Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1871-11-08

Sv,,,rop SINNER TO THE CoLoRED CoNVEN-
TON. The following letter from Senator
Snmner was read at the convention OF coioreo
men in Columbia s. c., recently:
posnox Oct -. 1871. Dear Sir am
clad that our colored fellow citizens are "
20 eonvention of their own. 50 long as
tbev are excluded from their rights, OF suner
IN INV vvsv on recount of color, th'y Will
naturally meet together 10 find proper
remedy and since You kindly "rlte III y
communicate with the convennoh' 1
bold TO offer few brief suggestions IN 'le
first place YOU must at all times lhsl7' -
vour rights. and here mean MT only tlo9I
already accorded, but others stiiI GeIl'u u az
of which are contained in equality before the
law Wherever law supplies rule there
Won must insist on equal rights. How mnch
remains to be obtained you know too well IN
experience of life. Can respectable colored
,itizep travel on steamboats, or railroads, OF
in pubIie c1nyeyances generally, without IN
sult on account OF his color Let Lieut.
Governor Dunn of louisiana describe hls
Journey from New Orleans to NashlnsCon'
shut out from all proper accommodation III
the cars. The doors Of the Senate Chamber
were onened to him. and there he found that
IeonaIitv which railroad conductor had
denied Let our excellent friend, Frederick
Douglass. relate his melancholy experience
when, within sight Of the Executive Mansion
he was thrust back from the dinner table
where his brother Commissioners were al
ready seated You know the outrage.
might ask the came question with regard 70
hotels, and even common schools 4 hotei
/ l. a legal institution, and 80 Is common
/ school As such each must be for the equal
benefit Of all. Now can there be any ex-
clusIon from either on account of color II
! is not enough to provide separate accommoda-
lions for cOlored citizens, even II IN all
respects as good as those of other persons
Equality Is not found IN equivalent, but only
/ in equality. la other words, there must be
I no discrimination on account OF color. Inc
discrimination is an insult and hIndrance
and a bar which not only destroys comfort
and prevents equality, but weakens all other
rights. The right TO vote viii have new
security when your equal right IN Puolc
/ cOnveyances, hotels and common schools are
at last established. But here you must insist
for yourselves by speech, by petition and Dy
vote Help yourselves and others will help
YOU a'sJ. the civil rights law needs a sup
plemeut 10 cover such cases. This defect
has been apparent from the beginning, and
for a lonr time | have strYen to remove It.
have a bill for tins purpose now pending
IN the Senate. Will not my cJlOred fellow
citizens see that those IN power shall no
longer postpone this essential safeguard :
Surely here i an object worthy OF effort
Nor Jas the Republican party done its work
until this is e. -abIehed. Is Il not better to
establish all our own people IN the ENJOY
mcnJ OF equal rights before we seek TO DC
treat q ike Frederick Douglass was on his
way 10 the President from San Domingo,
II Is easy To see that u small pat vi the
means, energy and determined viii spent IN
the expedite 10 San Domingo and 70 the
prolonged variance about that island, with
d menace 70 the black republic of Hayl
would have secured all our cJl0red fellow
citizens ia the enjoyment Of equal rights
o. tlI- there can oe no doubt. Among the
carIIua. objects ia education which mus, bt
insisted U Lon here a-aIn, must be equality
side Us side with thu alphabet Ii l. vain q
teach equality If you do not practice It Ii
Is ia vain 10 recIte the great words Ut the
Declaration Of Independence il YOU do not
make them living reality. W hat Is lesson
without example ~ All are equal at tbs
ballot box, So must ali be equal III the com
mon school Equality ia the common school
is tile preparation for equality al the ballot
box, therefore do | put this among the
essentials OF education And in asserting
your own rights you viii not tan 10 insist
upon justice 10 ali, under winch u nee SsarIly
lucluied purity IN government. Thieves
anu money changers. Wuttatr Democrats II
Republicans. must be- driven out .. our tenn
pie Tammlay Hall and Republican self
seekers must lie oyerJhrowu There should
be no place for either Thank God Good
men are now comm. 10 the rescue Let
t.em While uniting against corruption, insist
upon equal rights tJr ali, and slsl the IA ~
preston oi lawIess violence whtreve- II shows
itself, whether IN the ku-hlux Khan out
raging tLe South, cor lt4IeiL ualurta kings out