Wilmington daily gazette., 1873-12-26
nnmsey on civil Rlshts.

We uublished \ few days ago a report oil a
speech made by The negro man Hamsey, III 'ne
House of Representative. In the speech "h''h
has cloited many favorable comments from Inc
Radicals in pr,vato circles as well as by the Eadi-
cal pr,ss. Ramsey said negro coming 10 the cap
,t,l as A member Of Congress could not travel IN
the cars or enter hotel or restaurant III ""s"-
inyton without beng in'wled
Ralnscy made use Of words 10 this eject IN Inc
prascuce of over two hundred Radical Congress-
men. and 10 man rose 70 dispute what he said
Whether be spoke lie truth or He'd we do not
uuestiou. We tatc 1t iol granted that he did tel
the truth.
What nen Is the lnler,uccf The reader III
please bear m mind That the c.pdol as well as the
Cny Of Washington and u'i tle public buildings
and Deparlmeuts ct tho Government have been
under the con,rol al the Radical party for more
than twelve wears. And yettbi negro man Ram
sy. tEc representative OF ms race, gets mp ana
says lac cannot cut"r hotel e. restaurant iu
W,,LiuAt,a IS .tuoUt being IGsuiei. W ha' klh"
OF nj has that brother received at tie hands
OF the greet alsac'f~ O., ,,s,i rghl' ana 'qNai'y
The hut,l. a.,l .,.,aorauts age, many OF tbcp'
L,rt by k,d.y.ls, and yet ..ns u"n says he cann0t
enter them without beuy insuited. TIN, cVuid
not be 50 ir thu negro was the 'Ila OF the white.
Ramsey took occasion 10 say that there was as
as much morality. capacity aud ic2mng IN ms
race IS IA he white. But no man believed him
who had crIioary common sense unless lie was
demeuted 10y politics. Ramsey knows himself
that he lies.
There are now about 1000 to 2o,ooo negro cit
izeus in Washington, q city ct o'.ly about llO,o@'
and vet Ramsey says he cannot enter hotel CT
restaurant wilA5u. being inauicl. II his race
were S he depicted thoIn-.i ,hey were equal to
the white rae bqmscy couil not have uttered
such a remaIk; on tie contrary If his remarks
Lad been true, he coaid not have gone to Wash
ington without being met 10y delegation oi ne
grocs who would have conducted him 70 hotel
kept 10y his own race ard made Z !ion OF him ioT
the time beng.
In a city Of the sizs o' Washington, 2o,G~
white men CT any nation would make themselves
felt no matter from what country they came: they
would hsve been found operating in all the rur
suits Of lie, and ther churches. schools, hCtel'
and restaurants would have been open 10 hal
with pride the coming Of fellow countryman
houorcd by an election TO Congress
We venture 10 say that none but . negro under
the same circumstances could have made the com
plant that Ramsey did. Even the Lcaihen Chi
hese, il there Lad been loco q them in Wash
inPton FOR 50 many years, would have been PIE
pared 10 offer [ CAinaman welcome and co7d cheer
Why if Ramsey he'd hecn equal to the hit,
race lie would have teen invited 10 take suits o.
rooms st their houscs ny all ol Tie Radical hote
keepers in Washington. The truth ia, tie Rad
cal hotel keeners did moi want Mr.. Ramsey, uoi
Lis wife, nor his daughters, nor his sons, either ii
their parlors q at their dining tables They
would rather have given Mr., Ramsey and In
family "iree breakfast" III their kitchen than tC
have taken the usual fare and suffered them 10 81
at the fashionable table, notwithstanding Their
might have laou 10 moe moral a. oon.cientiou
people present than the Radical ''.Saary GrahbeIs
aud lher families.