The Louisianian. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1870-1871, 1871-02-23
SENATOR REvELS AND MIXED
SCHOOLS. -,

ID 4
To the Editor of the Commercial:
I beg you to grant me o little space "a
protst against the poAition assumed BY
yourself and by that eminent gentleman
who is the sole representative of the colored
race in the United States Senate, in relation
to the admission of the colored youth OF
Warrington to the pnbic schools Of that
city.
My individual protest is, Of course, of but
little moment; but honestly believe that
the sentiments attributed to the Senator BY
telegram would be repudiated by nine-tentha
of the colored people Of the country and
their friends. t.o. .s..ht
Mr.. John Mast, in one of those cartoons
through which he 80 eloquently and efiiic-
emily teaches the Gospel Of humanity, pre-
sents the genious of America in the attitude
of protecting Chinaman from the assaults
Of q mob Of orphan asylum burners and Ku-
Klux, and saying to them, "Hands OF, gen
tlemen; America means fair play for AL
men,"
America means this or nothing. Either
the black man. freed and enfranchised, il
entitled TO the enjoyment of equal rights in
all public institutions, or his emancipation
and acknowledgements were mistakes. OF
what political value is my citizenship If the
usher of . concert hall may refuse me the
seat for which / have paid; If full fare paid
ON steamboat consigns me to q bed on the
floor, while score of berths stand empty,
gives me the cold scraps left after even the
scullions Of the boat have dined; which
gives my wife, with first class ticket in
her hand, a scat in car filed with smoke
and ribald men, who handy obscene jests
and profanity, her presence increasing rather
than diminishing the filthiness of their talk?
I have heard dirty scoundrel, within n
twelve month, say in u gar where there was
. half dozen Of colored ladies'. ''Who the
hell cares? I talk in the presence Of mig
ger woman as would in the presence of a
cow"
Why may not send my son or my laugh
ter to the schools chartered unler the Con-
stitution aud laws Of my country? Why may
I not send them to the common schools
built and supported hy the comaon t.x9
Idsny That there is any social e III Iity inn
Piled, walk the same streets VITA the mil
liOnaires of the West End; We so our ways
never dreaming Of equality, Ny wife buys
her cheap calico gown in Mrs. Siiillitos
store, the wife OF the millionaire purchases
her silken robe in the same place, and If she
does not choose, need not look upon the
poor woman ut her. side. In the jury-box,
and at the ballot-box w meet Is there this
year, since the adoption of the fifteenth
Amendment, any greater pressure for social
than before? am sure there is
not. The experience Of Oberln, whore the
rnces have been educated in common for
nearly forty years, disprove tho claim that
would he increased thereby.
Any town in the South of half the popula-
hon Of Oberlin could show fifty cases of
to ne in that city. All the
cities in the land, through the Yankee belt
Of towns stretching from Boston to Chicago
have public schools in common, and there
is no more social equality there than here
There is Q difference in feeling, bat it il
simply shown IN . greater regard for the
rights of the blackman. MIL .rr,s.l
Colored men can never be satisfied with
less than this. We demand that in such
places as I have spoken of, there shall be
absolute equality; that granted, we AK no
more. Our prejudiced fellow-citisen in his
own house il in his own castle. He may
shut his doors closely as he pleaseA the
virgins of his household may write
over their parlor doors, white huSbandso or
none, and no blackman shall disturb him.
No African Paris ahall steal his fair daught-
srs from his arms. -
But it is urged that no injustice is done
The colored man, if the schools provided for
him by the State, are as good as those pro-
vided for the white man. 'Hr ..l.
deny that this Is ever done. I believe
the oolored public schools Of the city of Gin
;innati are the bot in the United States,
md know they are inferior to thu schools
provided for the white youths of the city,
Nor can they be made equal except At such
m expense that the most prejudiced tax
payer would prefer to merge them in the
school system Of the city father
han pay the cost. ~ do.1'19 .oJto n
II they were equal, I deny TIE right Of theI
State to stigmatise my childrsa - inissioe
o the children Of my white neighbor. Why,
ays the white child, does the oolorsil neigh
'or's child go TO school different from the
me I st;snd9 Because, says the parent
hey arc different or inferior race. Then
easons the child: il they are SO different and
Inferior Tint a aev,Assofa .scl,<,l Z,