The national Republican., 1869-02-22


The speaker said that he found that IL
would be impossible for him to agree with
such action, and he did not believe that the
majority should be allowed 10 carry out such
measures. Mr.. Bowen's term as trustee
was drawing TO q close. He had always
been considered the best man that could be
placed In the position. The Secretary Of the
Interior had refused positively to rcappoint
him, nor would he say who his successor
would be.
The people ut the North were watching
with great deal Of sollcitude the result Of
the cslored school project, and he (the
spcaker) desired that they should be properly
conducted. In company with other gentle
men he had waited upon Mr.. Bowen 10 see
what action was necessary 10 transfer the
schools back TO the jurisdiction Of the school
trustees, believing that now the Republican
party were In the ascendancy In this District
the trustees elected by them would guard,
protect, and advance the interests Of the
colored schools.
Mr.. Ncwton's half hour having expired he
was compelled 10 cease.
Mr.. Downing was the next speaker on the
negative aide Of the question. In commenc-
Ing his address, Mr.. Downing hoped that
there would be no expression OF approval OF
disapproval Of what he might say by the
audience, and was proceeding to state that
the talking on the question was to be all
done by the SIX disputants, when voice In
the crowd was heard, "Go on and make
your speech"
The speaker proceeded. The question for
discussion ia, shall tho children Of tho col.
ored people be properly educated, so that
when they become men and women they will
bc able to decide intelllgently upon any
question submitted for their consideration.
The colored people of the city had not been
consulted In this matter. That fact had
not been gainsayed, and as this bill especially
applied to the colored people Of the city 4
was not right to have passed II without flrst
consulting them, and the reason why the
colorcd people OF the city were not consulted
has leaked out In Mr.. Newton's speech. The
colorcd trustee had acted wrongly, and there.
fore II had been decided not to give any more
coiorcd men an opportunity to serve In the
position.
The speaker was here interrupted by q
number Of persons, and for q short time
confusion relgned supreme. Amidst the
din was heard the voice OF Mr.. Downing,
who requested the audience to bear In mind
that the speakers on the affirmative side OF
the question had not been interrupted. The
confusion and disorder still continuing, Mr..
Dyson requested that he be appointed ser.
geant-at-arms. His request was not com
piled with.
Rev. Anthony Bowen seemed to be very
anxious to have say In the matter, and re.
peatedly addressed the chair.
Edward Watson, In stentorian tones, cried
out, Mr.. President, is Mr.. Bowen one Of the
dlsputantsi
The Chair. No, sir.
Mr.. Watson. Then why don't you make
him set down.
Rev. Mr.. Bowen's friends who seemed to
be In large majority, cried out loudly thai
Watson had better come forward and make
him set down, Watson not accepting the In
yltation, Mr.. Downing resumed his remarks
by saying that this attempt to gag him wal
an evidence of cowardice on the part Of hii
opponents. He had hoped that he would
have been allowed to get down to the facts
Of his arguments.
DR.. Lockwood hoped that the audience
would keep quiet and allow the speaker tc
proceed. A voice. We don't have any
such meetings In Rhode Island.1
Mr.. Downing proceeded. II the colored
trustees mentioned by Mr.. Newton had been
wrong, 1t appeared by the gentleman's own
statement that he was willing to be set right,
for as soon as his report was received the oh,
noxious teachers were dismissed.
Mr.. Tompkins endeavored to ask q ques
tlon, but was interrupted by the speaker, who
requested not to be Interrupted. He [Tomp
kinsl had been asked to take part In tn,
discussion, but had refused. -.
In the bill passed by Congress, which had
been vetoed by the President, there seems tc
be shown n decided Intention to keep the
colored children by themselves, simply be.
cause God Almighty had made their skins
dark. He quoted from the message Of
Mayor Bowen to the Councils, In which thai
official states that 1t Is not practicable to con
solidate the two rac,s In ono school,. II
such feeling exists In this community, Is II
reasonable TO expect that the board OF school
trustees, in whose charge the schools will be
placed, will endeayor to consolidate them I
He thought not.
The speaker followed the same line Of ar
gumsnt In relation to the changes likely 4
occur In the municipal government as Mr.
Wilson, and claimed that Il was safer TO trusl
to the administration Of Gen. Grant, and lei
his Secretary OF the Interior appoint board
Of trustees Of colored schools in preference tt
the changeable City Councils Of Washington
II the persons who proposed the bill which
passed Congress were such great friends o.
the black man, why did they not, In drawing
up the bill, declare that II was the intention
to consolidate the two racesi No, that woult
not have beon what they wanted. II wal
evident that there was desire TO proscrib,
colored children. It had been said by som,
Of the advocates Of the bill lately passed b,
Congress that It was intended to place fou
colored men on the board of trustees OF col
ored schools. Well, what of that1 Thl
board Of trustees number twelve; there woulC
then be two thirds Of the board white men
and If this matter came 10 q vote would moi
the eight white mon count more than til,
four votes Of the black men.
The speaker closed by saying that he would
suspend his address until after the other dis
putants had spoken. He had prepared linz
Of ideas, but they had been dispersed by tn,
disorder against which he had to contend
during his remarks.
Mr.. Charles A. King was the next speaker
lie said that he knew the difficulties unde
which the speakers on the affirmative side o
the question had to labor. Because the bill
which they favor had "squinting" towards
infringing upon the rights Of the coloret
dicnce were not disposed to favor them, ant
he was aware that Il would require a goot
deal Of argument to cause them to chang,
their minds. In order that we may get a
the truth OF this matter II Is necessary tina
we should look at the past history OF til,
school affairs of this District. As the cas-
now stands II Is an anomaly and shows
morbid state Of affairs that there should be
In existence two separate boards Of schoo
trustees, n system unlike that Of any othe
city In the country. He believed the tim,
had arrived when this state of affairs shoult
ceasej when the schools of the city shoult
be under a uniform system.
The speaker reviewed the past history o
the colored people here, and traced step b,
step the various modes resorted to to ame
liorate their condition and elevate them as 9
race. The Republicans having obtained tn,
power In this District, the sphere Of useful
NESS of the board Of colored trustees hal
ended. By having independent boards OF
school trustees, you arc keeping up the old
distinction which We want now to be for
gotten. From what he had heard, the board
Of trustees Of public schools were not al
simon pure Republicans, and he thought that
between the two horns OF the dilemma the
Republican city government should be ac
cepted instead Of the General Government
The speaker here ceased, proposing to use
the remainder Of the half hour allotted him
later In the evening.
Mr.. Chas. A. Harrison, of the negative
said that there was no colored man who
thought that 1t was necessary to have two
boards of school trustees, but that the mooted
question was, did the bill now under discus
sion accomplish anything towards the dc.
sired end II certainly does not, for II only
transfers the duties of one board to another,
nh nn pun N % thaf tho nnnbItIn, Of a.