Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1874-12-03
Copper BOttomed.

ne supreme OOuFI Ol 1uuldHd
has caught the spirit Of the recent
democratic victories. 1t has decided
that colored children are not entitled
to school privileges except in cases
where separate schools are provided
for them. Here is a suggestive drop
from the decision:
There is but one construction
which will preserve the unity of har-
mony and consistency of our State
Constitution, and that is to hold that
it was made and adopted by and for
the exclusive use and enjoyment of
the white race"
This is bringing us back to the
good old democratic times, when a
black man had no rights that white
man was bound to respect. The sub
ject is worthy of study by those col
ored men who voted the democratic
ticket at the recent election in this
city.
The Cincinnati Gazette in COM
menting upon this decision, says:
1.-The same course of reasoning
would exclude colored citizens from
the ballot-box, and here lies its chief
significance. The amendments to
the Constitution have clothed color
ed people with the full rights of clti-
zens of the United States. They are
thus entitled to all the rights of citi-
zens of the several States. If this is
not the meaning of the Constitution
then the colored people have no rights
in the several States, except such as
may be accorded to them by those
States. If the Constitution and laws
of Indiana are paramount to the Con-
stitution and laws of the United
States in one thing, they are para
mount in all things. If colored citi-
zens can be taxed for educational
purposes, and their children exclu-
ded from educational privileges at the
will of State, then they have no
rights as citizens from which they
may not be. excluded. If colored
people, who are citizens under the
Constitution of the United States,
can be Disseminated against on ac
count of color, then other citizens
can be Disseminated against on ac-
count of race.
This decision wholly ignores the
Fourteenth Amendment to the Ma
tional Constitution, which says: mo
State shall make or enforce any laws
which shall abridge the privileges or
immunities of citizens of the United
States" And the decision is based
upon the idea that the laws and Con-
stitution OF Indiana are paramount
to the Constitution of the United
States. Upon the same basis of rea-
soning, how easy it will be, when the
democratic party of Ohio obtains
control of its Supreme Court, for.
that Court to declare that cOlored
men shall not vote because the Con-
stitution of the State, in it's article
upon the Elective Franchise, only
confers this privilege upon ''every
white male citizen of the United
States"
This decision of the Supreme Court
of Indiana is the legitimate out
growth of that old principle of State
rights which has been newly baptised
with the name of "Home Rule" Its
essence is that the States are SOW
ereign in all matters regarding their
internal governmental policy. Un-
der such an Interpretation of the
powers of the States, every result OBJ
tanned by the war for the maintenance
of National supremacy, can be ig-
nored and set aside, and the country
returned to the condition existing be-
fore the war. That is the logical Sc
quence of this abominable doctrine
of alone Rule" and the Supreme
Court of Indiana has but given force
and power to its real meaning.
Through democratic victories a |
whirlwind is arising, which, if not
stayed in its devevelopment will de-
stroy the citadel of human liberty,
and remand US to the barbarisms Of
the times when secession raised its
bloody and destroying hand against
the life of the Nation.