The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-04-01
DTSGRdCEFUL


of the respect in which his memory is held.
DLSGRA CBFUL.
THOUSANDS of the citizens of Philadelphia
who take pride in the Academy of Music as
one of the noblest theatres in existence, and
who sometimes regret the base uses to which
it is put, will hear with mingled astonishment
and diDgust that the Board of Directors have
refused the building to Mr.. T. B. Pugh for
the purpose of introducing to the public OF
this city Senator Revels, of Mississippi, in
the capacity of lecturer. The sole reason
assigned for this action of the board was
'inexpediency," which means, in plain terms,
that the barbarous spirit of ostracism against
the colored race that has just been crushed
out of our politics by the fifteenth amend
ment still rules the Board of Directors of the
Academy of Music. The building was re-
fused to Mr.. Pugh simply because
the gentleman whom he desired the people Of
Philadelphia should have an opportunity to
hear speak is q negro The directors have
repeatedly refused the Academy to Frederick
Douglass, and the fact that Mr.. Revels is a
Senator of the United States, and that the
enlightened spirit of the age has abolished
from the Constitution of the United States
the determinations against the race that he
represents, are matters Of no moment to this
little coterie, all of whom, with one exception,
we regret to say, profess to be Republicans,
and supporters of the enlightened national
policy that has struck the fetters from the
limbs of the negro and made him citizen
of this republic.
1t is particularly discreditable that such
disgraceful affair as this should have occurred
in Philadelphia on the very day when the
official proclamation of the ratification of the
fifteenth amendment was made public, and
that it should have been the action
of a body of men who profess to
represent in great measure the culture, re-
fnement, and intelligence of the city. If the
directors of the Academy in times past had
shown themselves in the slightest degree fas-
tidious with regard to the character of the
exhibitions given on their stage, there might
be some shadow of excuse for them in this
instance. But, as every one knows, they let
the building for shows of every description;
and stage upon which have been exhibited
the flip-haps of acrobats, the legs of the
Black CaO0k ballet girls, the obscenities of
Gene0teUe de BrdbaRt and In Vie PariSSenne
and numerous other performances of like
character, can scarcely be contaminated by the
tread of a Senator of the United States, even
if he does happen to be negro.
The following are the names of the Direc-
tors of the Academy of Music:-
President,
JAMES G. HAND.
Treasurer and Secretary,
JAMES FARoUHAR.
FERDINAND j. DREER THOMAS SPARKS,
JOHN i. STEINER, JAMES L. CLAGHORN,
GEORGE S. PEPPER, DANIEL HADDOCK, JR f,
FREDERICK GRAFT, WILLIAM CAMAC NJ. D.,
FAIRMAN ROGERS, HENRY M. PHILLIPS.
Among these Henry M. Phillips, Esq, is
the only Democrat, but we are very much
were willing that Senator Revels should speak
in the Academy. Mr.. Phillips, although q
Democrat, is man of large and liberal
views, and no one will be surprised to heal
that he is superior to any such contemplate
motives as Influenced the majority OF
| the directors in this instance; thai
| he was able to rise superior to the prejudice'
of caste on this occasion which places the
Republican majority of the board in a more
| uD1aVOTdDle pOSlllOu Juhn ever, anu uOuUI-
less appreciates keenly the utterly ridiculous
attitude of his associates. If all Democrats
were like Mr.. Phillips, the party would long
since have gained something of its old power
and prestige, especially when opposed by
weakened Republicans such as the majority
of the Board of Directors of the Academy Of
Music have shown themselves to be. Mr.
Phillips has brains, and it would be a goot
thing for some of the other directors il
they we're similarly endowed. He knows
that the time has passed when such
contemplate piece of bigotry as the sx
clusion of a gentleman and United
States Senator from the stage of the Academy
of Music on account of the color of his Skin
can pass rebuked in this community, and W,
hope that the expression of public opinion
that has been called forth on this occasion
will be lesson not only for the directors o
the Academy of Music, but for all others VIII,
may be disposed to initiate their example
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