The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-05-09
The civil Rights Bin.

pending In the U. 8. Senate. There ha
been good deal said about this bill Ii
the newspapers but the bill itself has no
been generally published. The frs
clause contains the special features Of tht
bill-the features that have called out &
much discussion and disiavor at tht
South. twill be seen that this CLAUSE
enScs that people Of color shall "be en-
titled TO the full and equal enjoyment o.
the accommodations, advantages, facilities
and privileges Of inns, public convey
ances on land or water, theatres, and
other places Of public amusement; and
alSoof common schools, and public In
stitutons oflearhing or benevolence, sup,
ported in whole Or in part by general tax
ation".
The Southern papers.have very earn
esly deprecated the passage Of this bill
by Congress, and especially the enact
ment, in regard to public schools. sena-
tor Brownlow, Of Tennessee, Republi.
can, has expressed himself as very decid-
edly opposed to this provision OF tho bill.
BE considers that It will endanger-the.
whole school system Of that State; and
perhaps do irreparable injury to the
cause Of general education among both
races. u
ItseemS strange that Congress should
destreto engrait such a feature on the
bill 1t shows lack of practical States
manship on the part Of those responsible
for its authorship. 1t argues that they do
not appreciate the Difficult ties that must
beset the execution Of such q law. What
necessity exists for compelling the South.
ern people, or the people Of any Of the
states, to maintain mixed instead Of sep
arate schoolsH Why should their preju.
dices be 80 rudely assailed without any
justification for so doing2 Allowing the
whole difficulty to be a matter of preju-
dice alone, what possible good can come
from abruptly shocking that prejudice
and getting whole people in turmoil
over new bone Of contentionH
The cause Of education is making pro.
gress in the South, especially in the bor-
der Southern States like Virginia, West
Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee and Mis-
souri,. There Is no necessity or excuse
for interfering with this progress. The
blacks are not neglected in the way OF
education. On the contrary, they have
schools OF their own, and the arrangement
is satisfactory to both races. We there
fore warn tho Republican leaders In Con.
gress that they arc doing very uncalled |
for and unwise thing in attempting to
pass the Civil Rights bill.
;. In respect to the accommodations for
colored people at the hotels Of the coun-
try and in public conveyances on land
and water, o most difficult question comes
up. The negro race is too numerous in
this country to be ignored in the way oI
some provision for their comfort and en-.
tertainmcnt when travelling, especially in |
the South. They arc entitled 10 the
worth Of their money when they travel
inthe public conveyances, just the same as
white people, and they arc also entitled
to good food and comfortable lodging
when they are compelled to stop along
their routes. But the problem Is how to
afford them these eDjoyments Of their
rights and at the same time not do more
or less wrong to other people. By doing
wrong to other people we refer to the
penalties that are imposed by the bill
upon hotels and steamboats, for refusing
to entertain colored travellers in the same
"free and equal" manner in which they
are accustomed to entertain white people.
Il will be observed that minimum
penalty Of $500 specific damages Is
awarded to colored persons who
may be aggrieved by Withholding from
them such enjoyments, whereas white
people can only recover such damage as
they may actually suffer under precisely
the same circumstances. Now the hotel
keepers ot the country, like people gen.
orally, cater to public sentiments They
aim to make their hotels popular and
profitable. Il entertaining colored peo.
pic !conduced to this end, no doubt they
would be quite willing to entertain such
people on q par with their white custom.
ers. But thb Is not the case On the
contrary, hevery reverse Is the case,
What then Is q proper policy under the
circumstances? Is 1t to pass law con.
ascating their busihessHs We say, no.
There b no jusaceNin such a1aw An
that the law has q right to require is that
they shall properly lodge and Otherwise
entertain colored people intheir houses.
Such law would not require them toido
violence to public sentiment by promis.
cuous entertainment oolorea people
could be well cared for both on steam
boats and hotels without any such col.
llsion. Whatmore can be demanded in
their; behalf without doing injustice to the
rishs of others than that they shall b
comfortably cared for that is, given good
HlR~a. N.