Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1873-07-12

snail De pen 10 tue accommodation
and patronage of all persons, with
out distinction or discrimination on
account of color.
cart. 1S5. All children Of this
State between the ages of six and |
twenty-One shall be admitted to
the public schools, or any other |
institutions of learning sustained or 4
by the State, In common,
without distinction of race, color or |
previous condition"
These articles have been enforced I
by the legislation, which gives to any |
party whose right hereunder have /
been denied, "a right of action to
recover any damages, exemplary as
well as actual, which he may sus-
tain, before any court Of competent
Jurisdiction" j
1t cannot then be denied that all
the citizens of the State have been
placed upon terms of equality in
their civil and political relations
No preference is given on account
of complexion, capacity, employ
ment, pursuits or the holding of
property TO any individual or class.
The superiority that the possession
of these may attain depends upon
the voluntary recognition by per-
sons differing in complexion and
capacity, and of different employ
ments and degrees of education
The suffrage of every man Of lawful
age is to be counted at every cleo
tIOn as Of the same value. My prop
ositiOn is, If possible, to unite these
various conditions of men into a
oil. to no
to remove, If il can be done, all
questions that are special to any Of
these conditions from the contest,
and 20 fix the hearts of all upon high
er and more important aims. The
| strife, hostility, distrust and es-
| arrangements that have followed
from such questions have placed our
| State under the control of the de
| PRAYED, dishonest, Over-reaChing
| and corrupt. The reputation of the
| State has suffered, its credit blasted,
| its finances disordered, its honor
stained and public and private pros
perity retarded under the influence
of the strife and the use made of it
by the artful and selfish adventu-
rcrs, who have employed power to
accomplish these disastrous re-
| suits. In our distracted condition,
after the general election Of last No
| vember, we appealed in vain TO
! Congress for relief; the Administra-
ton has, moreover, thrown its pow
erful influence on the side of our
corrupt, usurping State Govern
ment, and we can evidently hope
for no assistance from our sister
States. We must therefore look
only to ourselves for salvation
which can only be secured by max.
ing a firm alliance with all classes o.
our population to rid us of those
vampires who are sucking the very
blood of our people, whites anC
blacks.
1t is maDifeststhat nothing bu
the for bearnnce OF the colOred PEG
pie prevents them from subjectins
common carriers, and all keepers o
places of public resort, to such loss
es and annoyances as would speedily
compel the practical acknowledge.
ment of their rights or the abandon
ment of the business. A multiple
ity of suits, the result or which (sC
far as the courts are concerned
could not be doubted, would sooI
exhaust the endurance OF the mos
violent prejudice. MeanW lille du
ring series of years, the obstinate
denial of these claims TO our color
ed fellow-citizens by the whites ha,
been the means of arraying whites
and blacks, almost solidly, in bitter
political hostility against each 9th.
er.
1t has driven the blacks into az
unnatural coalition with a horde 81
unscrupulOus adventurous, who
have thus secured the political pow.
er of the Commonwealth. How
have they used it? To what a sad
condition have they reduced the
State 1t is an oft told tale, which
/, son of Louisiana, holding heI
honor dearer than 1.-The ruddy drop.
which visit this sad heart" have nc
disposition to repeat.
L may be mistaken in supposing
that a frank and cordial concession
of absolute and practical civil, n,
well as political equality between
all citizens, without discrimination
on account of race or color, as pro.
posed in this movement, would re,
move the last barrier which Oppo-
ses the cooperation of good men, Of
whatever color for the regeneration
of the State; but am earnest in my
conviction that l am not mistaken.
Experience seems, at all events to
have demonstrated two propositions
quite conclusively, viz: that with
out such cooperation the redemp.
ion of the State is impTacticable;
ID, that such cooperation cannot be
secured on any other terms.
Besides, | am profoundly cou-
WINGED that no sound and lasting
system OF political philosophy can
be constructed under existing facts
in Louisiana, at least which does not
| recognize such equality. Every such
| system must square itself so as TO
| consist in all its expressions and
implications with the Fundamental
fact of impartial suffrage. When
we are asked why we refuse to adj
nit coloTed people to the enjoy
ment ofpublic privileges on a foot
ing OF equality with other citizens.
| it Is not sufficient to say that in so
! doing we merely exercise a right for
which we are compelled To give
! reason. There must be some reason
| or motive at the foundation of all
! human conduct. And fiat the basis
| of this course of conduct participate
/ ed in by the mass of the white peo-
| pie of the State, there does lie a rca-
/ son so powerful as to defy the pro-
! visions OF the constitution aud law
| and the DEGREES of the courts; IL Ger
| tainly concerns the colOred man to
| inquire whether, carried TO its logi-
| cal consequences, il does not threat
en- other rights, of which he already
| has the full enjoyment. Yet / would
ask any one to state why COlOred
man should not participate in these
| public privileges, which would not
| be better reason why he should
not serve on a jury, why he should
not hold a responsible Office. nav,
why he should not possess the right
of suffrage itself,
We are bound TO give this great
experiment of republican self-gov-
eminent, on the basis of impartial
suffrage, a fair trial; and as long as
we assume a position antagonistic
in principle TO his rights, and there
by drive the cOlored man into oppO-
sition to Us, if harm results, we
must Law the blame upon ourselves,
rather than on the system.
/ am persuaded that the natural
relation between the white and col
orcd people is that of friendship. l
am persuaded that their interests
are identical and that their destinies
in this State, where the two races
are equally divided, are linked to-
gether; and that therein no prosper
ity for Louisiana which must not be
the result of their cooperation.
am equally convinced that the
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