New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1874-04-16


paid by corporations for securing the passage
Of favorable ordinances, but the placing of it
where it would do the most good" was so
adroitly managed that thus far il is impossi-
bic to say in whose hands it lodged. Qn
one case it is charged that railroad COM
pany was released from the payment of
$500, 900 for a bride of ,OOO.) Ifthat dead
man could only tell a tale through the means
OF memorandum book!
There has been such cry of wolf! wolff!
wolf "! by the papers, nobody believed it
could be possible. However, investigation
only cxemplifics the excellence of Cincinnati
in the peculiar manipulations of her public
thieves.
DIR. j. NC. SIMPSON,
OF GAINESVILLE, sent me the prospectus of his
little book Of poems entitled 1.-THE Emanc-
patton Car" first published in 1854. The
new issue will contain n biographical sketch
OF the author and such songs and poems as
he has written since.
l am happy to commend this book to any
one interested in colored literature. If we
have a poet in the country, Mack is he.
Some time ago in discussing this, subject, a
friend informed me that long before the war
his songs were sung throughout the length
and breadth of the land. He had himself
heard, with surprise, slaves on the far South
crn plantations singing Mack's songs, totally
ignorant, of course, to whom they were in
debtcd for the felicitous expression of their
IDEAS. His adaptations during the war were
seized upon with passionate fcrvor, and there
was seldom public meeting of colorcd men
in which some one of them was not used.
Everybody has joined the chorus of his
John Brown" and if the possession of
poetic talent is eXempliied by the power to
arouse the passions to work upon the feel
lngs OF the multitude, Simpson bears Off the
palm. The book will be ready for sale on
the 18th of May. Price, in paper, % cents
cloth, so cents.
Speaking of books, reminds me that
WILLIAM sTILL, ESQ,
OF Philadelphia has found it necessary to en-
plain, in an address at Concert Hall, since
issued in pamphlet, the reason why he chose
to vote for Col. A. X. Mcclure, for Mayor
of that city. Has it, indeed, come to this,
that such q man rs William Still must cx-
plain publicly why he prefers to vote for the
best candidate? Do the Republican leaders
of Philadelphia also claim to own the colored
voter? Are they the party? Or, arc white
men only permitted the privilege of selecting
the best men for the interest of the citizen
and State to put in Office? If colorcd men
are not to use discrimination at elections, it
would have been far better for the Govern
mcnt never to have passed the 18th amend
mcnt to the Constitution. So long as the
Republican party is the best and no longer.
l trust will colOred voters sustain it. 1t will
not be n great while before there will be n
general independence in the other States be-
sides Ohio, if the party leaders continue
their policy of denouncing every colorcd man
who darcs to question the righteousness
of local measure or the ability Of local
candidates. Every man who wears the Re-
publican badge is not necessarily pcrmcated
with the principles of the party he processes.
Jeremy Bentham says, in "Thc Book of
Fallacics": "Thcre arc certain men in Of
flee who, in discharge of their functions, AFRO
gate to themselves a degree of probity which
is to exclude all imputatiOns and all inquiry.
Their assertions are to be deemed equivalent
to proof; their virtues are guarantee for the
faithful discharge Of their duties and the
most implicit confidence is rcposed in them
on all occasions. If you expose any abuse,
propose any reform, call for securities, in
qure, or measure to promote publicity, they
set up a cry Of surprise, amounting almost to
indignation, as if their integrity were qucs-
toned or their honor wounded. With all
this, they deXtrously mix up intimations, that
the most exalted patriotism, honor, and per-
haps religion arc the only sources of all thci"
actions"
Mr.. Still has answered the question well !;
and am glad to welcome him into the grow
ing fold of the Chillicothe shepherd.
The right of colorcd children to 90 to the
public schools of Indiana, and the constitu-
tiOnality of certain sections of the school
law of that State in townships where no
separate school is provided for them, was
settled last Monday at Indianapolis, by the
decision Of the Supreme Court in the case OF
CAREY BATTER, ESQ.,,
of Lawrence Township, who made applica-
ton for mandate to compel the admission
of his children to the white school. The de-
cision was rendered by Judge Perkins, and
met the unanimous concurrence of the other
members Of the bench. 1t reads as follows:
"Great ability and research have charac-
lied the arguments upon the motion. 1 shall
not follow the counsel over the wide field they
travcrsed in argument. shall limit myself
to the statement of few propositions, which
seem to me to support the conclusions To
| which have arrived. The ultimate question
in the case to be decided is this: Have COL
ored children, residing in the various districts
in the different townships in the State, in
which no separate schools have been organ
lied for colored children, a right to attend
the school organized in such townships
in common With white children? On the
2Sth of July 1866, the Fifteenth Amendment
became a part of the Constitution of tho
United States. That amendment ordered
that all persons born or naturalized in thu
United States, and subject to the laws ant
penalties thereof, are citizens of the United
States and of the State wherein they reside
Article VIII, Section l of the Constitution