Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-01-15
FORTY SECOND CONGRESS.
This Afternoons Proceedings.
MONDAY, January 10.


MONDAY, January 10.
SENATE-The Senate galleries were crowd
ed lorg before noon with addressed colored
people of both sexes gathered to hear Senator
summers speech on his civil rights bill. A few
minutes before IL MIR. Sumner entered the
chamber, when he was greeted with loud dem
0nstrations OF applause.
MIR. Spencer announced the presence in the
Chamber OF his colleague, Mr.. Goldthwaite. and
at the request of the Vice President, Mr.. Gold
thwaite came forward and was sworn in.
Mr. Fcnton presented memorial Is feet long
asking reduction of the tariff to a revenue
basis Referred to Finance Committee. Also,
me mortal IN favor of woman suffrage. Re-
feIred To Judiciary Committee.
MIR. Sumner presented memorials in favor of
his suppl, mentary civil rights bill.
Dir. Edm nds presented thirty-two separate
memorials from Nerm mt, asking repeal of duty
on salt Referred Ia r nance COMMITTEE.
Mr. Cole presented memorial OF Chinese deal
crs on the Pacific coast, asking repeal of duty
on rice.
The Vice President reminded Mr.. Cole that il
bad never been the rule OF the Senate TO receive
petitions from foreigners.
MIR. Cole replied that these memoriaIIsts re-
sized and were doing business in this country.
Mr.. Trumbull and Mr. Sumner both thought
the petition might be received under the cir
cumstancCs.
The point was made that although they might
be IGsidcnts they were not citizens and Mr.
Scott objected to receiving any petition from
laws
The question being submitted to the Senate.
it was decided that it should be received; and il
was accordingly received and referred to the
Committee on Finance.
MIR. Corbett presented memorial of s5l ladies
OF refine ment and distinction of the states of the
west, protesting against female suffrage.
Mr.. Wilson introduced bill to authorize the
President to appoint paymaster general for
the army. Referred to Committee on Military
Affairs.
Mr.. Blair offered a concurrent resolution d.
recting the Committee on Southern Outrages TO
inquire without delay into the state OF affairs in,
Louisiana.
Nr. Edmunds (at the request of Mr.. Vest
objected TO the consideration of the resolutions
ard it was accordingly laid over.
At one O'Clock, the special order, being the
genSrai amnesty biil, came up, the question
being on the amendment of Mr.. Sumner, which
was his snrpit mentary civil rights bill
SENATOR SUMMERS SPEECH.
Mir. Sumner hogan by saving that though the
arction-block is departed, the spirit of slavery
still fingers among us insisting upon the con.
tinued degradation of &C. The new-nad5
citizen called 10 travel for business for health
or for pleasure, but here his trials begin. The
doors OF tie public hotel, which from the earliest
days OF our jurisprudcnce nave always 6pened
hospitality to the stranger, close against him
and the public cOnveyances, which the common
law dc clar6s equally free TO all alike, have no
such free dom for him. The same insulting os-
tTaciSm shows itself in other institutions of
science and learning. also in the church and the
last resting place on earth. After relating in
stances in which Frederick Douglass and the
suffered from Ostracism on railways and steam
boats, Mr.. Sumner denounced such acts As an
outrage on the immortal Declaration of Inde-
penGenee, which asserts the equality of all men.
This il question of social equality, but simply
equality before the law. The enial of this legal
equality isslaveIy in IS last appearance.
The bin for Equal Rights is SIMPLY supple
mentary 10 the existing Civil Rights Law, which
Is one of our great statutes of peace, and it
stands on the same requirements OF the Consti-
tuition. without the amendment the original
In inn. OFF On IL, l,G.
coIdng 10 various standard authorities the
meaning OF an inn or public hotel to show that
an inn keeper is "bound TO take in all travellers
and wayfaring persons ;" that he cannot impose
unreasonable terms upon them, and is liable to
an action and even to an Indictment, for refusal
to entertain any who may apply for acc0mmO-
datiCns. In tie Chronicles OF Holingshed, writ
ten in tie reign OF Queen Elizabeth, is a chap
ter 50 Of our Inns and Thoroughfares," where
the i'm, which is the original term for hotel, IL
dc scTibed Z" builded for the receiving OF such
travellers and strangers as pass to and fro ;" and
then the chiOnicler, boasting of his own country
as compared with others, says ''er.ry man may
use his inn as his own house in England" The
law OF England was in conformity with this boast
he Ia N was open to every man." and this rule
has continued from that early epoch, anterior to
the settlement OF our country, down to this day
A late decision OF the superior court OF New
York. defines an inn to be 90 a public house OF
entertainment for all ~ho choose 10 riSh At" Mr.
take In all trGrelierS and Wayfariag persons and
to entertain them, il he can accommodate them
for a reasonable compensation" cit
an ihnkeeper Improperly refuses t. receive or
provide for a guest, he is liable to be indicted
therefor" Chancellor Kent SAYS: "An inn
keeper cannot lawfully refuse to receive guest
10 the extent of his reasonable accommodations,
nor can he impose unreasonable terms upon
thCm.' gain the same authority says: 'Inn-
keepers are liable to action if they refuse to
receive a guest without just cause. The inn
keeper is even indictable for the refusal, if he
has room in his house and the guest behaves
properly Prof Parsons in his work OIL con-
refuse unless his house is full and he is actually
unable TO IT ccise them. And if on false pre-
tense he refuses he is Liable to an action"
Chambers Encyclopedia saws that one of the
incidents of an innkeeper Is that he is bound a.
ofen has hCHss 10 all trdcelers tcitout distinction
end he's M option 10 refuse such refreShmentS
vided the person applying is ready to pay the
customary hire &c.; and the same authority
adds "As some compensation for this compui-
sfTy hospitality the innkeeper is allowed certain
lIiyileeee.'
in regard to public cvi,vCyances, Mr.. Sumner
quoted Mr.. Justice Story Inc first mos
general obligation Gil their part Is to carry pas
scngeIs " it'll all reasonable diligence vheI,eye,
| they Offer thl msclycs and are ready to pay fo!
thcir transportation, This results from their set
hHg AtmSeices ~, Ike iHkeepers Gld common cor
LicrS a. GcodS for common public elaPioyms mt
hire. They are 40 more at liberty to refuse a
lasSeDEer, If they have sufficient room and aC
| commodatiors, than an inkccper is to refas
suitable room and accommodations to a guest
Is his duty to receive all passengers who Offer; {
carry the m the whole route; to demand no NOR,
| than the usual and established compensation IL
tIcot oil passengers ditkc; to behave To all wit!
eivlhly and prOFricty; To provide suitable car
riagCs and means Of transportation"
= And for the default of his servants or agent
in any Of the above particulars, or generally IL
any other points OF duty the carrier is directly
responsible as iceH as fer any circumstance Of dS
GTarGtioR ~aieh attsHdedhe lrrong."
The pending bill simply re-enforces this rule,
| which, without any act of Congress, ought to b.
suffi cient.
Places of public amusement are included in
the same category, and cannot close their door
| against any who are willing to pay for their ell
teTtainment. The common school is public
| conveyance where children are passengers. II
1 is theater where children resort for enduring
| recreation. Like the others, il assumes to pro
vide for the public; therefore it must be open to
| all; nor can there be any exclusion, except or
| grounds equslly applicable to the inn, the pub
| lie conveyance, and the theater. But the com
| mon school has q higher character. Its object
is the education Of the young and il is sustained
i No. a~ asfnw 10 mkt Ill