New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-05-16

travelling, | have essayed to enter an inn
and have been repulsed. The car in which
l rode was filthy, dirty, and disgusting
although 1 paid first-class fare. A pretty
young colored girl was forced to ride at nigh
in the smoking car, and was subjected to the
most outrageous insults. Our sensitive
children are early taught that their color is 6
misfortune. There never was time when
this degradation was just. Many of oul
race have been forced TO leave then native
land to enjoy liberty in Africa or in mon.
archical Europe. There was time when
the CRY "the black man has no rights which
the white man is bound to respect - but
cruel and unjust as it was then, it is infamous
now. There is no defense for it in equity OF
law. The spirit of the Constitution gives us
the full powers of citizenship, and it is injus-
tice to abridge them. Is it the equal protec-
ton of the laws when Kentucky and Ten.
nessee thrust Frederick Douglass into a
smoking car and forbade him the privilege OF
an inn, as happened to him few days ago:
In other quarters we enjoy the common
school right without inconvenience to any
one. The Republican party stands COM
mitted to what we demand, and it would not
be right for it to give us anything but honest
and manly support, We look to the tried
Republic party, our friend in the past.
L. vi l..
Douglass introducing him, saving, it was
never late when the moon was down, if hui
man rights were up.
Mr.. Langston spoke as follows:
The civil rights bill is intended to secure
to all citizens of the United States all those
rights and privileges without which citizen
ship loses its luster and liberty is but name.
These rights are not found in the statute
books, they are inherent in the common law.
The common carrier, by this principle, is
bound to treat the negro the same as the
white man, or pay the penalty. The COM
mon carrier is under obligations to the entire
community and must fulfill his contract fully
and strictly.
We ask the passage of the civil rights bill
not that the principles by the common law
be resurrected, but as declaratory of those
and it seems impossible that any
intelligent and humane American should OPP
pose the bill. The question of common school
education is of the most vital Importance.
The advantages of education are incalculable,
and nowhere can the foundation be so well
laid as in the common school, and no school
is common from which any intelligent child
is excluded.
There must be on the one part feelings and
alrs OF superiority, and on the other a degrad-
ing sense OF inferiorty. Then, in the name
OF God and justice, let our schools be COM
mon. Even if the schools for colored chill
dren had every advantage, the separation
would be unjust, degrading, and not Ameri-
can. The advantage of the two must be
equal, and to be equal must be identical.
Common schools are built and supported by
the money of the people. If there are to be
two systems, the colored schools will receive
but pitiable sum. The speaker also advo-
Gated the various provisions of the civil rights
bill, referring to licensed places of amuse-
ment, churches, &c. He concluded by depre-
eating the public sentiment created by slavery
against the cOlOred American, and said he
was sincerely grateful that the principles of
the bill had been originated and pressed by
Americas foremost statesman, the Hon.
Charles Summer. Applause.
The following resolutions we're then
adopted:
Resolced, That inasmuch Us the Republican
party has protested, years ago, to recognize
The equality of all men before the law, and
holds that it is the duty of the Government
IN dealing with the people to mete out equal
and exact justice to all, of whatever nativity,
race, color, or pensuasion,' or withOat regard
TO previous condition of servitude, and as the
party processes friendship for us as the OPP
pressed, and as it has the power in number,
# it really will, to secure the above rights, we
call on it to demonstrate its constancy by
such appropriate legislation before the adj
iOurnment of Congress as shah not permit us
to be outraged, to be mjustly dealt by, in
public schools or by common carriers, in iu-
ries and in the constitution of uries, on
account of our race and color, and as it is
contrary to the spirit and letter of the SUI
preme law of the land to have it otherwise.
Resotced, That the Republican party owes
to its devoted adherents, owes to coming gen.
owes to broad humanity the prompt
and unequivocal discharge of that duty which
its power and its opportunity make impera-
tive, and for the neglect of which no excuse
can suffice--the duty of securing and putting
beyond all cavil and question the sacredness
and dignity of American citizenship-and
that the immediate and pressing demand of
this hour for equality ofciyil rights to all the
citizens of the Republic cannot be evaded,
ought not to be delayed, and should not be
refused.
Resolcea, That if there be a State paper
which, above all others, adds lustre to our
name as a Government, that State paper is
the Declaration of independence, and the
statesman whose name deserves highest place
in the nations honorable esteem, is the one
who above all others devotes his disintercsted
energies and ripest intellect in endeavoring
to make that declaration guide of interpre-
tation and OF action in the discharge of Amer
lean duty, and that we name as that states
man, Charles Sumner.
Frederick Douglass here stated that there
were two other speakers, and if the audience
were inspired by the old-time feeling they
would wait and listen to the Hon. G. II. Har-
ris, of North Carolina. Applause
Mr.. Harris said that in this crisis he did not
consider argument necessary to convince any
intelligent American of the justice of this
civil rights bill. He believed the ballot was
the only true argument. He had been as
tOnished to see how some men, calling them
selves Republicans, had treated this civil
rights bill. in Congress. He alluded to some
Congressman who was sent here by the
colored vote, and had seen fit, during the
last twenty-four hours, to treat this bill
lightly. He hoped the gentleman's constitu-
ents would hold him responsible. Applause
Mr.. Tr,lmbull has said the object of the
bill is to bring about social equality. The
speaker said he thought such arguments be-
longed to the past, and he did not believe
any negro would disgrace himself by running
around begging for social equality with the
white man. He said he did not often tell
secrets, but he would on this occasion. Down
in North Carolina the colored people had en-
tered into little bargain with the Republic
can party. A note had been drawn in which
civil rights were the principal, and now that
note was due and had Done to DrotaSt The