New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1871-04-20

A certain Mr.. Cullen, barber, who appears
nevertheless, to have his veins filled with the
bluest OF Phliadel phia's blood. has been forced
lately TO vlndicate his social status in a man
ner which is to say the least, unpleasant. Mr.
Cullen was called upon last month 10 serve his
I country as juror. Always alive to the neces.
sites of his rank, socially and estheticaly con.
! sldered, he critically surveyed his colleagues
! and discovered, TO his dsmay, that two OF
/ them bore Enthusiastically the tint of the olive
| IN fact, In Mr.. Cullen's own language. were
. blasted niggers. NobiesSe obliqe the arts.
| tocrstlc barber Indignantly withdrew from the
| jury The Judge ordered him back Mr.. Gull
len resisted the white race and the black
looked down on the arena breathless, while the
social instinct of repulsion," which five wears
ago was declared to be ineradicable, made it's
hnai struggle valorously in the champion bar
Der The learned Judge with, perhaps, a
newly awakened humanity, perhaps a side
glance toward the black vote in the coming
election-who shall say , resolved to crush
the social instinct. Mr.. Cullen had two horns
| OF the dilemma set before hm-a seat bv the
negroes or two hundred dollars fine and Nova
menslhg The soul of the barber was valiant
to the end he would not sit down. and he
would not pay the fine he was shut up there
lore, IN the Black Maria and convened 20 the
city prison, where seats and lodging are, to
say the least unsavory From out this lament.
able abode he sent forth weekly cries and pro-
testatlons against the lower deep into which
they would yet plunge him perforce. Murder
ers and thieves the soul Of free born citizen
could consort with, but mulatto juror-never.
Al last, habeas corpus having failed to warrant
contempt OF court, the noble barber has paid
his two hundred dollars rather than sit beside
negro and he was released.
Inc whole affair reads addlv 1vbay r-o ~oxno-~
Der that IN this same city, a few months ago,
tue Academy of Music was refused by its drec-
TORS men OF high social standing, to Senator
Reyels to lecture in, for the sole reason that he
was black. Why should the engine of the law
choke out the prejudice in the unfortunate bar
per Tor which weather. men won applause
III Is little curious, by the way, that Phila-
ueipnia, winch was for so many years the grand
terminus of the underground railroad, and the
one city where the Quaker element had fair
held to teach not only antsgonsm to slavery
but true brotherhood among men, should be
the ground where the battle for the social posi-.
tioh ol The colored man had been waged with
the most extreme bitterness. So intense was
The prejudice agaist them that the colored regi-
ment raised in Philadelphia, drilled and mum.
TONED at Chestnut Hill, could not pass through
Tue streets OF the city in rank when on their
way TO The seat of war, but were obliged to
,"'h AZ CiNtidH ufeSS Slngly 10 the depot.
ihelr right to the use of the street cars was
fought with venom of opposition equaled no.
Where and they are still debarred by custom
from the better places Of amusement All this
IN the face OF the fact that in that city there is
a larger class OF educated and wealthy colored
people than In any other. 1t numbers in it's
ranks men and women of culture and refine.
ment; they have their colleges and classical
SCHOOLS Tor both sexes they have made their
way INTO every profession and business to the
very highest, and filled their places with marked
power and success. We are sure these men
would deprecate this forcible- feeble attempt in
the court to crush out irrational prejudice
against them. No man can legislate away an
opinion; but any man can live it down
The colored man in America has the right
to his place as a citizen, and the education to
ut him to I'LL that place inteligently the white
man claims no more. This social position he
must conquer himself The unreasonable preiu-
dice against the negro will doubtless linger long
IN the minds OF the virulent, obstinate lower
orders, whom this man Cullen so aptly repre-
sents The most efectua means to conquer it
is that OF the total indifference and quiet SELF
respect which characterize the educated colored
class IN Philadelphia of whom we have spken.
They form a society Of their own, live apart.
marry, and internarry The time will come
when the similar class in the white ranks will
voluntarily perceive how much they have lost
by the want OF cOntact.-N. T. Tribune.