Semi-weekly Louisianian. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1871-1872, 1871-06-11


Gradually the people are reco7s,
ing from their poverty and th.;;.
prejudices The difficulty gro,;a.
out of thelegal requirement to ,d,.!.
colOred children into any Of On.
schools on an equality with n.
whites. is one which has taxed nv NV
conscience, my judgment, and n,
sense OF human calculation. On.
have I been tempted to yield to n.
popular clmnor against the sdm;.'
sion of this class of our eauc.b,.
youth.
Often have I been asked to mn,
my personal comfort in the se,l.
with my earnest convictions, NTH.
hope that my interest might ont.
weigh my love of principles. Otter
have I been asked whether it va.
not needless that I should becom.
q scoff and a reproach to the proud
and the fashionable because Of m,
devotion to o moral obligation.
! have found it difficult To stara
up in this community for EIGHT
years the unwavering, uncompromi.
sing friend Of the newly enfranchised
element. For this cause l hsvs
suffered the curses Of the vulgarsnd
the contempt Of some Of the proies.
sedly educated and refined" ele.
ments of the community.
This cross was hard to bear.
crown of thorns would not hu
given me much more pain than |
have endured on this account
Family, the sacred precincts ofu,
home, the grave itself was invaded
by vile newspaper as a means Of
furnishing me. because 1 recognized
and enforced the black child's right
to admission to our schools, as re.
quired by law.
This was severe, it was heart-rend.
ing, it was an ordeal through which
I trust, no one here will ever have
occasion to pass But, thank God
/ could not defeat the force Of my
conscience. / dare not violate nv
oath. I would not ignore the law.
I could not add to the oppresSul
and wrong already claiming andds
grading hundred thousand black
children. I said to myself, 1T is
far better that I should suffer fora
principle than by ignoring itpn
long an injustice which affects The
life, and health, and happiness d
not only this great number Of chill
dren but of the commonwealth i.
self.
"The principal involved his been
rigidly enforced. My oath Of oSe
was not violated. The law hasben
enforced. The schools have not
been destroyed. Justice has tn
umphed, and to-day our scllook
though open to all, regardless d
color, are in a more fOurislling cOH-
dition than before we took contra
of them. The colored children cen
orally, and of their owe choice at
tend school by themselves, while ths
whites attend in the salne way
There are some cOlored chIldri
in tie schools attended by The
whites, and it is a matter Of Pleas
ure for me to say tfat they Ire nd
treated with incivility or unknl
ness =
Tho population Of Or State
gradually increasing. Since 's
close of our own unhappy war lss
numbers of men have come ben
from the North and West who han
brought families with them. Id
termination of the war in EurcF
will unquestionably result in las
tide Of emigration from both Franc
and Germany to this State. nv
badly our educable population VII
reach three hundred and fifty tS'f
sand inside of tho next ten yss'
To provide instruction for thus NY
, number we must maintain theP'
, lie schools we now have and esos
; lish five times as many more. ~
J vate schools will never answer W.
: demands Of this vast want lH
may servo the necessities Of '.
! tocratic few, but they cannot @lr
the needs Of the great mass. "
this subject I will take the hO D'''.
, of quoting the language Of . 1y
, Superintendent Fitzgerald o'0~