The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1871-03-11
Senate on Social Equality-..thc Bill Passed

etc, to blacks and whites, and to com
pei recognition of equality by severe
penalties, came up. The object of the
bill is to correct defects pointed out by
Governor Warmoth, in a speech last
fall, on the social equality act passed al
the last session, and to make proceed
ings in the courts on the subject sum-
mary.
Mr.. Hunsackcr spoke ut length in ia
vor of the bill, and claimed that the
Republican party was pledged to it.
Senator Barber made lengthy speech
in favor of the bill.
Mr. Ingraham claimed that his race
should use the rights, privileges and in
demnities, and should enjoy the full
benefit of article l3 of the constitution.
Thus far, the speaker claimed, justice
had not been rendered to his class of
people. A black man is entitled to all
political or other rights, or his emanci-
patton is a nullity. The concert halls
refuse their tickets. a first-class pass
| age on Il steamboat means Il bed on the
floor, to be walked over by the sculliOns
of the boat. When it comes to meals
we are given the scraps. On n train
| we are crowded into the smoking car,
and have to have the benefit Oflistening
to the blasphemy which circulates there.
| All \/Al1o "tlo AHoNACCu y uCAAS
compelled to listen In 4 smoking car,
because she was colored, to the remark
| "I don't care ID, it makes no more
difference to be blasphemous in pres
| ence of a niggcr woman than it does
| with dog"
Mr.. Pinchback said that it seemed
the war was carried into Africa, for he
did not hear much from the white Re-
publicans on the subject. When the
first bill for the benefit of the colored
man was passed he knew nobody was
hurt, and nobody has been hurt.
Mr.. Thomas (Dem.) read article thir-
teen of the Constitution, and said that
as the debate had assumed Il personal
character, he felt called upon to explain
his vote before the bill under consider
alton, which was an attempt to enforce
by pains and penalties this law, which
had been heretofore in operation. That
without any question this article of the
constitution, which gives all persons
and all classes equal privileges, is the
law, but to enforce it he did not regard
it right and proper to attack an inalien-
able right of every American citizen to
bo tried by jury. He was glad to say
that he had many colored friends and
| strong supporters with whom he had
| discussed this question of social equali-
| ty, and to those his views had always
given satisfaction.
He has always told them that to OBJ
tain benefits commensurate with their
| wants they must have the money to
pay for them, and as they always laid
special claim upon poverty he was
pleased to give his support recently to
a bill introduced by Mr.. Pinchback,
asking for State aid in tho shape of n
loan to establish line OfSteambOats on
the Mississippi river for the accommO-
datiOn of colored people. Had the
amount been double he should certainly
have voted for it, although he did not
know but what on application himself
he might be refused admission. That
money would obtain all those social
rights they desired money would es-
tablish for them opera theatres, hotels,
and all things necessary for their COM
fort or amusement. lie opposed all
class legislation as having Il tendency
to defeat the Object intended. That
this subject Of forced social equality
should not be entertained, and conse-
uuently he should vote against the bill.
Mr.. Ragan arose in favor Of the bill
he cared neither for the constitution
or laws the idea was that if the consti-
tuition sanctioned this inequality he
cared not for tn" constitution, and it
should he swept away. a great meas
ure to which Il great party was com
mittcd should never be allowed to fall
to the ground.
The bill finally passed by II vote of22
to 6, the nays being all the Democrats
present except Mr.. Anderson, the only
Democrat voting in the affirmative.
The New Orleans Picayune, Of March
lst, in a labored leader on the Legisla-
turc of the State, admits it's inability to
find words to express itself. 1t says:
Our journal has made constant efforts
to avoid, by diplomatic euphemisms,
the use of barbed and jagged adjectives,
but the attempts were in vain. The
body is SO composed, so full of corrup-
ton, so prone to villainy, 80 habitually
false to all confidence, so notorious for
merccnary impulses, so thoroughly adj
vcrtised in the market OF votes that no
ordinary words suffice to render justice
and convey an adequate impression.
What n pity you did not get mad
three years ago!
Alexander II. Stephens and Gen. Blair.
In Il recent letter, the Hon. A. II.
Stephens thus speaks Of the late speech
OF Gen. Frank Blair in the United States
Senate:
am much pleased with what Gen.
| Blair is reported by telegraph to have
recently said about his Broadhcad let
! s. T.. x.E