The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-09-05
Morton and Mixed Schools.

Morton and Mixed Schools.
On the 21st of May, 1874, whilst the civil
rights bill was under discussion, MIR. BOUT.
wsLL, OF Massachusetts,, made speech,
from which we take the following extracts.
These extracts convict MORTON and the
National Republican of falsifying the facts
of the case in their late comments upon
that bill. We quote from the Congressional
Record of May %:
"The public school is an epitome of life,
and IN 1t children are taught 80 that they I'm.
derstapd those relations and conditions Of
life which, if not acquired in childhood and
youth, are not likely afterward to be gained.
To say, as is the construction placed upon
SO much Of this bill as propose TO strike
out, that equal facilities Shall be given in
different schools, is to rob your system OF
public instruction Of that quality by which
our people, without regard to race or color,
shall be assimiated in ideas, personal, politi.
cal and public, so that when they arrive at
the period of manhood they shall act to-
gether upon public questions with ideas
formed under the same influences and di-
rected to the same general results; and
therefore. I say, If ii ,Dere possible, as in the
large cities 1t is possible. to establish Spa
rate schools for black children and for uhite
children, it is IN the highest degree lnerpe
dent to either establish or tolerate such
schools.
1.-The theory of human equality cannot be
taught in families, taking into account the
different conditions of the different mem
hers and the families composing human So
o;o Int in fba n,,blio onhoal u bcra oh IL
dren of all classes aud conditions are
brought together, this doctrine Of human
equality can be taught, and it is the chief
means of securing the perpe'ui!y of repub-
ican institutions. And inasmuch as we
have in this country four million coored
people, | assume that it is public duty that
they and the white people of the country,
with whom they are to be associated in po
litical and public affairs, shall be assimllated
and made one in the fundamental idea OF
human equality. Therefore, outsre IL scould
be possible to establish distinct schools, I am
againstit as q matter Of public policy"
And on the Goth of May, Mr. MoRroN's
own colleague, Mr.. PRATT, made speech III
which he unequivocalIy avowed himself i'll
favor of compulsory mixed schools. We
quote from the Record:
s.But the chief objection is to allowing
what are called mixed schools. In the first
place, this bill does not necessarily lead to
That, especially in the large cities, where
colored people abound. In this city, for eX-
ample, the schools are kept separate and will
continue to be, though this bill become d
law. Where the cololed people are numerous
enough to have separate schools of their own,
they would probably prefer their children
should be educated by themselves, ard there
is nothing in this bill which pI ohibits this.
But in the villages and country separate
schools will be impractcable, and the col
ored children, if educated at all in public
schools, must necessarily be where the great
majority Ct the children are white. There
NAV be but enc or two colored families in
the district, and I admit that here the ques-
ton must be fairly met whether they shall
share or be excluded from the benefits Of the
public schools.
I'm the first place, if not allowed, they
must remain uneducated-a thing to be
avoided, since these children will one day be
| voters, and policy requires they should bein-
telligeut voters. In the next place, there is
no more reason or justice why they should
be excluded than al equal number Of white
children, Tor their father as citizen has been
taxed to build the school-hOuse and to main
tain the school. And, lastly, there is pre-
| csely the same reason his children should
receive rudimentary education at the CON-
mon school that there is for white children
| Rey ond all this, what becomes of the colored
mans rights as citizen if this discrimina.
ton shall operate against him In q point
where parents heart is most sensitive-to
exclude bis children from drinking at the
common fount of knowledge? 1t lis a mise
rable misnomer, he will be very apt to think,
TO call that a common school which is practi.
caliv an exclusive one, since it debars his
children from attending, although bis labor
and funds contributed to build it and he is
taxed TO maintain it. Sir, to exclude the
co,ored mans children under the circum
stances / have put, finds its justification III
an unreasoning and unreasonable prejudice
onIy. which We must learn to dismiss as VT
have others, If we would faithfully obey the
Constitution"
| .sNotice single objection more 1t is saiG
such a law as this bill enacts will be so odiou:
that It cannot be executed. The objection
assumes, what deny is true, that it will BIZ
generally odious. The colored people all de
maud it as their due, and of course it vii
not be odious to them. It will be odiou!
onlv in particular sections of the country, fol
In many parts their rights and privileges al
set out in this bill are now recognized. II
one State the practice of mixed schools hal
ALWAYS been the rule, and In several of tn,
southern States the rule has been established
by State laws. Pass this bill and all opposi
ton will cease in few months, when i. il
known that the question is settled; for PEG
pie will come to see that the law Is supported
by reason and justice, and that free govern
ment demands the abolition of all distinc
lions founded on color and race"
No comment is needed. Mr.. MORTON il
convicted Of the next thing to lying.