New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-04-27
-" SOUTH CAROLINA PResTRATE.>

IN
This is the heading of ccfrespordenee
nubHshed in the New York Trjb'91t- -
is speaking of the colored Legislators
One of the things that first strikes q c;.s-
nal observer IN this negro assembly r TIC
fuency of debate, il the endless cLatte-
that goes on there can be dlgnIhed v,5n
this term The leading topics OF discussion
are all well understood by the members, ~
they are of a practical character, and al
neal directly to the personal interests o.
every legislator, as well as to those OF Lls'
constituents. When an appropriation bill
is M to raise money 80 eaten and punIsa
the Ku-klux, they know exactly wha- i
means They feel il III their bones So. 900,
with educational measures. The free school
comes right home to them; then the bus
ness of arming and drilling the black
militia. They are eager on this poiI-
Sambo can talk on these topics and those 81
a kindred character, and their endless
ramiticatiOns, day in and day out. There
is no end to his gush and babble. The Il
tellectual level is that OF bevy OF fresh COL
yer.s at q negro camp meeting. W coarse,
this kind of talk can be extended lnde1-
niteIv. 1t is the doggerel of debate, and
NOT Geyond the reach Of the lowest partlo
Then the negro is initiative i'll the eXtreueo
He can copy like parrot or monkey, and
he is always ready Tor trial OF his SIX.
lie believes he can do anything, and ueve.
loses a chance to try. and is just as ree,v
to be laughed at for his failure as appiaHc
ed for his success. He Is more vIvac:OCs
than the white, and being more volatile anD
Good -natured. he is correspOndingly moro
irrepressible. His misuse OF language n
his limitations is at times ludicrous bey0Lc
measure lie nOtOrously loves joke are
an anecdote and will burst into Dro&u
gaffaw on the smallest provocatlou 18
breaks out into an incoherent harangue on
the floor lust as easily, and beng W4tL"t.
practice. discipline or experience, and
wholly obIivious of Lindley Murray or eu7
other restraint on composition, he vi 20
on repeating himself. dancing az II were %
the music of his own voice forever. be W
speak half dozen times on one question
and every time say the same things Il
ont knowing 1t.
No one Is allowed TO talk five mIIuve9
without interruption, ard one inter- upton
is the signal for another and another, anti
the original speaker Is smnthered under a.E
avalanche of them. Forty questions "i
privilege viii be raised in day. At times,
nothing goes on but alternating questions
of order and Of privilege. The inetjcle,-
col0red friend who sits in the Speaker
chair can not suppress this extraordinary
element of the debate. Some OF the men
beers of the deepest dye exhibit pert
nacity of intrusion il raising these polL-s
of order and questions of privilege THAI few
white men can equal. Their struggles .
get the floor, their bellowipgs and phys.Cal Z
'contortions battle description. The Speat9
ers hammer plays a perpetual tattoo al .
no purpose. The talking and the inter- 20
lions from all quarters go on with Gle
utmost license. Every darley es-eeIas
himself as good as his neighbor, and r0ts
in his oar, apparently as often Iuc
love OF riot and confusion as awe
thing. 1t is easy 10 imagine what are Ia
ideas OF propriety and dignity among I.
crowd of his own color, and these are i.i1s-
trated without reserve The Speaker Orders
a member whom he has discovered 10 10
particularly unruly TO take his scar. Tie
member obeys, and with the same motion
that he sits down throws his feet OF 10 h.
desk. hiding himself from the Speaker ~
the soles OF his boots. IN an instau; Ia
appears AGAIN on the floor. After a lev tl-
periences OF this sort the Speaker threatens,
in laugh, to call the gemman' TO Ordrr.
This is considered capital joke, ana GUT
taw fellows. The laugh goes round, and
then the peanuts are cracked and TouncEed
faster than ever; one hand being employed
in fortifying the inner man with this nut--
! ment OF universal use, while the Cit.o
enfOrces the views OF the speaker. i. 90
this laughing proper sity Of the sable crowd
that is IA great cause Of disorder. Tnto
laugh as hens cackle-one begins and
followe
This IS singular travesty of tee 90
ored people coming from the Tlygo.
which has done more to induct them iuSe
these rights than all other Journals !S;ls
Union. We can not but believe that "ne
o,cI17SiC,, Of ,1bi+a n, ON from, the non -.
dence has grown out of an unwiae 30
against the colored people who have ices
thereby driven to rely upon incompeten, al
visers. Later advices from South Carolina
Indicate that with the abatement OF Po;>-
cal rancor. population and capita. Q
entering the State. and that prosrer.;e,
which n the United States always accces
! ya.lies .eaoe, may be anticipated.