The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1874-10-08
From Harper's Weekly.l
A Pariah Class of Citizens.

Senator Brownlow, of Tennessee, has
published reply to the letter addressed
to him some weeks since by ex-senator
Truman Smith, OF Connecticut, which we
| discussed at the time. Mr.. Smith op-
posed the Civil Rights Bill, as a measure
of legislation against prejudice which was
sure to defeat the Republican party in
the Southern States by uniting the white
| population as such against the colored
and Mr.. Brownlow declares that the re-
suit in Tennessee has proved his cores
pondent prophet, and that if the Civil
| Rights Bill is urged by the party, Repub
lican ascendency in every Southern and
| border State is doomed simultaneously
with the publication of Senator Brown
lows letter we have the report of an in
terview with Governor Brown, of Ten
| nessee, who attributes the present MUIR
derous warefare upon the colored popula-
tion in the Southern States to the agita-
| ton of the Civil Rights Bill. In the
| same papers also we find the details OF
the massacre of the colored men at Tren-
ton in Tennessee, and the remarks of
Jefferson Davis upon the occasion In
the course of his speech Davis says that
the Southern men, by which he means
the late slave holders, ''are the only
friends they 1.-THE colored race] have to-
day in any part of the world" and that
they will always require the white man
TO proviue for them and protect them as
much as they ever did.
These are but illustrations of the fact
that craftsmanship in this country has
still to deal with the old difficulty, and it
will still deal with it through the old
parties. Senator Brownlow's complaint
is that certain Republican leaders, either
ignorant or Indifferent as to consequent
ces, propose as party measure that
which the whole white people of the
South regard an effort to degrade
them" This tone of injury is precisely
chat wich the South has always adopt
ed. When the slave power absolutely
controlled the government, and its plot
for the acquisition of Texas was in the
very act of consummation, Mr. Rhett, oil
South Carolina, in reply to the PROPOSE
ton that the new territory should be di-
vided betN cen freedom and slavery, said
that 1.-The South has been wanJonly
wronged, insulted, and betrayed" and
that "the North" was trying ito instigate
hatred, insurrection, and violence" Yet
what the North demanded was the
plainest justice. And what does the
policy that Senator Brownlow opposes
| contemplate? Nothing whatever but
the equality before the law OF all citizens
of the United States-nothing but the
fundamental principle of the Republican
party. The Senator says that both races
| are now perfectly equal in the enjoyment
of free school privileges IN Tennessee" F."
| If they are so. nothing more can be asked;
and if they are so the Civil Rights Bill
can certainly produce no trouble so far
| as the schools are concerned, for its OBJ
Jet is simply to secure that equality.
Bat if there be perfect equality in the
schools, what is the reason that propo-
sition to secure it will doom the Re
! publican party and make is very name
odious which the Senator declares will be
| the result?
This question seems to have occurred
to him, and he explains the perfect
equality" by saying that 1.-The school law
in this State does not in any way affect
the equality of the races in the enjoy
ment of the public schools; it only
affects them in their social aspects by
providing that they shall be educated in
separate schools" But what has the law
TO do with social aspects ?? This is the
verv objection urged against the Civil
Rights Bill. The Alabama and Indiana
| Democratic conventions denounce it as
attempting social coercion. Mr.. Smith
implies the same thing in his letter.
] Does Senator Brownlow justify social CO.
trclOn either way, and does he not see
that the people of State which does
not recoil from social legislation can not
complain upon that ground OF the action
d7of Congress? But is it true that equality
| of citizenship is not affected 10y u law
which requires children of Il particular
color to be educated in separate schools ?
1t the principle is sound in the school
system, it is no less so than elsewhere
/ Ii, therefore, there may be lawful dis
tinctions of the color in the schools, there
may be the same in conveyances, in no
ttls, in theatrdSland in all licensed places
OF public amusemSRt, in cemeteries, and
in the enjoyment o. all public institu-
tions and convenIeHtes established by
law and supported by general taxation
Is this equality OF citizenship Is this
justice between American citizens TO
ask the question is to answer it. Mr.,
Brownlow says that equality is respected
md secured because white child is for
hidden to attend a colored school as much
Us the colofed child n white school. And
would he infer from an Oriental muni-
aipal regulation forbdding association
between the lepers and the sound that
both We're equally healthiul2 The gu :
| tion is, why is the distinction in the one
point made between the two Glasses oi