North Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-current, 1870-06-01
Social Equality.
From the New Orleans Times. Nav 20.

The jury which sat in the case
brought against Col. Dumontiel, un-
der the social equality act, was a rath-
er promiscuous and heterogeneous tri-
bunal, 1t was composed of represent
atives of nearly all the races which
make up our very mixed and diverse
population. There were Irishmen,
Germans, CreOles, Spaniards, and COL
Ored citizens of African descent and
American birth. A glimpse and audi
ence of their proceedings after they
had retired to their consultation room
having been perhaps irregularly or ac-
cidentally obtained, was commune
Gated to us, and, as the developments
are interesting as indicative of popu-
lar opinion on an exciting question,
we give them as conveyed to us.
OF course we need not say that the
jury was, from the beginning, serious
~ and irreconcilably divided on the
main question. But what is remarka-
BILE is that the most decided champion
of the opponents of the social equality
bill was full-blooded and vigorous
African fellow-citizen. who in turn
fOOred each of his adversaries by the
following unanswerable argument:
Nov, gentlemen, this law, if it is
q law, is all nonsense. I am for let
ting every man choose his own COM
pany, and for keeping out of his house
and compsny any people he don't care
to 's0ciate with. S'pose, now, I give
9 ball and invite my colored lady
friends, I don't want any white men
to come there and take my colored la
dies away; and I don't intend to
'trude in the gatherings of white peo-
pie. It's not genteel, according to my
notions, to go anywhar whar you amt
invited and wanted"
It was in vain that certain white
radicals on the jury argued with their
colored brother on the rights of all
men, their equality before the law,
and his duty to admit into his COM
pany and the society of his colored
lady friends, his white friends, who
only desired to avail themselves of
their constitutional rights. Hot and
furious grew the discussion, which was
somewhat stimulated and aggravated
by the suggestions and interpretations
of a juror of pure Celtic blood, who
appeared to be in his element in setting
his fellow,jurors by the ears, whilst
he looked smillingly on, declaring
that he had long since made up his
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it was when the other ii had agreed
upon their verdict. This proposition
did not tend to enlighten and guide
the others to q satisfactory result.
And, after q long and violent discuss
ion, it was at last agreed to take the
opinion of quiet. phlegmatic, reti-
cent juror of the Teuton race. His
decision was worthy of old Wouter
Won Twiller himself. 1t was as fol-
lows: Gentlemen, hear you all.
One says we must 60 on the law, an
other says on the evidence, and
another on justice. Now, if the law
yers would not bother us so, and let us
know where was the law, the evidence
or the justice, we might find the ver-
dict; but, under the circumstances,
the only verdict that we can find is,
that we can't agree.'" And accord
ingly such was the finding of the In
telligent jury upon whom the learned
lawyers and judge had been for two
days lavishing their learning and elo-
quence.