The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-05-14
4 1,eadiug Repnbiicnn Psper ON the
CfviI-Yighfs Biz
from the Wheeling IntelligeneerJ


xrHg CIVIL RIGHTS BILLS,
II another column will be found the Iuii
~ ~ ~ The Tho c,viI.riphts bill now pending IN
t1"s ,T-,,tad states Senate. There has been
~ood deal said about this bill In the neWsps-
go go lint the bill itself has not been generaiy
pp,,hi;shcd The first clause contains Inc
puoo;ai feat,,res of the bill-the features tnat
~ ~ cailed ont 80 much discussion ana uis.
t" a.u Of the South. It will be seen thai TINS
oi,,Isa enacts that people OF color sna'l .De
snt;,I.d TO the full and equal ENJOY menu OF
Oh. recommendations, advantages, facllitles,
and privileges OF inns, public conVeyances
-, land or water, theatres, and other places
~ nublic amusement; and also OF common
schools. and public institutions OF learning
mr. bcneyolence, supported IN "noie VI IL
part by general taxation"
The southern plpers have very earnestly
deprecated the passage OF this Dill ny oon'
eress. and especially the enactment III 10
gard to public schools. Senator bro~hlo",
eT Tennessee, a Republican, has expressed
S;,,,.if "a yery decidedly opposed to this
nroy;sion Of the bill. He considers that it
riIl endanger the whole school system OF
that state. and perhaps do irreparabe injury
N fine cause Of general education among
both races. IL
II seems strange that Congress should de-
sire to engralt such feature on the Dill. II
shows a lack of practical craftsmanship on
the mart of those responsible for its author.
ship. 1t argues that they do not appreciate
the difficulties that must besct the execution
of snch law. What necessity exists lor
compelling the southern people, or the peo-
nile of any Of the States, to MAINTAIN mixed
| instead OF separate schools? Why should
their prejudices be 80 rudely assailed with
out any justification for so doing? Allowing
the whole difficulty to be matter of preJu-
dice alone, what possible good can come from
abruptly shocking that prejudice and getting
q whole people in turmoil over new Done
Of contention!
The cause Of education ia making pro-
DRESS in the South, especially in The border
southern States like Virginia, West Flr-
pnia. Kentucky, Tennessee, and missouri.
There is no necessity or excuse for lnlerfer-
ing with this progress. The blacks are not
neglected in the way Of education. On the
contrary, they have schools OF their own,
and the arrangement is satisfactory 10 Doth
races. We therefore warn the RepuDIlcan
leaders in Congress that they are dong q
very uncalled for and unwise thing IN at
| temptng to pass the ciYil-rights bill.
In respect to the accommodations lor col
ored people at the hotels Of the country and
in public conYeyances on land ana water
most difficult question comes up. Inc negro
race is too numerous in this country 70 De
ignored in the way of some provision lor
their comfort and entertainment when tray
cling, especially in the South. They arc
entitled to the worth OF their money when
they travel in the public conyeysnces, JUST
the same as white people, asd they are also
entitled to good food and comfortable lods-
ing when they are compelled TO stop
along their routes. But the problem is now
to afford them these epjoymcnts OF their
rights and at the same time not do more or
| less wrong to other people. BY doing wrong
| to other people We refer to the penalties tnat
are imposed by the bill upon hotels and
steamboats, for refusing to entertain coiored
| travellers in the same Stree and equal - man-
ner in which they are accustomed TO enter
tain white people. 1t will be observed that
| minimum penalty OF S5O0-specihc DAM
ages is awarded to colored persons who
| may be aggrieved by withholding from
| them such enjoyments, whereas Wh'te
people can only recover SUCH damage as
| thew may actually suffer under precisely
the same circumstances. Now the hotel
| keepers of the country, like people generally,
CalpT 10 puullC SClIIIISihs IVY WILL w hi-Ao
their hotels popular and profitable. If en-
tertainng coored people conduccd to this
end no doubt they would be quite willing
to entertain such people on par with their
white customers. But this Is not the case.
On the contrary, the very reverse is the
case. What, then, is proper policy under
the circumstances? Is it to pass law con-
iscating their business We say no;
There is no justice in such a law. An
they shall properly lodge and otherwise
entertain colored people in their houses.
Such law would not require them to do
violence to public sentiment by promls,,
cuous entertainment. Colored people could
be well cared for both OH steamboats, and III
hotels without any such collision. What
more can be demanded in their behalf With
out doing injustice to the rights Of others
than that they shall be comfortably cared
for-that is, given good food and good lodg-
ing? This is all that they have right to
demand.