Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1874-06-11

tain the equality OF all citizens be
fore the law. 1t Is to wipe out colo
from American citizenship. "Ther'
is but one idea in the BILL" said Mr.
Frelinghuysen in reporting it, "ant
that is the equality of races before th'
law" SITS theory is" wrote Mr.
Sumner to friend at the end Of De
cembcr, 1871, "that In all institu
lions, functions, and privileges crea
ted or regulated by law there shall bt
no discrimination on account of col
or" 1T is in no sense, therefore, {
special favor to the negro, and it II
INDUSTRIOUS to assert that to secure
simple equality before the law TO any
citizen is favor to him. 1t is the
mere protection Of right, and to re-
fuse it is the plainest injustice. This
bill is simple declaration Of the
equality Of the citizens of the United
States. Nor can we think that its
passage in the Senate was due to any
sentimental regard for the memory
Of Mr.. Sumner. Many Of the gentle
men who supported it were in no
sense especial friends Of Mr., Sumner,
aud scrutinized every proposition OF
his with predisposition of diSap-
proval. But they very properly felt
that 1t is a simple duty to secure alb
sOlute equality under the law, and
that is all that they have done by
the passage Of the bill. Discrimina-
ton by law against certain class il
ii denial OF equal rights. That dis
elimination exists, and this bill pro-
vides remedy. 1t Is supplement-
airy" to the act OF April 8, 1866,
which President Johnson vetoed,
and which was passed by the House
over the veto by vote Of one hun
dred and twenty-five to forty-one.
If there are insuperable objections to
this bill, they are conclusive against
the policy which, having emancipa-
ted the slaves, then gave them equal
civil and political rights. 1t may be
wise to agitate for change of that
policy, but it is certainly the height
of inconsequent folly to insist that,
under a Fundamental constitutional
guarantee OF equality, inequality
shall be authorized by law.
The chief objection that we have
seen upon the Republican side is
that the bill will injure the negro by
forcing mixed schools, which will
end in the ruin of the system of edu-
cation. But 1t no more forces mixed
schools than prohibition of separate
schools for children OF different ma
tionalities by birth, or race, or reli-
gious faith would force them. 1t
says very distinctly and very right
eously that no class Of citizens of the
United States shall be stigmatized by
legal compulsion to separate schools
or exclusion from public convenien-
ces authorized by law. The argu-
nent that 1t Is false friendship for
the negro, because 1t virtually con-
dennis him to ignorance, is not only
not sound, but it Is u part of the old
assertion that 1t was unkind to eman-
cipnte him, because he could not take
care of himself. at isagood thingo
say some of the more modern oppo-
nents, "but 1t Is not good aoU.
Why undertake 1t in the face of so
great prejudice?" But upon what
conceivable ground Is il urged that
the laws or the United States should
recognize prejudice against any cit
izen or any number of citizens?
And how soon do these directors
think that a prejudice will disappear
which is fortified, positively or neg
atively, by law.
The speediest way to remove the
prejudice against the colored race in
this country--for that is at the bot
tom of most Of the arguments against
this bills to make the laws equal,
and trust to time and humanity for
The rest. IL is very much wiser to
take the risk Of closing some of the
schools now than of nourishing a
prejudice of this kind indefinitely !;
aud those who insist that the matter
should be dealt with practically and
not sentimentally are the very per-
Sons who should remember that the
practical fact is that in several States
Of the Union half of the population
is colored, and that peace and har-
mony are impossible without equal
laws. As for the party view, which
is much urged In some quarters, the
chief fact is that the Republican par
~, by the various amendments upon
the subject which it has introduced
Into the Constitution, meant to make