New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-05-16
Mixed Schools alias Social Equal
ity..
WAsH1NaToN, d. c., MAY 10, 1872.

bull and those of his school concerning TIL
bill now pending before Congress, known a
the school bill, asking equal rights and priv
ileges in the public schools of this city ant
Georgetown for both colored and white chill
dren.
MIR. Trumbull is either evidently ignorant
or disrespectful of truth, when he asserts
that the common school SYSTEM will be pro
ductive olcsocial equality.
/ have lived in tliu~ NosI indies upward:
of twenty years. Faint traces of the old
hate of the negro are to be seen there. As
time grows old in liberty, so the noxious air
of slavery and caste disappears, and men
breathe alike the pure air of freedom and
equality. In the primary, normal, prepare
tory, grammar, and college institutions of
learning, both colored and white are to be
seen receiving their education. They vie
with each other in their respective studies,
sometimes negro at the head OF his class,
sometimes a Caucasian. AT the close oftheir
labors, either daily or at the close OF the
term, or when they have finished their edu-
cation, they respectively enter the busy world
almost unknown one to the other. And if
social intercourse should take place it is
matter of choice and not effect. In seven
out of ten cases when they meet nothing
passes beyond the courtesies of the day.
This is my personal experience.
But short time ago the Rev. j. w. Du-
rant, (colored,) highly talented man, thor
ough in the knowledge of Greek, Latin, He
brew, French, English, and Spanish, and
acquainted with the German and Italian Ian
guages, spent one year in the Divinity School
in West Philadelphia and graduated with
honors in a class largely comprised OF white
men. At the time appointed for ordination
his white fellow graduates assembled with
him on the same platform and were ordained.
So far from social equality resulting from this
contact in college life, or from the fact
that the word of God was to be preached,
and the people told that "God hath made
of one blood all nations" or that "God is
no rcspecter of persons" these white men
yet reserved to themselves the right of regu-
lating their social intercourse. Mr.. Durant
was of course recognized and esteemed by
Bishop Stevens and DR.. Barnes, and others
who base their standard of social equality on
merit and refinement and not color.
Social equality is not the result of bare as
ISOLATION in schools, hut is the outgrowth of
intercourse in commerce, science, arts, reli-
gion, and politics, all combined.
once knew BLACK man who was desti-
tute of any education, save the ability to
write his name, but was remarkable for his
genius as a bargainer. He was merchant,
and enjoyed all the social equality MIR. Trum-
bull fears. His capacity for making a good
bargain for others drew him to the dinner,
the ball, the tea party, and the dgeuner OF
his associate white merchants who learned
at his feet how to buy a cargo of rice, or other
matters of merchandise.
Sometimes a lucky chance of a ten thou
sand dollar fee will hurl man into unex-
pected social equality-so indefinite is this
something called social equality.
There is no law prohibiting the white child
from going to the colored school, and in what
sense can it be just to prohibit the colored
child from going to the white school. Poor
law that has not the element of justice AND
equality in it. To the white child the schools
are common, SO that he goes to either he
pleases, cOlored or white, far apart or near
To the colored child the schools are special
He can only go to the colored school, fal
apart or near.
Mr.. Trumbull thinks that the Democratic
vote of the South better worth securing fO
the Greeley ticket than the negro vote, ant
he defies Mr.. Sumner or any one else to poin
out wherein the negro has not every RICH
which the white man now enjoys.
The New York World thinks differently
1t says the Democratic white vote is tire
million, Republican white two million fiv
, hundred thousand, and Republican colore
eight hundred thousand, making the negr
vote the balance of power.
This negro vote shall be turned in the seal
of the Philadelphia nominee, and then W
shall see the worth of Mr.. Trumbull's opin
ion.
That the negro has not every right whic
the white man enjoys is too evident to nee
5 discussion, and the shortest proof is that h
) has not remedy for every wrong as tn
white man has; and where there is no rem
r edy for wrong, there is no existence of
right.
r The sole object of Senator Sumner and hi
5 co-workers is to place our rights and RENE
j dies upon the statute books, so that way
faring man may see them, and fool under
+ stand them.
Y If Mr.. Trumbull and his friends desire SCI
: arate schools, let them pay for them out I
: their individual purse. But the Governmel
G purse must be used in common to be in ha
: mony with the Constitution-the giver of i
Q being.
!, The entire opposition to the negro is t
e follows:
81 do not like you DIR. Fell,
t The reason why l cannot tell;
But this l know very we'll,
do not like you DR.. Fell"
ID. A. STRAKER.
, L. ID. Miller, colored man, made goo
Democratic speech at Bryan the other da
: and the appeal says he was entertainir
: and impressive. "-Ne'cs.