Semi-weekly Louisianian. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1871-1872, 1871-06-25
RAILROAD PRESCRIPTION.

Frilny's y. Q. Bn,'etin has this
olito a, rcr rh2;
"DEMlHD OF CoIoREp PEopiE TO
RID: IN SITrTIyG Cans I've learn
tli;.t q number Of colored persons
have within tAc past few days APP
piled at the Office of the Jackson
railroad for apartments in the sleep
ing cars running, in connection with
thu trains IF that company. and that
th y met with n decided refusal.
'I1..eso cars do not belong to the
company, but 10 private individu
als who ply Il stipulated sum of
money for tie right Of putting them.
ol. tic r"al. Being private prop
criv. the ovn::::e can let them to
sncil prisons as they may choose to
select, and this attempt of negroes
to force themselves into the cars APP
pears to be a concerted effort to
produce disturbance and bring the
II after toa legal test. Ii negroes
are permitted bride in sleeping cars,
White peo,...o will be forced, aolens
'Niens, t, abandon the use of those
comfortable vehicles Of Transports
ten. We feel that the public gen.
orally viii support and applaud the
course taken by tie owners in this
matter"
We differ entirely with our neigh
bor the Bulletin both as to it's facts
and its philosophy. The facts first:
1t is not true that any attempt has
been made by negroes to force
Themselves IN tie cars" As We are
parties concerned, we will state that
under tho ordinary impulse to
secure the best accommodation for
our faTnilics we went quietly into
the Office of the ticket agent and
bough. fou: tickets to New York,
askin, at the same time if we could
secure Sleeping. berths in the cars;
we aese told we could, and a memo
randum was made by the assistant
ticket agent of the engagement. But
when on tie day of proposed de-
partrre We went to have the berths
rs igned for the two ladies and the
children WHO we're to travel for
severity hours, we found that for
some re. son TIE contract on the
part of the ticket agent had to be
troaen, and we were denied the
bertlis. Wheu we asked the reason
Of this refusal we were told that the
company reserved to itself the right
to refuse any one who WAS objection
able to the other passengers. We
enquired in higher quarters and
were requested to wait till two
o'clock for final answer as to
whether We could get the berths or
not. At the appointed time we
received an answer il the negative,
Now all this was done in the
most circumsrect, deliberate and
respectful manner, and even when
we were approached. on our second
visit 70 the Office by on individual
whose coaanct seemed as offensive
70 the agent as 70 ourselves, we
rememtc cred the claims of peace
and dignity, transacted the business
we went to transact, and left the
Office. This is q history of the case,
ana If anything like forcing can be
found in it we will acknowledge the
BaM..a to be correct in its state
mrnt.
We sought to secure what we
believed our rights, from persons
wso We believed would concede
them. We sought them in q peace
able way because We thought that
both State and national legislation
had guaranteed what we sought
When refused what we conceived to
be our right We acted. without any
CONCERTED effort" as we thought
the claims of our manhood and the
interests OF our people demanded.
While we are determined to bring
this mat or before tine courts, and
intend to do all we can to secure to
colorad ladies' the comforts for which