The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1874-05-29
The Civil Rights Bill,

This Infamous measure, as n sort of fungus
growth from the dead body Of Sumner, its
first author, has again lifted its head in Con.
gress and passed the Senate on Saturday OF
last week Its provisions in relation to forced
equality of the black and white races in
places of public amusement the jury box
and the public schools, have already been
thoroughly discussed and ventilated almost
ad nauseuna; and yet it appears to be neces-
sity to discuss through the press its haneful
tendencies in order to arouse the people to q
sense of their peril, should it pass the House
of Representatives obtain the sanction Of
the Executive, and thus become law
The most apparent and conspicuous features
of the measure would probably be its appli-
cation TO our jury and public school systems
tie effects in these and all other of its proyis-
ions are eminently sectional, from the fact
that the border middle States and the South
ern States, alone contain sufficient colored
population to render its application a serious
inconvenience; and yet it is imposed in chief
part by the votes of Representatives from
the Northern States, that practically escape
its blighting consequences.
In Maryland, for example, the public school
system has been the growth of experimental
legislation, ever tending toward u perfect
mode of universal education, as the wants of
all classes, black and white, seem to demands
until in Baltimore city at least, compare
lively perfect mode has been reached and
one that provides for the necessities of I'll
alike. This has been accomplished by the
persistent efforts of competent teachers, who
have devoted their entire lives to the work,
until their profession has been raised to one
of proper dignity and importance. The
counties are rapidly reaching toward the
same degree of excellence under the stimula.
ting example of the city; and all that is needed
is sufficient time to allow the system to ma
ture its growth, and become blessing to the
white and black races alike, under their natu-
raj and proper conditions. But this seems to
be exactly what our national legislators for
some nscrutable reason, are striving to pre-.
vent. By the passage of the civil rights bill,
the public school system of Maryland in
common with that of other States, will prob
ably be ruthlessly annihilated by its forced
repeal by the people themselves
Col. John F. Fleming, the State Supern-
tendent of Public Instruction of Tennessee,
in view of its probable passage says:
"If mixed schools We're ordered by law
they would not be attended and were they
attended the result would he a juvenile war
OF races rather than profitable rivalry in stu
dies: The people cannot be brought to re-
gard the schools as merely civil organizations
subject only to political government the
school is too close to the family circle not to
be subject in great degree to social laws and
influences. Already the detrimental effect
of the proposition to include public schools
within the operation of the civil rights bill
has been severely felt in Tennessee. The
mere tendency of the bill in Congress, with a
possibility of its passage, has begotten hurt
ful approximations, The county courts of
quite number of counties that last year
levied additional school taxes, have this year
either deferred action on the subject or refer
red the matter to the people. School officers
throughout the State have been for some time
uneasy and distrustful. have myself, been,
and still am, in hesitation in regard to project
ed measures of school policy which an en-
forccment of the civil rights bill in reference
to schools would render valuless.
Certainly, no sane man, at all acquainted
with the temper and tastes of our people, can
expect that any further contributions in the
way of school taxes would be drawn from the
public, by either Legislature or county,
for the co-educaton of the white and colored
races. On the contrary should Congress I'M
dertake to mix the schools, all school leves
would cease. The school houses would be
closed and the colored people would find that
while in the letter of the law they would en-
joy the right to enter any public school what
ever, there would be no public school to en-
ter, and that, in grasping at n shadow, they
have lost the substance"
Time and space would fail us to point out
in detail the many other baleful effects ofthis
pernicious act, should it become law. ITS
application to public conveyances and hotels,
places ofpublic amusement, and the jury box.
render it truly ahydra headed monster. The
crumb of comfort now afforded us in view O .
the situation is the whispered rumor that Gen.
eral Grant will again refuse to obey the behests
of the extremists of his party, and withhold
his approval, should the measure pass the
lower lOuse of COnprnss