New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1874-06-11
Tne Civil Rights Bill.

On Monday last another Intellectual at
tempt was made to take the Senate Civil
Rights Bill from the Speakers table in the
House. The majority of the members of the
House are Republicans, and if they really
mean to give all citizens of the United States
the equal protection of the law they have it
i'm their power to dol it. They had that power
OH Monday last, but they did not exercise it.
The Civil Rights Bill is postponed and JUS
tlce delayed by the votes of the members of
Congress who owe their election mainly to
coloreI votes. That much feeling exists
among our people because Of the dilly-
dallying with measure which is to them
one of vital Importance is strictly true.
That this feeling is one that will be worked
upon by demagoSues to an extent that may
impair the success of the Republican party
in the Congressional elections this fall is
also true.
Colored voters, like white voters, are gov
erned by their interests liz casting their bal
lots. 1t is the cOlored mans aim to be
secured i'm his possession of citizenship rights.
correctly represent him, and, when they ac-
cept tie platform of principles which induces
the colored man to vote for them, the cOlOred
voter has right to expect his sO-called
representatives to represent him correctly.
When the representative fails TO do his
duty in behalf of his constituents then some
other should be chosen who has better
idea of what he may owe to those who elect
him. We, therefore, fully sympathize with
that feeling among our cOlored voters to r.
fuse to vote for the men who have deserted
their cause at the exact time when their as
sistance was needed.
The New York Times chuckles over the
defeat of the Civil Rights Bill, and says
''that it would have been an annoyance Ia
one class without comforting any adequate
benefits upon the other" We hold that
equal benefit will be conferred on all because
all will receive the equal protection of the
law. We have no doubt that many white
persons would be annoyed by seeiug negroes
treated as human beings; and we have no
doubt that those white men and women in
the South who, through no fault of the negro,
are the fathers, the brothers and sisters,
uncles, aunts and cousins Of the negro, will
oppose with more bitterness than all others
any law that will protect the negro from the
brutality of the white man. 1t is. however,
too late in the day t. discuss the necessity
for the Supplementary Civil Rights Bill.
There is not a 'lorel man who travels in
the South that does not meet with insult and
robbery by nearly every railroad corporation
in that section. Every colored lady is an
noyed, if not grossly insulted, who may be
compelled TO travel i'm the South. The
Times asserts that there is general feeling
that enough has been done for the negroes
to enable them to take care of themselves,
and that in common fairness nothing more
should be asked" Negroes arc citizens of
the Cnite, States, and are to-day denied the
equal protection of the laws, such protection
as the alien editor of the New York Times
enjoys, for instance, in public. schools Or
public cOnycyances and places Of amusement.
by the way the laws are administered we
are prescribed class. Until we are accorded
the rights of American citizens to the fullest
extent enough has not been done for the
negro and the negro would exhibit lack
OF appreciation Of the rights and duties Of his
citizenship were he not to labor for, and in
sist upon having, all the benefits attaching
to the condition Of an American citizenship.
The negro who has barred his bosom to the
storm Of bomb-shcll and bullets in defense
of this nation can very Justly demand the
same protection Of law as is accorded, not
only 10 tie editor Of the Times, who is an
alien, but the same that is given to the men
who exhausted every resource to destroy the
nation. We are not beggars asking for
shelter under the equal protection of the
laws. Our race has earned the right to JUS
tice and paid for it ia blood shed in defense
of the Union during the rebellion, and in