The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1872-1881, 1874-01-23

JsAse Dwrhaaa In Congress.
None Of our readers who know Hon.
NJ. J. Durham, will be surprised to know
that he has taken a leading position In
Congress. His admirable twenty min
ute speech the other day, in opposition
TO the Infamous Civil Rights Bill, had a
decided effect upon members and the
outsiders generally. Our limited space
prevents its entire reproduction in our
columns but we give few Of the strong
points Of II, which our readers will be
glad to peruse. Judge Durham spoke
as follows:
"The passage Of this bill will override
that provision Of the Constitution which
declares
The powers not delegated to the Uni
ted States by the Constitution, nor pro-
hibited by it TO the States, are reserved
to the States respectively, or to to the
people.
1t interferes with State rights and
State sovereignty, and against this svs-
TEN Of legislation enter my solemn pro-
test. We have no more right or power
to say who shall enter theater or ho-
tel and be accommodated therein than to
say who shall enter mans private house
or enter into any social amusement to
pass away an evenings hour. We have
no more right to say that a particular
class Of individuals shall have access to
our public schools, when those individu-
MS have not contributed to the support
Of those schools, than We have to say
that they shall have access to private
schools. These are matters purely Of
local legislation or of private contract.
X Il 4 X \
Mr.. Speaker, I ask the gentlemen on
the other side Of the house who are
pressing this bill to pause and reflect up
on the consequences which must result
from its passage. ask them not thus
to strike down and override the reserved
rights of the States. l ask, in behalf Of
the white children of my district, not
thus to destroy the only means they have
to acquire an education. l ask, in be-
half Of every white person in my dis
trict, that you do not force upon them
the degrading provisions Of this bill. l
ask you now, when the two races are
living quietly together in the same State,
not to pass law, the effect of which will
do more than anything else to disturb
that quiet, perhaps ending in war of
the races, and when that occurs, the
black race in this country will be exter-
minated"
After quoting various authorities, ETC.,
in support Of his views, he said, in COLI
clusion:
"Mr. Speaker, I desire to say few
words as to the effect the passage of this
bill will have upon the people | repre-
sent. As before said, the slave has been
made freedman-been made citizen,
and enfranchised. These are political
rights. The State which l in part rep
resent protects him in the enjoyment Of
these rights, and do not know of any
man in my district who desires to inter
fere with those rights. But, sir, when
you undertake to legislate as to the civil
and social relations of the races, then
you will have aroused and embittered
the feelings of the Anglo-Saxon race to
such an extent that it will he hard to
control them. The poorest and humblest
white person in my district feels and
knows that he or she belongs to superb
or race morally and intellectually, and
nothing is so revolving to them as social
equality with this inferior race. They
will treat the freedman kindly. but So
cially hold aloof him, as belonging to an
inferior race. You may say these are
not social relations provided for in this
bill, but, sir, if l am compelled to sit
side by side with him in the theater, the
stage-coach and the railroad car, to eat
with him at the same tables at the hotels,
and nv child to be educated at the same
scools with his child-If these are not
social relations do not understand
them.
To my mind, the most Objectionable
part of this bill is that which forces the
children of freedmen into our common
schools. The State of Kentucky, in her
liberality, has provided good system of
common schools, which is supported by
a direct tax upon the property Of the
white people ofthat State; there are hun
dreds of poor children in my district,
and thousands in Kentucky, who receive
in these schools all the education they ever
get, and they look upon this privilege as
the greatest boon which an enlightened
Legislature could bestow upon them.
Should this bill pass, and the children Of
freedmen demand admission into these
schools, believe the system in Ken
lucky will be so injured as to be worth
less, and the thousands of children, who
thus receive good common-school edu-
cation, and who are unable to pay in the
private schools, will be uneducated.
Poor as they are they will not except of
an education upon such degrading terms.
want to see the children of freedmen Cd
ucated, and ] believe if the people of
Kentucky are LET alone they will Droyide