New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-01-04
Civil Rights for COlOred Men.

Within the last three days we have had the
first opportunity to read the official report of
the debate in the Senate on Mr.. SUMMERS Sup
ri-r-.t~ry Ci~it IA eI... ILL .sE.rAa N ..mend
ment to the universal amnesty bill. 1t has
given usthe sincerest pleasure, as we'll for the
mastery skill and ability Mr. SUMNER displayed
10 answering and exposing the sophistry of
Mr.. Hill, of Georgia, in defending and justify
ing the indignities to which coored men are still
subjected, as for the just, patriotic, and manly
sentiments be so eloquently proclaimed. The
disagreeable feature of the discussion was the
fact that, at this late day, in the face of the
constitutional guarantee of equal civil rights
to all of our citizens, and the civil rights act
passed to enforce this provision, Senator,
coming into Congress with Q constituency Of
ninety thousand colored voters, and colored
population Of nearly half million, should feel
justified In refusing to recognize the great
principle of justice, humanity, and equality,
and in striving to keep alive the old pro slavery
feeling of prejudice and hatred to the colored
race.
Mr.. Hill talks as gibiy about "sociaI
equality" and the necessity of keeping up
distinction between black and whites, as the
noisiest Northern Democrat in the palmy days
of the divine institution. Though colored men
are every day subject to the insult of being ex.
cluded from railroad ears, public houses, and
public places of amusement, on account of
color, Mr.. Hill denies that any wrong ia
thus done them, or any question of right VIC.
lated, provided they are given comfortable
accommodations somewhere else. And hs ms
titles such exclusions. 1t was, in his opinion, no
lndignity TO order colored man out of ear
assigned to white men, and force him into one
exclusively appropriated TO negroes, or from q
public dining room or lecturs.hall intended for
+" white folks But the Georgia Senator
better not have made this attempt to justify
that old " barbarsm OF slavery" and We think
it will be long before he will repeat his mis-
take, at least 10 the Senate OF the United
States. He undoubtedly displayed much tact
and ingenuity in defending this violation of the
spirit and letter Of the ciril rights act, and did
all any one could to make the worse appear the
better cause. But he has gone beyond his
depth in venturing upon such grounds. and the
harder he struggled the deeper he sunk. His
arguments we're ridded to shreds by Mr. Sun
NER, and the character of bis sentiments ex-
posed in their naked deformity. He was
driven from one position to another until he
had not an inch of ground to stand upon. lie
forced from him the admission Substantially,
if not in words that in spite Of all his profes-
sions Of kindness and sympathy for the negro,
that HILL still retained his old pro-slavery preiu-
dices as strongly as ever. A more triumphant
vindication Of the colored man 8 claims to equal
civil rights with the white man has never been
made, not even by Mr.. SUMNER. We hardly
see how Congress can fail to pass this supple.
mentary bill, and thus complete the work of
justice to our people 1t will certainly be no
fault of Mr.. SUMMERS if they do not.