New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1874-01-15

the bred Scott decision possible and awOke |
The nation to the duty Of the hour. How |
well that duty has been performed the intro |
'luction of .the bill under consideration suff- |
cienlly testiGes.
This argument of the gentleman would
be of more force in the courts OF
Kentucky that on the floor Of Congress in tho
latter half of the nineteenth century.
One would suppose that a person born and
partly reared and educated in a country which
at chat time was feeling the benign and grate-
full influence of the great Wilberforce, who
gave his life to the amelioratiOn OF the human
race, and inaugurated the prohibition OF the
African slave trade in the British West India
possessions, which eliminated, twenty-sax
years later, in emancipation, would have i'm
bibed some early notions of justice and hu-
mainly. But from the position assumed by
the gentleman, even since his recent visit TO
the house of his ancestors, we are forced to
the conclusion that the Scottish nature Is not
susceptible OF early Impressions, and that u
takes its character from accidental surround
ings at any period of life. Had the gentle.
mans footsteps tended toward Massachusetts,
in carly life instead of Kentucky, he would
doubtless to-day be standing with Wendell
Phillips and other bright spirits of the old
Bay State nobly battling for the very princi-
pies he now opposes.
We are duly grateful for the gcntleman's
magnaniinty in refraining from incorporating
an educational qualification in the statutes
of Kentucky; and as it was not deemed adj
visable to do so prior to the cnfranchisement
of the colorcd race, we trust that our appeal
for equal rights now will not displeasc the
Legislature of that State. The tenth article
of amendment, which the gentleman quotes
among Other. things, sets forth that
''The powers not delegated to the United
States by the Constitution nor prohibited by
il to the States are reserved to the States
respectively or to the people,"
Now would recommend that the gentle
man bring his luminous and unbiased mind
to closer st;ltly of the Constitution, includ-
ing all the amendments.
II is crcditable to the 'scntleman's ability
that this argument would have been just as
conclusive against emancipation and enfran-
chisement as against civil rights, and it is a
matter of coDGratulation that it will answer
Just as well for all purposes while there is
need of effort for equal rights. The unchar-
liable aspersion cast upon the national civil
rights convention, whose respectful memorial
has been presented 10 Congress, does great
injustice to five million people, who, as citi-
zcns of the republic, believe they enjoy the
right of petition.
His expressed conviction that such con.
ventions will be called in future to enforce
misccgenaton is alike unworthy the gentle
man. intelligence and his experience.
To show the disposition of the controlling
influence in some of the States, 1 take the
liberty to call the attention of the House ia
parts of the inaugural of the GOvernOr-elect
of Virginia, who, in obedience to the senti.
mcnt which succeeded in the late election in
that State, declares that he does not hesitate
to affirm
"That so encouraging has been the pro-
gress of the last four years so clearly devel-
oped by the past are the obligations of to.
day, that if we are but guided by Providence
and 60 forward with courage tempered with
forbearance, and if 10 Federal legislation
shall interfere to disturb the relations be.
tween the races, we cannot fail to bring oul
great experiment to 4 successful and pros
porous ISSUE
He says "Reccnt events prove the futility
OF attempting to array the cololed race as a
political combination upon principle Of
antagonism betw cen the races; and that as a
result of the war the burden of the State is
greatly increased in the education of the
freedmen and support of colOrcd paupers,
with the care and education of more than
a half million of the ''wards of the nation''
without being provided with the means Of
executing the trust"
He deplores the interference of the Fed
cral Government with the public schools o.
the State as certain to result in their do
struction: and says:
"Yet Justice, humanity, the colored race
ft,n bot r.
national Government should furnish the
State with the necessary means to educate
them"
The position of the Governor elect is
somewhat mixed, but l deducc from his
premises the fact that he classes the entire
colored population of Virginia in the cate.
CORY of paupers, intrusted to the care of the
State, or who at least DEPEND upon the State
for education and sustenancc, and for whom
he asks assistance from the General Govern
ment, while deprecating the Interference Oi
Federal legislation.
Just how he expects this assistance with
out Federal legislation is not very clear to
me. I!e would convey the idea that an
effort has been made TO array the cOlored
people of Virginia in hostility to the whites,
while the fact is fresh in the memories of all
intelligent men that the cry of "A white
mans party" and Virginia for Virginians, ,,
was raised by himself and those operating
with him in the gubernatorial canvass. /
cannot permit these prejudiced assertions in
regard TO the cOlorcd people of Virginia to
90 unchallenged; and in their name and in
the name of all the colored people of the
Republic | protest. No stronger argument
has yet been offered for equal civil rights
than this Of the Governor-elcct of Virginia.
If the great experiment in that State has
had no more prosperous and successful issue
in four years than the reduction of the whole
colorcd population to the condition of pau.
pers, then submit that the interference of
Federal legislation will do much toward re-
lcving Virginia of this humiating trust, by
furnishing the facilities instead of the means
TO educate these "wards of the nation" who
are such a burden to that State.
The ciyil-rights bill now under consdera.
ton will open the common schools, lauded
so highly by the Governor-elcct, destroy the
prciudices which stand in the way of the in.
discriminate employment of the bran-power
and bone and sinew of the cOlOred people of
Virginia, and give to that Commonwealth.
instead of half million of paupers, the
same number of substance producing, tax
paying citizens.
Instead Of issuing bonds to Virginia in
trust for the colored people of that State, let
Congress give her a chance to modify her
customs in conformity with the requirements
of the age, and the next four years will be
more fruitful of good results than has been
the same period just past. In the interest
of liberty, justice, humanity, and of the Re-