New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-06-27


power by promoting ignorance, and the worst
passions ofmen. That power-the necessity
OF Its existence-was sought by all manner of
falsehood, trickery, intimidation, violence
and murder. Made bold by success it openly
deiied the laws of the land; it obstructed the
mails; it hindered or stopped the traveller on
his way; it muzzled the press it struck down
the freedom of speech; it entered the sanct-
uaries of Eternal God and laid its sacreligious
hand upon the lips Of those whose duty it was
to preach in its purity the gospel that makes
men free; and then mastering all its blind
votaries, it attacked the life of the nation
In the conflict that followed all its victims
were pucked from its hand, and the soil its
crimes had stained were plenteOusly watered
with blood.
The demon disappeared, but the rage of its
followers, who in its service had been accus-
toned to feed fat on the sweat and blood of
an oppressed and ignorant race, knew no
bounds. The impolitic magnanimty of a
nation that pardoned them had no effect to
soften them. When they saw that nation
proceeding step by step to right the wrongs
that they had done, until the slave stood be-
side his master participating with him in af-
fairs of government, and recognized by the
whole civilized world as part Of a common
humanity, they resOrted again to violence
arsons, and murders by thousands shocked
the people perpetrated by organizations that
fostered to the utmost, hatred and prejudice
against patient and long-suffering people.
Where violence was not safe, by trickery and
crInningly devised eXpedients they have
sought to arouse the worst preiudices of race,
to prevent the execution of the law, and to
hinder the upward progress of the race so
long kept in ignorance and subsection. This
was precisely the condition of things in the
District of Columbia, and furnishes the ne
cessity for additional legislation to secure the
enforcement of the present law.
know of no better evidence of the expe-
diency of such legislation than is furnished
by the progress made by the colored people
of this District since the manhood of that
race was formally recognized by law. We
have seen them emerge from the prescription,
ignorance, and darkness that are the attend
ants of slavery, and, manfesting thirst for
knowledge rarely equalled, make progress
that has surprised every unprecedented OBJ
server. We have seen multitudes of them
make the spelling book their constant COM
paniOn, that the moments snatched from
business or labor might not be lost. We
have seen their schools under their own man.
agement become equal to any public schools
in the District. We have seen them engag-
ing in business of all kinds, and conducting
it with better show of ability than could
reasonably be expected. And with third
part of our voting population of that race,
there is no city of this size i'm the country
where elections are conducted more quietly
or with less i'll feeling. And we have seen
the prejudice that has barred their progress
slowly but surely giving way, restaurants
and other public places one after one re-
nouncing all distinctions on account of race.
And all this in the face of most serious OBJ
stacles. If we will not do justice unto them,
the time is surely coming when they will
teach us again the lesson once learned from
Christian mothers, and which we seem to
have forgotten, that " the mind is the stand
ard of the man."
But, above all such considerations, is the
one Of justice. 1t is our duty this day to
trample upon that prejudice which permits
any of those distinctions of caste that lie at
the foundation of all aristocratic or monarch
ical government prejudice is but relic
of a hoary wrong that continued in this coun-
try for two hundred and fifty years, and,
when it is at last stamped out, the last battle
of the rebellion will have been fought and
won.
Is it any wonder, Mr.. President, that these
people are weary with waiting for this tardy
Justice? Was it not for this that they
watched and prayed during the dark days of
that terrible rebellion? Was it not in hope
of this that they concealed, and fed, and
nursed, and guarded, and guided the escap-
ing prisoner? Was il not for this that they
sprang by hundreds of thousands to accept
the muskets proilered by this alarmed and
imperilled Government? Was it not for this
that they piled their dying bodies-a glorious
mausoleum--Over the cOrse of their dead
colonel at Fort Wagner?
A sixth part of this nation are waiting to
see Justice done to them here under the
shadow of the Capitol. And shall we not
do it?
We are told by the Councillor from the
Fourth District that the passage of this bill
will lead to litigation and strife. If that be so,
l am willing to accept such consequences re-
sulting from the attempt to enforce so benefi-
cent law.
If the patriots Of the revolution had feared
strife in their righteous cause, the fOunda-
tons, above which rise the fair proportions of
yonder dome, would never have been laid,
and the stars and stripes would never have
foated upon Gods free air, the glorious en-
blem of free peoples power and the worlds
political progress. Legislation and strife are
the inevitable result of all attempts to en-
force law and to do justice. l am ready to
say let justice be done if the heavens fall
Colonel BlantOn Duncan Dis.
gusted.