New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1874-01-22

{ pursue the comparison, Mr.. Stephens speech
fell coldly upon the House, and when he
finished, it was evident that he had produced
no deep impression but when the colored
, representative sat down the applause was
deafening, and so many members rushed for.
, ward to shake his hand ami congratulate
him that they actually formed in line in the
aisle and moved up to his seat in solid
column.
His speech was a warm eulogy of the
patriotism of his race; critical discussion
Of a decision of the Supreme Court on the
constitutional amendments in the so-called
"Slaughter-house cascs;" an appeal to the
memories and feelings Of the war to weaken
the effect of Mr.. Stephens argument, and a
demand for the passage of the bill as a
measure of justice to his race. In his re-
plies to some of the expressions which the
Southern Democrats had been so unfortunate
as to use in the discussion. Mr.. Elliott dis
played great ingenuity, especially when
referring to Mr.. Harris remarks Yesterday,
when interrupted by Mr.. Ransicr, "was
speaking to white men," He said: ~ will
show the gentleman from Virginia that the
negro is to magnanimOds to smite him in Iris
weakness, and is charitable enough to grant
him the mercy of his silence" Mr.. Elliott
|
nifty, however, for soon after he dealt Mr..
Harris an ugly blow when he eaid, )" The
negro aims at higher standard Of intellect
ual attainment than was exhibited in the
speech of the gentleman from Virginia"
Among the listeners to Mr.. ElliOtt's speech
was Gen. Sherman.
| The speeches that followed were not re-
markable. The only Republican of promin-
ence who advocated the bill was Mr.. Mon
roe, from the Oberln District of Ohio. A
number of Southern white Republicans gave
| in their adhesion to the bill i'm written
speeches or short extempore ones. Mr.
Walls, a cOlOred member from Florida, also
/ spoke. The Democratic speakers were from
Kentucky, Texas, and Missouri. The gen.
eral sentiment Oh the Republican side was,
that it was the cOlOred members fight, and
that they were able to take care of it. No
vote was reached, and the House adjourned
at S, with Mr.. Butler on the floor. After he
speaks tomorrow, the bill will probably be
recOmmitted, such course having been
determined upon by the Judiciary Committee
to-day.-N. y. Tribune
The vote on the Civil Rights bill was not
taken at O'Clock, as had been agreed and
ordered. The bill consequently went over
as unfinished business. The feature of to-
days debate was the speech of Mr.. Elliott,
of South Carolina. Mr.. Elliott is of the
blacklist Of his race, a fact to which he
referred with much feeling, in regretting that
it was necessary for him, in an American
Congress, to ask for civil rights. His speech
was well written, and it was delivered with
the earnestness and eloquence Of a natural
and experienced orator. The African love
| of melody was noticeable in the harmony of
his delivery. Every sentence closed with a
tnnv n.
| extended education and careful culture. 1t
was the most praiseworthy effort yet made
by a cOlored member. 1t was strange TO
hear negro Congressman, within tho hear
ing Of the Supreme Court, Crticise tho bred
Scott decision. Mr.. Elliott thought that
Alexander II. Stephens showed poor
\ return to the country that had been so mag
unanimous to him, and had not learned the
lesson of the war, since now he opposes
civil rights and as for MIR. Harris, of Vir-
ginia, who yesterday treated colored
say TINT he would show him that negro
could be magnanmous enOuglPnOt to strike
at weakness, and that he would grant him
the mercy of his silence, a sentiment which
pleased the House so much that the Speaker
could not suppress the applause. The
principal additional arguments on the Re-
publican side were continued in a new view
Of the doctrine of the Supreme Court in the
Louisiana cases, as set forth by Mr.. Elliott.
The position was taken that this decision
does not refer to the color of the race, but to
the police powers of the States, and that the
questions relative TO these subjects are not
cOgnatc. The court decided that the endow-
| ment OF certain citizens with exclusive privil-
eye was in cOntraventlOn of the police power
of the States, not that the black race had
no equal rights. The Fourteenth and Fiji
teenth Amendments were passed before the
Southern States sought to evade the results
of the war, and the provisions Of the Thir-
teenth Amendment, by imposing such Oner-
GUS burdens and disabilities upon the cOlOred
race that their freedom was of little value.
This position was plainly assumed in the de-
cisiOn, IN which it was declared that in the
light of the existing facts the most casual
examination of any one of these amend
ments would show that they were all intend
ed to secure the freedom of the slave race,
and the full establishment of that freedom,
independent of the power of the former
Shareholders. 1t was therefore urged that
the denial of the rights desired by this bill
was denial of the equal protection of the
. laws provided by the Fourteenth Amend
ment. The Democrats adduced no addition.
al arguments. They have added nothing tc
the legal points of their position since the
> speeches Of Beck and Stephens. To theil
prcjudices, however, there is no limit. They
fought the bill with much ingenuity, ant
sought by all possible means to revive the
! prejudice against the colored race. Thi:
was illustrated by the amendment of Mr.
: Beck, which proposed to provide that moth
|, ing in the bill should be so construed as t.
require hotel-keepers to place whites ant
blacks in the same rooms or beds, or t.
:, allow grave-diggers TO lay the bones o
blacks and whites at rest together. Mr.
i. Elliott in reply to the charge that several o
! the Northern States excluded citizens from
+ suffrage on account of illiteracy, made
u very ingenious comparison Of the RELATIVE
degree Of ignorance between the blacks ant
whites of Kentucky, the State of the men,
Der making the charge in opposition to tn
bill. Mr.. Elliott showed from the las cen
sus that, as regards the ratio of the popula
ton of the whites and blacks respectively
in that State, the percentage Of the white
l. who cannot write to the blacks who capno
It write is as one to three.-N. Y. Times.
: <np..o~p 1,p,alxl CON N - n ss.n Cab n~p.