The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-06-08
Ghe 99ai1g Are,'s,
The Civil Wrongs Bill,

The action that has been taken in Ten
nessee towards the closing of the schools |
in case the Civil-Rights bill is passed by
the House Is probably but type of what
will happen throughout the South The
taxpayers there are white. In two or
three OF the States, negro majority can
force them to still sustain the schools. In |
most OF the States. however, the whites |
have now the control. 1t is safe to say |
that these latter will, without exception, |
shut up their schools rather than have so
cial equality enforced on them by United
States law This may be unworthy pref
udice But it exists, unworthy or not i
exists as fact that the legislation of a
century cannot change. You cannot alter
mans feelings at Nashville or Galveston
by passing a law at Washington. The
country would sheer at the proposal of a
bill which should read: BE it enacted.
ETC., that every white man in the South
shall love every negro" This is absurd
on its face, but it is only the reductio ad
absurdum of the Civil-Rights bill. The
difference between the two is one of de-
gree, not kind.
We have no wish that the negroes should
be prescribed. 1t Is for precisely this rea-
son that we object to the bill. 1t will re-
vive the old prejudice by prosecuting it. 1t
will cleave the two races asunder in every
Southern State. Even such man Assem-
ator Brownlow pens with paralytic hand
the statement that 999 out OF every 1000
of the white Republicans of Tennessee are
bitterly opposed to it. This is not the way
to reconcile races If the bill passes, it is
but longer way for Congress to cry ::
tEnOrr, nth +ba SoboolS ~
If we are really bound to fix the social
relations of the South by law, let the work
be thoroughly done. The present bill
needs several important amendments We
submit the following suggestions, trusting
the law, and provide for their enforcement
, by appropriate penalties. We must pre-,
= mise that they all depend upon the central
: idea of the bill,--that a black mans feel
ings must not be hurt by white man.
Let be enacted, then, that when a negro
runs for office, no votes shall be cast against
him by Caucasians. Thus his sensitive
spirit can be spared the agony Of defeat a
the polls, and all he will have to do will b.
: to buy up the nominating Convention.
Let it be enacted that at every sOcia
entertainment equal numbers Of white
and blacks shall be invited. This woul(
be real equality, and no humbug. Tn
African heart would no longer throb witt
5 pain at being condemned to wait at the ia
bic, instead of sitting at it; to open Tia
n door, instead of stalking through it. L
lie be sure, this would result in closing a,
o. hospitable doors; but what of that? |
you abolish the school, why not abolish sc
. ciety
!" Let it be enacted again, that ''colore
L, gentlemen, shall be the only phrase use
in referring to our fellow citizens Of Africa
descent. Let 'aunty," and uncle" an
, "contraband," and niger" and freed
y man, be banned for ever. The old CO
,st ored woman who replied to the greeting
be be How dye do, aunty?" Il amt yoI
Al, aunty, | amt your uncle, Use your ekal,
in was but forshadowing the future social mi
ar ennium.
nd Aud, finally, let US have a constitution
ry amendment to the effect that every alte
of nate President shall be a colored ma
tie Turn about is fair play.
q Having done this, we can watch with
,es calm sense of having done our duty a,
OF kept 100000 voters faithful to the Repu
nd lican party Chicago Tribune.