Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1874-06-26
Don't Like the Smell.

We copy the following remarks of Bessie
Beech, an intelligent Washington correspon-
dent Of the REPOSITORY & Transcript, published
at Canandaigua, New York. Bessie is
Northern lady, and has been contemplating
''the nations wards, for about two years
She discourses thus upon the subject Of the
passage of the Civil Rights Bill
''No political question interested US 40 much
as the passage OF the Civil Rights Bill. Al
though Republican in principle, we cannot
tolerate measure that even the great philan-
thropist, Sumner, advocated To force one
class into companionship with those who are
perfectly repugnant 10 them, not from preiu-
dice, but from reasons we shall name, is sim
ply oyerreaching the demands OF justice.
Why do not the masses of our country s
poor raise hue and cry because they are not
admitted TO receptions balls, parties and we'd
dings, and in every private aud public place
tolerated, without restriction in their dirt and
debris, their ignorance and unfitness for such
places
To legislate white people out OF the last
birthright of freedom and TO cram the colored
race with favors they cannot appreciate, is
in tolerable.
We could swallow all the bill without cho-
king, if our schools could have escaped ty-
question Of mixed schools would amount TO
little, but here in the South, where large
proportion of the inhabitants are colored il
will work serious results.
We come South with big hearts of sympa-
thy for the poor, abused blacks. Two years
Of dealing with a race who don't know what
ruth is, and who had sooner steal than work,
and in whom there is no dependence, makes us
shrink from having our children educated
fhaf onn ant n irapfr, lo1 IF cpaa
ty. A colored person will solemnly promise
you over and over thing, without ever in
tending to do as he says& He will denounce
theft, pray and sing, and shout, and rising
from his knees, steal the very first thing he
can lay his hands on.
AS race, they need missionaries among
them TO educate them to sense of honor
They need religion that will have power
enough to make them trustworthy. We have,
since coming here, had trouble and anxiety
enough from these eye-servants 10 last US a
lifetime.
When this race are civilized by education,
and can respect their word, and not steal all
their eyes behold, it will be time enough to
compel white children to come under their in
huence in mixed schools Returning from the
city recently, we drove through Howardtown,
where the colored people number seven 10
four whites. A person who has any nose at
these people, whose repulsive odor cannot be
scrubbed out, perfumed out, or educated out
We should pity sensitive white children who
were obliged TO be crowded up in a school
room with race God never designed should
amalgamale with these aspiring Africans.
We would not deprive these people Of one
single right, We are glad they are free. We
crave the boon Of freedom too. To-day these
people have more rights and better privileges
in the District of Columbia, than poor respect
able white people. In the eastern part OF the
District they have large imposing school hnil
dings with every modern apparatus and fix
ture. We blush to tell you that 60 white
children are crowded up in a miserable dilapi-
dated school house that's disgrace 10 this
government, and we cannot get even enough
to repair this building that the government
| owns, while colored peoples children must be
provided with every moderh facility for an ed
ucation. These Two buildings are within a
mile and a half Of each other. Go where you
will, in the street or on the sidewalk, do col
ored people ever condescend to give half the
sidewalk Never. So disrespectful are they
over ones rights, that printed notices have
been posted up along the highway with rules,
and the penalties for breaking them, if persons
shall fail to keep heir own side Of the street.
After all this trouble, we are often obliged to
stop our horses and scream ont at the top of
our voice for that darkey with his dlapidated
cart and donkey to give MS little piece of the
highway. Sambo will roll his eyes at as very
much il he thought he was mighty conde-
scending." BESSIE BEACH.