Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-04-10
our TeIegraphic Dispatches are from
tke Anerican Press Association, Uia he
s. P. and A. Telegraph Compdny.
sAMBo AGAIN.
Ae is After the Doctors, and Wants Fellow
ships In the American Medical Society.

70 the medical profession. IL makes
its appearance with the following his
tory:
1t seems that, for very many years,
there has been butOne Medical Society
in the District of Columbia. A COM
mittee OF this body constitutes an EX-
amining Board, before which all phy-
sicians seeking to practice in the Dis
Lrict must apply for examination and
license. The license gives the right TO
practice and the legal right 10 collect
claims, but not necessarily a right TO
membership in the society.
During the past year certain negro
physicians presented themselves be-
fore this Board, and, passing credit
able examinations, were granted the
usual license. They next sought
membership in the Medical Society.
The members OF the society, after duly
examining the whole question, decid-
ed not to admit them. The reason for
refusal Was simple; that whether their
society was strictly parliamentary IN
organization ana action, or partly par
liamentary G ID partly social, men,
bership necessitated an individual as
sOciaJiOn that was personally Unpieaz-
ant to a majority Of the society. 50
thaapplicatiOn OF the negro physicians
was rejected. A minority OF the
Society then seeded, and, with those
who had been rejCcted, organized a
separate and distinct society. This,sO
lar, was all Ii should be. Those who
preferred not to associate even thus
much with the negro, exercised the
unquestiOnable right Ct the ballot, and
the negro was rejected in his applica-
tion for society membership. Those
who did not object to society assOcia-
tiOn with the negro, united with him,
and organized a distinct society,
which Has, il is believed, been
duly chartered by Congress. This
new society will send its del-
Iegates TO the American Medical
( Association, in May, and, according
2 the provisions of the organic Law
of this Association, these delegates
i will claim a right TO be admitted TO
membership and fellowship. VIII
this claim be granted? VIII the ne
gro physician be admitted TO mem-
ship in this Fepresf RtatiYe GrganI-
ion of the physicians of America
The officers of these societies have
mt copies of their official papers and
ulars to the editor Of this journal
! common with the editor OF other
.nedical journsls), and have asked
that this matter be presented TO the
,ublic. All other journals have failed
40 publish anything on this subject
which viii commit them to either side
of the question. 1t would be equally
easy for this journal to be nOn-cOm-
initial, /" to stand upon the fence" Ito
use 3 YulgaFism) and wait for devel-
0pmenfs, before determining upon
which side to alight. Would this,
however, be right? Have not those
who sustain a journal which should be
an organ of the profession a right TO
demand that this, and all important
quesdOp4 affecting the character and
the future Of the profession should be
deinitelyIaad decidedly presented.
There can be no question of the fact
that according to the organic law OF
the American NJ zeal Association, |
delegates from allsi hartered medical |
societies in good sanding, have 1
right to be admitted as members of
the Association. No one can question /
this fact, for it is based upon existing /
organic law. VIZ these delegates be /
admitted? should they be admitted? |
Physicians more frequently than all /
Others have daily to recognize and TO /
establish a practical distinction be- /
tween what IS right and what is eXpe /
dent. The highest moral authority /
enjoys an ObseTvarA of this distinc- |
tiOn upon all men. While therefore /
IL is proper to admit the right of the /
negro delegates from the new So 1
X, tic fellowship in the Amer !
tui1,,,c.i .ical Association, the prac- /
s stion is, IS it expedient I
Deen = them this right No one /
anu a Ssposed 10 try this question 1
oNerhoum of either common sense 4
cause e can possibly pretend that /
wouilting of this right would be I
latqent. Why? Because the adj /
40n of these negro delegates would |
a Wanton and reckless disregard OF
..iat principle Of action which subOr- |
.inates all other principles Of action, |
ave those springing from proper |
observance Of the claims OF honor and /
truth; that principle Of action which !
is paramount and should be para |
mount with all bodies, whether lndi- /
Vidual or cOrpUTate-the prin@ple OF I
selEpreserVatiOn. II cannot be doubted 4
by any one OF sound Judgment that 1
the admission of these delegate W0uldt
cause a disruption of the Americau
Medical Association. If it did not de-
stroy the whole body, it would de-
sfroV certainly One-half Of 1t, ana
most probably the greater part Oh H.
such an admission on the part Of the
Association would be no more nor
les than corporate suicide; II would
be 10 destroy the life of the body. IL
il manifest. therefore, that the admis-
sion of these delegates cannot consist
entity or properly be urged by the
friends Of the Association. 1t Is equally
manifest that the especial friends OF
the negro cannot advise him 70
course - selfish ia Its objects and s.
,.stss,i in its results That for theselnd !
other fe1ss0B, giie negrJ delegalS3
from this new roclssy, or any other
Society. should be and will be reject
ed. cannot ba doubted. Societies and
Colleges viii 50 instruct their dele
gates.
1t may not be generous or noble to
refuse help TO those who need it; il Il
may be in derogatioa Of mans high
est Instincts TO suppress the impulse
70 help and protect; but man is not
the creature of these impulses only;
there are other impulses equally nat
ural and Ear more overwhelming in
their nature; impulses before which
ala are forced 10 bow, as before a die
fafOr. the impulses controlling most
Absolutely all men ia their physical
aud psvcholOgfcal associations. Some
fevv may be 80 constituted as to herd
aeoeDtabiy WITH the negro, but the
creat mas of the CaueasiOn race have
That peeuIiar indestructible instinct
which reyOlts at the mention even OF
such association. These last will be
lust to The negro; they will be true to
him; they will protect him; they viii
give him every legal right to which
re Is entitled, but they cannot ana
will not make him an +" associate" F"
IT NAV be said that the legal pro-
feasion is more generous; that il adj
nsits the negro to professional fellow
shin in the courts Of justice. The an
sWer Is ssirnple-such fellowship is the
result Of necessity. Governments,
Federal and State, cannot create sepa-
rate courts Of justice for the convent
ence Of negro attorneys; these must
I,ractice in existing courts, or in none.
Axsin. the pulpit does not grant a
fellowship which, if springing from
chasiiv. should be manifested by its
deCkates and teachers. Whatever
Other professions and other classes,
hoNeyes. may do. the medical pro-
tesion : competent to decide this
~Stiop for itself, and the writer feels
iPiJdatiOn in declaring that this
'Dale. will very properly be against
N4nal association with the ne