The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-03-10
supplementary Civil Rights Bill.

supplementary Civil-Rights Bill.
va have repeatedly expressed our fears
A., The supplementary civil-rights bill vii
,sss Congress. The Republicans thinks lit
a. Ay,.s 10 OF prejudice and fanatlcism ne
.ss.ary Just now. The object Of this bill, Al
Snr readers know, IL to admit negroes t
inns. publte schools, theatres, and public
Aonveyss>es. 1t is an addition to the for
xser eivil-rtxhss act. It is advocated upor
tn around that equality In rights to al! me'
naxinr been proclaimed in the Declaration 0
independence, negroes cannot justly be sx
s,uded from equality In the sbove-namct
places.
ra surveying the history OF mankind
esus, rights, even amongst the same race
asys ret always been productive Of good re
suits, and It certainly cannot be wise CT
pertinent fox two widely-distinct races unde
the same government, and where one race
vastly superior to the other. There Is s.
nush said about equality IN the present
day u is necessary to call attention
- the fact that some races are superlo
10 >shers. Nobody can deny the superior
Nv of English civilization to that OF The
SaipNse. nor can any one compare favorabl!
Aha psopls OF India with those OF Germany
Ths negroes Of this country are far inferior
ID he whites. The partial civilization OIL
tie African race comes from Its intercourse
With the whites. a rapid advance in its civ
Eizstion is not to be presumed-nay hoped
for-from the history Of the West Indies
20 speak charitably, San Domingo stands
s.in, whilat Jamaica appears to be retrograd
Ing. Soon after the emancipation in the lat
ser Island the negroes enjoyed tho rights o.
English citizens. yet In 1866 they rose In re-
bellion fer the purpose of appropriatlpg the
estates and expelling. the whites. Governor
BYas, by the prompt use Of English troops,
nreyerted this. The condition Of the race
there IL thus described by him: "By unani-
sHoUs consent 1t is admitted that those
"perseDs who were men or youths al
"sbs time Of the emancipation arc
"the best and most trustworthy servants now,
aaad that these born since have, as rule,
~beeens idle, vicious, and profigate." ia
xaiea is a lovely island and very fertile, yet
As future prospects are gloomy. An old
Resident In the West Indies says There is
"on,y one way T. civilize negroes-surround
~every negro with three whites"
II equal rights are questionable in general
xnder the above circumstances, there are
good reasons to di>prove the necessity in
this instance. Separation Of the two races
% every place indicated in the bill would in
10 way injuriously affect the negroes. Fur.
thermore, not one In ten thousand cares for
Or can appreciate these rights. In the event
Of their admission it would result in dlscom-
1ort and injury to the whites. These reasons
suffice to prove the measure iDjudicious.
Concerning the Declaration of Independence
supporting the equality of the two races, let
jts authors own words decide, taken from
his memoir about the bill on the subject of
slaves,
Nothing is more certainly written IN the
beck Of fate than that these people [negroes]
ere TO be free; nor is it less certain that the
two races [black and white], equally free,
sapnot i've in the same Government. Ma.
cure, habit, opinion, have drawn indelble
Zines of distinction between ttem. It is still
IN our power to direct the process Of emap-
eipation and deportation peaceably and in
such slow degree as that tie evil will wear
Of inseRsibiy, and their place be, part pdssu,
63led up By free white laborers."
Placing political power in the possession
Of tmeducated freedmen has resulted most
unfortunately where they IRE In the ascend
sney. The false teaching Of equality here bears
Sts bittersst fruit. For such legislation as that
passion was consulted, and not reason. How
well the language Of De TocouEv1LLs can be
applied here:
democratic nations are at all times fond
q equality, but there are certain epochs al
which the passion they entertain for it swells
80 the height Of fury. Tell them not by
their blind surrender of themselves TO an
exclusive passion they risk their dearest In
4erests; they are deaf. Show them not free
dom escaping from their grasp while they
are looking another way they are Dlno, or
rather thy can discern but one opJect 70 DC
desired in the universe"
The failure of republican government in
saclens days came from the fact that the
people attempted selssovernment before
they had become sufficiently enlightened for
T. To learn political science long time
Is required. Lord BRoUGHAM forcibly illus
trases the present condition of some of the
southern States In the following para
graph:
eff the community consist of small body
.. weliinformed persons and a large body
wholly illiterate, to give an equal voice 10
al affairs to the latter would he suhjecting
the councils Of State to the ignorance,
fnbeeiliiy, and incapacity of the COM
nunity."
Here We behold vivid picture Of South
Carolina now, and 1t Is applicable to other
southern States. 1t was under the garb of
philanthropy that this pernicious legislation
was enacted. This Is not the first instance
h history where the clamor for equality has
Drought en- countless evils.