Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1874-01-15
Notable Speech by a Colored Con-
gresham.

/
the pending bill for the more com
pete establishment of civil rights
His remarks were chiefly ia reply {
those of A FL Stephens, of Georgia
made on Monday in opposition t
the bill. He referred to the service
of men of his race on tho battle. feIC
of the country in the late war ant
in the war of 1912. He reminJeC
the gentleman from Kentucky
(Beck). who was always so active
against the negro, true to that patri
otism and love of country which hac
ever characterized and mark ed hi,
history on this continent, came tC
the aid of the Government in its eff
forts to maintain the Constitution
To that Government the negro now
appealed, and that Constitution be
now invoked for protection agains,
outrageous ard unjust prejudices
founded upon caste Replying 70
the argument of Mr.. Stephens, OF
Georgia, yesterday, Mr.. Elliot con-
tended that Congress had, under the
Fouri zenith and Fifteenth Amend
men!s to the Constitution, complete
power to pass this law, and TO pro-
tect all citizens of the country in a
their rights. He discussed the docs
trines of decisions of the Supreme
Court in the New Orleans slaughter
house cases, and asked the gentle
man from Georgia (Stephens) wheIh-
or they gave color even to The claim
that Congress cannot legislate
against plain indiscriminations made
Oy State laws and State customs
against that very race for whose
complete freedom and protection
those great amendments to the
Constitution were elaborated and
adopted. 1t could not be pretended
that the evils of which the colored
people cOmplained-their exclusion
from the public inn, from The Sleep
ing car on the railroad, and from the
right of epulture-were the exer.
else Of the police powers of State
These things are denial of equal
protection of the laws which those
constitutional amendments are franz
ed to guard against. He shared
those feelings OF high personal re-
gard which pervaded the House in
respect to the gentleman from Geor-
gia (Stephens), but when that gen
tlemad lent his voice and infin
ence to defeat this measure, be (E'.
llotD would not shrink from saying
that it was not from him (Stephens)
that an American House of Repre-
would take lessons
10 matters touching human rights
No consideration should r, strain
nim from taying that that gentle
man now offered to the Government
which he had done his utmost 10
destroy a very poor return for Its
10 coming here and
seeking to continue, by the assertion
of doctrines obnoxious to the true
principles of government, burdens OF
oppression which rest on those who
had never failed to pray for the sue
cess of government which that
gentleman sought to blot out from
the galaxy OF nations. Applau~e-
on the floor and 10 the galleries,
which were filled with colored peo
pie IL was scarcely twelve years
since that gentleman had shocked
the civilized world by announcing
as the highest form of government
one that rested on human slavery.
The progress Of time had swept
away that pseudo government, and
the race which he (Stephens) ruth
tessly spurned and trampled upon
was here now to meet him in discuss
sion; to demand that the rights en-
joyed by its former oppreseors
should be accorded to them, who,
even in the darkness of slavery, bad
kept their allegiance true to free.
dom and the Union. That geutle-
man had learned much since 1861,
but be was still a learner. He (Ste-
phens) should put away entirely
those false and fatal theories which
had marred his otherwise enviabIe
record; he should accept it's fulness
the great doctrine that American
citizenship carries with it every civil
and political right that manhood can
confer. He should lend bis Influence
and his mastery ability TO complete
the proud structure of legislation
which made the nation worthy OF
the great declaration that heralded
it's birth. Let him do that AMI he
would have done that which would
most certainly redeem his reputation
in the world and best indicate the
wisdom of that policy which bad
D rmitted him to return 10 bis seat
in the House. As TO the gentleman
from Virginia (Harris) who had yes.
terday transcribed decency and pro-
priety he (EIhoD should have no
words With him. He would let that
gentleman feet that negro was not
only too magnanimous to smlte him
in his weakness bu. was even chars
liable enough to grant him the mer-
cy of bis silence. Applause and
laughter ] The Holy Scriptures told
of an humble band maiden who had
long aud faithfully CLEANED in the
rich fields of her wealthy kiusman,
and that at last, in spite of Der hum
BILE auteoedents, she found complete
favor in bis sight. So With his race
1t has for two centuries reaped down
their fields The cries and woes
which they had ttered entered into
the ear of the Lord God of Sabaoth
and they were at last politically free
The lest vestifure of civil right
only was needed, Having gainec
that they might, with hearts over
flowing With gratitude, and Thankful
that their prayer has been granted
repeat the prayer of Ruth: 'En
treat me not to leave thee, for with
err thou goest | will 60, and wher
thou lodgest | will lodge. Thy peo
pie shall be my people, and thy Coz
my God, Where thou diest | vii
| die, and there will | be buried