New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1874-06-18
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tending their cOurtesies to a course. WHOA,
stranger, because he was n democrat. while
at the same time they were hunting me down
as the partridge on the mount, night and
day, with their Ku-KluX-Klan, simply be.
cause was a republican and refused to bow
at the foot of their Baal. might enumerate
many instances of this kind, but | forbear.
But to come down to a later period. the
Greeley campaign. The cOlOrcd men who
were employed to canvass North Carolina
in the interest of the democratic party were
received at.all the hotels as other men md
treated am informed with marked distjpc
ton. And in the State of Louisiana a very
prominent gentleman saw proper to espouse
the Greeley cause, and when the fight was
over and the McEnery government saw fit
TO send on committee to Washington to
present their case to the President. this
cOlored gentleman was selected as one of
that committee. On arriving in the city of
New Orleans prior to his departure, he was
taken to the Saint Charles, the most aristo-
cratic hotel in the South. When they started
he occupied a berth in the sleepinS-car; at
every eating-house he was treated like the
rest OF them, no distinction whatever. And
| when they arrived at Montgomery was at
the depot, just starting for New York. Not
only did the conductor refuse to allow me n
berth in the sleeping-car, but was also de-
MED seat in the first-class carriage. Now,
what was the difference between us? Moth
ing but our political faith. TO prove this
have only to say that just a few months
before this had happened, he, along with
Frederick Douglass and others, was denied
the same privileges he enjoyed in coming
here. And now that he has returned to the
right party again can tell him that never
more more will he ride in another sleeping-car in
the South unless this bill becomes law.
There never was 4 truer saying than that
circumstances alter cases.
MIR. Speaker, to call this land the asylum of
the oppressed is misnOmer, for upon all
sides am treated as a pariah | hold that
the solution of this whole matter is to enact
such laws and prescribe such penalties for
their violation as will prevent any person
from discriminating against another in public
places on account OF color. No one asks,
no one seeks the passage Of law that will
Interfere with any ones private affairs. But
L do ask the enactment of law to secure
me in the enjoyment of public privileges.
But when l ask this l am told that must
wait for public opinion; that it is a matter
that cannot be forced by law. When l adj
NIT that public opinion is power, and in
many cases is law of ITSELF yet l cannot
lose sight OF the fact that both statute law,
o"' wv ~" vi hCSCSSltt IliduuldcLufe DuDllc
opinion. | remember, it was unpopular to
enlist negro soldiers IN our late war, and
after they enlisted it was equally unpopular
to have them fight in the same battles but
when 1t became necessity in both cases
public opinion soon came around to that
point. No white father objected to the
negro's becoming food for powder if thereby
his son could be saved. No white woman
objected to the negro marching in the same
ranks and fighting in the same battles if by
that her husband could escape burial in our
savannas and return to her and her little
ones.
Suppose there had been no reconstruction
acts nor amendments to demonstration when
would public opinion in the South have sug-
gested the propriety of giving me the ballot:
Unaded by law when would public opinion
have prompted the Administrator to appoint
members Of my race to represeA this Gov
-es'amants at ~fornisne coiirts ibis said nv.
some well-meaning men that me coiored
man has now every right undersshe common
law; in reply wish to say that that kind
of law commands very little respect when
applied to the rights of colored men in my
portion OF the country the only law that we
have any regard for is uncommon lap of the
most positive character. And l repeat it,
if you will place upon your statute books
laws that will protect me in my rights, that
public opinion will speedily follow.
Mr.. Speaker, | trust tins bill will become
law, because it is a necessity, and because
it will put an end to all legislation on this
subject. 1t does not and cannot contem-
plate any such idea as social equality nor is
there any man upon this floor 50 silly as to
believe that there can be any law enacted or
enforced that would compel one man to
recognize another as his equal socially;
II hn I,n
and have only to say that they have sent
him to the wrong public building. | would
oppose such a bill as earnestly as the gentle
man from North Carolina, Mr.. Robbins,
whose associations and civilizations have
been OF such nature as to lead him to select
the crow as his standard of grandeur and
excellence in the place Of the eagle, tie hero
OF all birds and our national emblem Of pride
and power. l will tell him that have seen
many OF his race to whose level l should
object to being dragged.
Sir, it matters not how much men may
differ upon the question of State and nation
al rights, there is one class of rights, how
ever, that we all agree upon, namely, indi-
vdual rights, which includes the Fight Of
every man to select associates for himself
and family, and to say who shall and who
shall not visit his house. The right is God
given and custOm-sanctiOned and there is,
and there can be, no power overriding your
decision in this matter. Let this bill become
law and not only will il do much toward Civ
ing rest to this weary country on this sub
.ject, completing the manhood of my race and
perfecting his citizenship, but it will take him
from the political arena as topic of discus
sion where he has done duty for the last fifty
years, and thus freed from anxiety respect
ing his political standing, hundreds of us will
abandon the political lieldswhO are there from
necessity, and not from choice, and enter
other and more pleasant ones; and thus re-
lieved, it will be the aim of the colored man
as we'll as his duty and interest. to become
good citizen, and to do all in his power to
advance the interests of q common country.
Minnic-"I'm in such quandary; for if l
turn my back on Charley, he becomes Offend
ed at once and if L don't he can't see my
new buckle. What shall dc? ~
Puns, we'll stuck to, are sometimes as good
as wit. Lady Barker, whose name is not I'M
known in literature, has been appointed
manager of the National School of Cookery
in London. whereupon The Pau Nail Gazette
remarks "IIer thoughts in the kitchen
range perpetually, we should imagine, over a
wide. various, and fruitful field. While he,
pupils are busIy engaged around her, the
MILDLY dripping reminds her of the midnight
oil. and she pauses to recall the verses Of
Eliza Cook or the labors Of Mrs, Fry. or the
poems of Mr.. Browning, perchance. Then
too, the very crate will suggust Hobbies, the
saucepan Handel, the salamander Burns. the
scollops tShelley, frying-pan the inductive
philosophy of Bacon, and the stewpan the