The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-01-25

Committee: W ~ iJsssss ,:jtss a. st>i5
rsBowley; from Special Com mittoc.
submitted the!following 81 tSa Ss}i s +
The committee to whom was entrust-
ed the duty ot;inveatt8hting the charges
against the Republican Printing Com.
pany OF unjust and illegal .disoti NINA.
tion against colored compositors,th u 40.
cordnnoe with the following preamble
and resolutions:
Whereas, the Constitutions of the
United States and of South Carolina
guarantee to al citizens, irrespective OF
race, color or previous condition of SER
vituae, equal rights and privileges; and
whereas, tho Republican Printing Com
pany, although sustained by the Repub.
licnn party, has repeatedly refused to
employ colored compositors, because
their white employees, being members
of tho Typographical Union, dislike to
work in the same apartment with CO.
lored men, and threaten, it is alleged, 10
leave rather than do SO; and whereua,
by their action in pandesing to the pre-.
judices OF their white compositors, the
said company violates the Constitution
and laws of the United States and Of
this State. and disregards the princip.ee
platform and pledges of the Republican
party, and inflicts upon the colored
compositors OF the State nagru.
wrong, deserving Of censure and re-
bnko; therefore.
Resolped, Thpt committee uf Gys be
appointed by the Speaker 10 examiuo
into and ascertain tho cause OF This un.
just discrimination and refusal to a,n.
pioy colored compositors. and TO recon-.
mAnH a IL 4
tho said company to give the coIoreI
compositors of the State IN cqual op.
portunity with the white to obtain n
livelihood; and thut the said committee
report to this House the names OF tho
persons composing the said Republican
Hrin!Ing Company, beg leave to report:
printers employed by the Republican
Printing Company are oil white; that
they belong to tho Typographical Union,
an international association Of printers
throughout Canada and the Uuitel
States. By tho laws Of this association,
its members are forbidden to work with
printers wlio are not members, and
pledged to strike Or refusal to work,
should such be employed in the same
Office with thom. Each local union re.
Guiate5 tie rules OF admission OF its
members-a given number of black
balls or adverse votes preventing ad-
mission. Throughout the Southern
States, no colored printers ure members
OF this association. The evidence be-
fore your committee was. that in New
York aud Washington cities, no colored
printers were members; but We have
since direct Information from Washing.
ton CITY that colorod men are there
members
The facts above stated show coac,u.
sively that, under the present arrange
ment for the public printing of South
Carolina, colored men are practically
and cffectually debarred from the priv
iese OF employment in that department
Of the State eervioo. This stinotion
becomes moro odioas when viewed in
The light OF surrounding facts. When
we consider that colored men compose
large majority Of the Republican
party IN South Carolina; that tha large
sums OF money which are annually
voted to pay the claims OF the Republi-
can Printing Company. and the prefer
ence given to those claims, are depend
ent upon II votes of cu!ored Ropubli-
can nembe.s of the Legislature, and
that tho responsibility OF those large
expendltures attaches mainly to them.
the injustice is apparent. In this con
necsion, 1t is pertinent to review the
amounts which have boen appropriated
from the public treasury, within the
last twelve months, to the Republican,
Printing Company, aud the manner in
which the consrnct for the public priut-
ing is made. Daring the last regular
session, tho following sums were appru-
priated, viz: Under joint rasol, ion Of
December II, 1872. to pay the cln.ms OF
tho Republican Printing Company,
$3.50, 600; under Act of Jan; AIRY 90,
1873, for current printing, $50, 900; uu-
der nn Act to nuke appropriations and
raise supplies for tho fiscal year com
mencing November l, 1872, approved
February 26. 1878, for permanent print
ing, $1,000 AT the special session
just closed t!cro was appropriated, un-
der Act OF November 10, 1878. for
printing immigration report, $75, 900;
for printing decisions OF the Supreme
Court, S25. 900; for printing tax dupl-
Gates, &C., S25, 900; so that tho aggre-
gate of appropriations to tho Republi-
can Printing Company during the last
twelve months amount to $474, 900.
The Legislature has also appropriated,
i 4