Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1874-06-11
Civil Rights.

AU BGOPACrOA NAAC AOANAANA h~se~SSo
where the com mon school system has
been established, and where it is work
ing as well as it can be expected to
work, all things considered, are be-
coming alarmed at the prospect of the
passage in Congress of what is called
the "Civil Rights Bill" 1t has al
ready passed the Senate and is now
pending in the House of Representa-
tives. They fear that should the bill
pass and become law, and the color
ed people should demand all the privi-
lges contemplated in this bill. to
blacks and whites alike in their com
mon schools, it would be the means of
destroying their common schools and
of depriving the colOred children of
all common school advantages. Be
sides this, the common school system
ia an institution of the States and not
of the general government, and each
State has right to regulate its own
educational interests, to establish and
maintain it's own educational institu-
tions, and the general government is,
in our opinion, assuming duties that
do not belong to it. When it attempts
to prescribe rules and enact laws for
the government of institutions that
are created and sustained by the States
each in accordance with its own pecu-
liar local condition, and financial abil-
ity to sustain. 1t is not for the Unit
ed States government to say what
shall be the penalties for violating the
provisions of any State or local law
regulating any Of its own local insti
tutions, so long as their institutions
do not conflict with the provisions of
the constitution of the United States.
It is true and it is a noble provision
in our constitution that it guarantees
equal rights before the law, and privi-
leges to all bona fide citizens, and ne
State has right to enact laws that in
their object and effect will abridge
this principle, and it is the duty of the
State government to see to it that
their guaranteed rights are not denied
to all classes of our citizens. The
right to life, liberty and the pursuit
Of happiness, however, does not make
it necessary for Congress to pass laws
defining the duties of State local insti-
Euttons, and TO impose penaiSios for
violations of those laws. Every
State is supposed to be competent
Judge Of its own educational interests
and while it is for the best interests
that all classes should be educated, it
may not be for the best interests that
all should be educated in the same
school. Expediency may require, for
the good of all. that separate schools
should be maintained in order that all
may have the advantages of cur free
school institutions, the colored as well
as the white.
While oil are required to pay taxes
equally for the support of these educa-
tional institutions under statutory en-
actments, the people of the different
locations, through their boards of ed
ucation are undoubtedly the best judg-
es in relation to the demands Of the
districts, and whether the cause Of ed
ucation would be better promoted by
mixed or separate schools, and while
all should have an equal share OF the
benefits of our free schools, the ques
ton of mixed or separate schools
should be carefully examined, and the
rule Of action should be the best edu
cational interests for all concerned
What might be best for their interests
an one section might be the reverse in
another State.
In Ohio We certainly do not want
Congress TO interfere in our common
school SYSTEM. We prefer to have
it nnder our own control, as it is an
institntion of our own creation, n OF in
conflict with the constitution, and
amply sufficient to afford an education
in all the branches necessary for the
transaction Of business. We acknowl-
edge the right to give equal advan.
tages to all classes. The law of oul
State makes it incumbent on school
boards to provide the means neeessa-
Ty to afford educational advantages to
cOlOred children, and they fail to do
their duty when they fail TO provide
these advantages. To do this it is not
neVessarY nor best, where color ed
children can have educational advan
tagss, TO put them in the white schools
We have separate schools for them
with competent teachers, and theil
proficiency in their studies is not in
feriOr to the pupils in the white schools
There is no use denying the fact
just or unjust, that prejudices do exis
between the races, TO an extent tha
will scarcely admit equal justice
toward colOred pupils in mixed
schools In view ofthis existing fact
the best interests of the colored peo
pie in an educational point of view
would be EUHoh better attained in sep
arate schools
As to the other rights of the color
ed people, contemplated TO be secured
by the provisions of the so-calleC
"Civil Rights Bill" we think that Gus
tom and tastes of society will be like
" TO regulate the associations of So
eiety, and NO action of Congress car
control the likes or dislii1es Of white
OF black citizens. There must exist 6
mutual htness, or agreement between
the parties in order to render the So
clety OF two or more persons desira
BILE to each other, and this is not to be
effected by Congressional enactments
Whether this prejudice is right OF
S"ong, it does exist, and it will re
ouire lime end education to subdue it
and that D., Sont agency is visibly a