The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1874-02-20
Br0wnIOw Against the Civil
RiRhfa Bill.

W. G. BRowELow, one Of the United
States Senators from Tennessee, recently
addressed letter to the Knoxville ChrOR-
icIe, on the subject of the finances and
the SUMNER civil rights bill. Senator
BRowNLOw is opposed to the bill, and
gives very satisfactory reasons for being
so. His advice to the cOlored people of
Tennessee is that of a statesman,
and should receive their earnest conslde-
ration:
"Of no less importance to the people
of Tennessee than the currency ques
ton, is what's known as the Civil Rights
Bill introduced by Charles Sumner. To
the peoplssof Mr.. SIS State, where COM
paratively, there are no colOred people,
and where the common school system ID
firmly established, this does not become
question of magnitude. But to the PEG
pie Of Tennessee, whose free school sys-
tenn is in its infancy, it is question OF
grave magnitude. l don't believe that
in any question, upon which am called
to act, am governed by any hope OF po-
Gtical preferment or fear of party clamor,
but not being candidate for reelection
to the Senate, and not caring whether my
views are popular or not, have no hesI-
taGOn IN saying that l am opposed 10 this
bill ecause Of the feature, which com
pels the education together oil white and
colored children | Will not waste time
in discussing any abstract principle in
volved in this bill of the great leader of
the Internationally party in the late Presi-
Dental election. / am opposed to it.
The practical results which will follow its
adoption alone, concern the people of
Tennessee, of all races and cOlOrs. l be-
lieve that any attempt to enforce, by arbl-
trary act of Congress, the attendance OF
the two races in the schools and churches,
will result in the total destruction Of the
free school system in Tennessee. For the
sake of the argument, admit that this
fact is caused by prejudice, but 1t Is
prejudice which Congress has no power to
control 1t is sufficient that we see
most useful system imperiled by an at
tempt to reduce an abstraction to imme-
date practice. The colored people OF
Tennessee have now fine opportunity
to show their good sense. Upon their
action on this question largely depends
their own interests and the welfare of their
people throughout the country. | would
appeal to the common sense of the color
ed men of Tennessee to say if they be-
lieve that their race can get better educa-
tional facilities by attending the same
schools with the whites. In South Caro-
lima and Mississippi, where the colored
population is in the majority, they may
not lose anything by the bill now before
Congress- but in those States where they
have the power, do not believe they will
subserve their own interests by attempting
to enforce the attendance of the whites
and blacks in the same schools and
churches Already in those States the
colored people, through their State Legs
latures, have the power 10 establish such
school regulations as will give their own
race equal educational facilities with the
whites. When we come to Tennessee,
where the colored vote is just 10000, out
of $50, 900 votes, and the other Southern
States where the whites are oyerwhelm-
ingly in the majority, the matter is quite
different.
In Tennessee and other Southern States
where the whites are largely in the ma
iOrity, will that state of feeling be engen-
dered which leads men to give generous
| " to the common cause of education?
VIII the contact of the children thus
compelled be such as to encourage the
hope of greater attainments and more
| kindness of sentiments as they grow up?
at should be remembered that the col
| ored race, though large in numbers, con
stitute very small minority of the whole
! people of the United States, However
strongly united they have no power to
COMPEL concessions from the whites.
Whatever they get must come as the free
gift from the whites. 1T Is therefore, the
part of wisdom upon the part of the color
| ed people of Tennessee to be careful upon
insisting upon that which can 10 no prac-
tical good to either race. but is sure to
| bring disaster and ruin to the most useful
| institution of modern times-free schools.
Let the colored people of Tennessee ask
! Congress to desist from any legislation
which enforees mixed schools, and they
will have established new claim to re-
spect and confidence. Let the colored
people have their own schools and church
es and the white people have theirs. Let
the colored people have a fair divide
of the school fund and they will find their
own teachers and preachers