The Carson daily appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1865-1870, 1869-06-10
The STRIKES AGAINST C0L0RED
EMPLOYEES.

with, by being involved in, the rebel
lion. The slaves are free everywhere
throughout the Republic; but they are
not yet emancipated from the disgrace
and degradation imposed upon them by
the slave catcher, slave breeder and
slave master. Statutes have done much
toward giving them the political rights
of native bern citizens the genius o.
our institutions has been largely r..
modelled to suit their new condition, but
the moral phase of the conflict is still
undetermined. The black mans right
20 participate in the mechanical arts is
denied by white mechanics who are
employed by government which has
made citizens of the men of African
descent born within its borders. The
only plea which could be, with reason,
set up by these white mechanics is that
by being placed in competition with col
'ored laborers they are degraded. This
-piea uiiSut oe ItSdIuSt rs AdNIhS
foundation n appearance, if not in fact
were it not for the existence of certain
well known acts and events. If men
high in Office had not made practical
acknowledgment of the equality of the
Citizen of color, mechanics and laborers
might with reason find fault at any at
tempt to place them side by side with
colored workmen. But let US look at
the facts: We celebrate the gallantry
of the American tar-our naval heroes
with song and story; yet black men
have been messmateS with our white
men -of-war's men for years. We glory
in the deeds of the volunteers OF tie
Union army; and there were two hun
dred thousand blacks who enlisted to
put down the rebellion. Upon motion
Of Senator Sumner, colored man was |
admitted by the Justices Of the Supreme
Court OF the United States to practice |
law at the bar of that tribunal. 10
nearly all, if not quite all of the recon
structed Southern States black men |
have held seats in the Legislature
There were two black men in the last
Massachusetts, House Of Representa-
tives. President Lincoln issued com
missions to colored officers Of yolun-
seers, and President Grant has placed
men of African parentage in tie civil
and postal service. Thus it seems that
oar sailors, our soldiers, our lawyers,
our representatives, our foreign minis
ters. our army officers and our post
masters have been placed upon an
equality with American citizens of Afri
can descent. The existence of this fact
removes the sting, if any existed, which
could be felt by the printers, the brick
layers and the joiners who, seyerally and
and in turn, have 60 struck" against the
employment Of colored men in their
peculiar branches OF business. What
is there about these mechanics which
renders them so much more entitled to
an exemption from competition with
black labor than the white sailor, the
white soldier, the white lawyer and the
white diplomatist? Jack tar feels no
while working at the guns
or on the yard arm beside his colored
mate; the soldier of the Republic feels
none the worse for battling side by side
with a black-skinned soldier; Charles
Sumner and Reverdy Johnson are none
he worse because a colored attorney is
to practice the profession of
law in the same court room with them
selves and neither j. Lothrop Motley
lor George Bancroft threatens to strike
because Mr.. Bassett, a colored man from
Philadelphia, has been appointed to a
oreign mission. What besides a mean,
,nmanly, grovelling prejudice is it then
which prompts the mechanics and labor
RS OF the Eastern States to attempt a
lenia, CT the right of 'coiored men to
anticipate in the pursuits in which they &
re engaged? A man may employ whom J.,
e pleases in this free country. Indi- =
iduals may work and be idle while /
1ey.will.; but TO set of men should be K