Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1874-01-07
A scArHING

Congressman Elliot, Of South Caro-
lima, q colorsd man, educated In Eng
land, yesterday replied to The speech
Of Alex. II. Stephens, Of Georgia, on
the supplementary civil rights bill.
This bill Il intended to obliterats all
distinctions on account Of caste, so far
as is possible By legislation, particular
~ a. regards the exclusion OF colored
people from slssplrg car. public enter
tainments. schools and burial grounds.
Mr.. Stephens took the ground that the
regulation Of such matters belonged to
the State not the General Government,
and was 4 matter Of Stts police IN
stead Of Governmental action, and fur
ther that such legislation was not au-
thorized By either the fourteenth or
nfeenth amendments. and was, there
fore, unconstitutional. The telegraph
gives the following abstract Of Mi.
Eiliot's reply:
Eillot's speech, which he read
from manuscript with excellent dsll'-
cry and good voice. attracted the close
attention Of the House and galleries,
the latter Of which contained many
colored people. He referred to the
services Of bis q o OF tho battlo-fields
Of the country In the late war and In
war Of 1877, and said tho negro now
appealed to the Constitution aud to the
Government he fought to sustain,
tor protection against outrageous and
unjust prejudlces founded on caste.
Replying to the constitutional argu-
mcn1 Of Stephens Of Georgia. yestsr-
day, no commended that Congress had.
under the Fourteenth aud Fifteenth
Amendments to the Constitution. COM
pete power to pass this law aud to
protect all citizens OF the country Ia
all their rights. IL could not be pre-
tended that the evils Of which the col.
ored people complained. their exclu-
sion from schools and from sleeping
cars on railroads. aud from the right
Of ~sepulture, were the exercise OF the
police powers OF the 8 ate. While ex-
pressing . high personal regard for
Stephens, he sharply reviewed that
gentleman's speech. aud said 1t was
not from him the American House oil
Representatives would take lessons In
matters touching human right. No
consideration should restrain him from
saying that the gentleman now offered
to the Government which lie had dohe
hls utmost to destroy, . very poor TO-
turn for It's magnanlmity In coming
here and seeking to continue. by the
assertion OF q doctrine obnoxious to
the true principles Of government, the
burdens Of oppression which rested on
those who had never failed to pray for
the success OF the Government which
that gentleman had sought to blot out
from the galaxy Of nations. He wished
Stephens TO abjure all the false doc
trines that had married his otherwise
available record. and lend his Influence
and mastery ability to complete the
proud structure Of legislation which
had made the nation worthy Of the
great declaration that heralded It's
birth. He would thus certainly re-
deem his reputation and best vlndlcate
the wisdom Of the policy that had per-
United him to return TO a seat In the
House. He concluded In an elegant pc.
roraiion. which was loudly applauded
on the floor aud In the galleries, and
ut the close Of his speech received
many congratulations from the MEN,
beers.