one OF those who accompanied
the excursion to Greenulle short time ago,
but understand that on arriving there the
members had no place to go for lodging. To
Oh ,ch N
.ious that this bill shall pass, so that those
having hotels shall be made to pay the penalty
if they deny the accommoda odations which we de-
mand. And to this end, appeal to every Re-
publican on the floor to pledge himself to do
equal and exact justice to all. That is the es-
sence of this bill. 1t is all we want |; tits that
which is secured to ne BY, the Constitution OF
the State aud the Reconstruction Acts Of Con-
gress, and it is what we must have.
r. B. Elliott ltcolorsd, OF Barnwell. ! was
one OF number who doubted the expediency
of bringing forward this bill at the present time,
but after listening to the gentleman from Sum-
ter, I Should be recreant to my identity If re-
NAMED in my seat. That gentleman has
drawn distinct line between the races on this
floor. He has told us that when the issue is
made betye IN TIE white and the colored man
he will be found on the side Of his own race.
do uot blame him, but say that when he or
any other man dra Ts that line OF distinction,
also stand with my race.
I desire to notice some of his remarks, briefly
but plainly. The gentleman alluded to suffrage
in Massachusetts, a State which. thank God,
am able to claim as the place of my nativity.
He tells us that We have an educational quail
ficat;on connected with the suffrage there.
Either he forgot or purposely refrained to tell
US why. Prior to the year 1857 Massachusetts
allowed universal suffrage. Every man was o
citizen After the Republican party sprang into
life and in it's boyhood grappled the Democratic
giant, the people with whom the gentleman is
identified 1.-THE 1rish) began to be imported.
They were worse than the slaves OF Africa, and
were found to be willing tools In the hands OF O
Copperhead Democracy that would have crush
ed me and my people, and antagonlzed the Dec
laration Of Independence, that all men are born
free and equal and endowed by their Creator
with certain inaiepable rights. Finding this
condition of affairs, the Legislature of Massa-
chusetts passed q law that no man should be
allowed to vote unless he could read and write.
We found that many we're debarred that privl-
lege because they had come from the swamps
and bogs OF Ireland. I am glad, however, to be
able to say there were few men Of my identity
in Massachusetts deprived OF such boon by
It was with bad taste, therefore, that the
gentleman from Sumter drew such line OF
distinction. But since the issue has been
made, accept it, and much as doubted the
expediency Of considering this bill, shall
now press il and vote for it, with all my ener-
py. IF necessary will make it stronger, and
stand upon the consequences.
The gentleman says 1t is we who are array
ing race against race. I deny it. The bill
contemplates nothing Of the kind. It treats
only Of public carriers, Of persons engaged in
public business, requiring license; and l ask
xlo If W