Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-03-05

negro, in this year of Emancipation the
eleventh, in the capital of the nation,
are simply revolving, and she demands
that the galleries of the capitol shall
be cleared of them. Here is what the
Nelr York Times prints from her:
"There is a question which somebody
ought to consider and act upon, and
that somebody should be the Senate or
House of Representatives. 1t is, shall
men and boys, however well colored,
but ragged to the point of indecency,
and dirty to absolute flthiness, con-
tinue to enjoy the freedom of the gal
leries? They now make them their
lounging and resting places. Some of
these habitues are famous sleepers.
Even when the rights and privileges,
and wrongs and disabilities, of their
own race are under discussion, somno-
lency overcomes them, and they sleep
not wisely, but too WELL Senators
have told me that through all their
night sessions they are encompassed
about by this dark cloud of oblivious
witnesses, who sometimes spend the
entire night, especially if the weather
be cold or stormy, luxuriating In the
warmth and comfort of the summer
like air and soft cushioned seats of the
gallery. Now, the question Is, should
the United States Senate Chamber be
used as a station-house for Migrants,
however meritorious, and tatterdemal-
ions, however patriotic? Colored
women, having a more lively sense of
propriety, and not having the franchise.
seldom visit the Capitol except in their
Sunday best, and they generally man
age to have a Sunday best; yet l saw
the other day, IN the Ladies' Gallery of
the Senate, a couple Of elderly colored
laundresses, who evidently did not do
their own washing, neither did they
put it out. :"
She then appeals to the street rail
road companies Of Washington TO pro-
vide cars for white people, so they may
avoid the disagreeable contact and con-
tamination to which they are now SUBJ
ject by being compelled to ride in the
same cars with the negroes whom she
so graphically pictures. Hear her:
q think it is time they were taught
either by the precept and example of
the most intelligent and refined Of their
own race, or by the authority yet for a
| time resting in ours, to regard the pro-
prieties and decencies of life. Into our
street cars, especially those on the
avenues, come men and boys whom it
is not only disagreeable but positively
| peTilous to sit illuminated masses of
rags, giving cut foul and sickening
odors. The street car, It's true, is
the poor mans carriage but it is
extravaganza IN the poor man to use
it when he can as well walk. How
men, ragged as Neapolitan lazzaroni,
can afford frequent indulgence Of the
kind Is to me a profound and battling
mystery. I have known great, hulk
ing, lazy boys, with rags tiuttering In
every wind, like signals of distress,
take a street car for a Lift of three or
four blocks. Colored youths Of this
sort show a manly jealousy of their
| rights under the Fifteenth Amendment,
and seldom are known to offer a seat to
a woman, whether she be delicate
white girl or a feeble old colored
'aunty.' hope / need not say that /
am glad that colored people can ride in
the cars, but it does seem to me they
are overriding the thing in this city.
We hardly have a fair chance. They
have so taken possession of that popu-
lar vehicle chat we think of petitioning
the munifcent and magnificent corpO-
ration of the Georgetown and Navy
Yard Street Railway to furnish a set
of new and elegant cars, and put new
straw In them and colored conductors
on them, and set them apart for our
colored citizens, leaving to us the pres
ent old dilapidated concerns, unchanged
except that they shall be plainly let
tered: ss'White people dIlo1ced to ride
IN these cars
1t must be very disgusting to the
dainty Grace to be compelled to ride in
the street cars with those animated
masses of rags, giving out foul and
sickening odors." But as the old
girl boasts of her longtime devotion to
the cause of political and social equali-
", and that she is "glad that the col.
ored people can ride in the cars" she
ought to make due allowance for the
costumes of her poor ragged colored
friends, and not trouble herself about
how they obtain the money to pay
their fare.
The Savannah Nelrs thinks it dis
covers other indications of a revulsioI
of public sentiment In Washington
and points to the subsistence OF the
Pinchback furOre, and the manner IL
which the negro Congressman Elliot
has been "iet down" since his reply tc
Mr.. Stephens, of Georgia, as evidence
in point. But, says the Nelrs, tn,
latest and most striking demonstration
of the reaction that is going onin Radi
cal circles is the case of Ben. Butle~'
daughter, who, with her husband, re
Gently came South to become an un
willing citizen of Mississippi, in Orde
that they might tenant the Executive
mansion at Jackson, to which they hat
been called by mob of negroes led OIL
by the allowance of white rascals tina
usually pertain to Radical reconstruc
ton. Madame Ames came theoretical
ly sound on social equality, but the sa,
report comes from Jackson that a few
weeks Of experience has put to figh
all her theories, and that she absolute
ly refuses to hold receptions, becaus
she cannot stomach the "ladies" Of he
husbands black-and-tan supporters
She has lost all appetite for practica
social equality, and is preparing to va
cate the Executive Mansion and seel
refuge in a clearinghouse wher
"ladies of color" cannot come. 1t is
sad case of social ostracism," not OF
the part of the Southern people, bu
by Mrs. Ames and her lilliputian ap