New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1871-12-21
Letter from washington.
WAsHrsoroS, D. g., Dec. 9, ls'

WAsHisoroS, D. O., Dec. 8, 1871.
To the Hditor Of To NV National Era:
Sir: In the Chrsnicle's issue Of this date
there appears an editorial superscribed "Civfl
Rights for the Colored People" Il begins
we'll but soon onsatels uncomfortable, be-
cause of the ambiguous tenor of the greater
portion of it. or the Supplementary Civil
Rights bill Of Mr.. Sumner, it says: This
Is right. Let the law be % clear op this sub
jsct as the Constitution. .,yet, nndosignedlx
trust, suggessors are offered calculated to
divert the ,ainds of parties we'll disposed to
the passing of this bilLas the nndouoted right
of the colored man and the inevitable conse-
ouent of his citizenship. This course the
editor endeavors to found upon'~hat he terms
the sentiments Of the colored people. He says
land and education are the immediate require
ments of the colored people Of the South. and
not their equal privileges with the white man,
and this is what they say. This is the sub
stance Of his remarks. But these are not the
sentiments of the more enlightened class OF
oolored people. This class OF people demand
nothing less than what Mr.. Summers supple
men tarybll of civil rights asks for. 1t is
wholly proper, at the proper time, and in the
proper place.
If Mr. Sumner should visit the Southern
States aud be unmolested by Ku- Klux, in
what manner would that prove that edu-
cation and land are more Immediately
required by the colored people than their
inslienable right of locomotiOn, which preiu
dice has denied them and law countenenced {?
The editor further says that "not one in
hundred of US ever rides on cars or stage
coaches, or stops at hotels" This is very
gratuitous How many intelligent colored men
ever told the editor of the Chronicle so ? Has
Mr.. Frederick Douglass or Professor Langs-
ton. or either of the honorable representatives
of the coiored racer These are the men who
can tell him our true condition. our need, and
our sentiments. If any class is to be ignored
BY reason Of their lliterateness or poverty, it
should be the illiterate white and colored man.
Not the colored man only. II is in this that
makes the draught more bitter We want no
unwarrantsble association with the white man.
Private society, like water. seeks it level. But
the public privileges with which We ought to
be clothed as citizens of this great Republic,
and we have full confidence that Congress,
during its present session, will grant US our
privileges equal with the white man.
But short time ago, in this city, one of our
colorsd representatives was denied aeoommoda
tions in one Of the hotels of this city. The
story of Mr.. Frederick Douglass, not six
months past in one of the steamboats,, is still
fresh in memory. Professor Langston and our
promising young graduate of Harvard, "R.
7. o." have all in their turn met with like
pfsjudices. Shall these gentlemen wait for
the untrammeled exercise of their privileges as
citizens until Congress first grants land to the
colored man Of the South, and every man,
woman, and child shall receive an education
Mr.. Summers further characterization shall
never depend upon any such incongruous, un-
ineligible plans as the editor Of the Chronicle
thinks fit to suggest We do question the
genuine favor which this editor has for passing
the bill now or at any other time. II this be
not so let him unmask the article which is 90
many-sided.
General amnesty and the civil rights bill
shall 60 hand in hand, and be Christmas
gift !" to the benighted negro and the repentant
Confederate, and the prayer of US all shall
ascend to Heaven for the continued health and
prosperity of the President and Congress
assembled, and more especially for our great
bsnefactor, than whom no greater has been
since the days of Wilberforce.
Yours truly. D. A. 8.