New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1874-06-18

for approval. Time is all-important now.r
"What do you think are the prospects os
getting the House bill through"
I" am beginning to think, the way thiug,
look now, as if it would not be brought mn
Mr. Butler has promised to bring it up "a
soon as he can, but there is a hostile shirt
to it which, l am afraid, is going to keep il
back until too late"
at is said that Butler is not so friendly IN
you as he pretends."
'sWe have no reasons to doubt Mr. But
ler's fealty. 1t is said that he DELAYED tho
bill until too lite last Monday on purpose
but | know of my own knowledge that h.
went to the Speakers desk several time,
that dav, and that there was always some.
thing ahead of it,"
RAINEY ENLARGES UPON THE SITUATION
Rainey now leaned up against the wall
of the lobby and began to enlarge upon the
situation 1--WE colored men," said he. will
be contented if our friends think it is I'm.
wise to push this measure at present We
have been retiring in our position in the
house, and no man can say that we have
been importunate in our demands. We
have been content to remain in the back
ground and wait patiently to see if justice
would be done us, but we are tired Of thi,
the other. We want to know what we are
to expect, and to be kept no longer in NOR.
tfying suspense as to our rights.
Shifting his position, he resumed in a
more earnest manner, "What nonsense it is
to give us certain political privileges and
then forbid us the rights that 90 with them
of necessity. Do you think it right that
when | go forth from this capital an honor
ed member of Congress, that | should lie
subjected to insults of the lowest fellow
upon the street if he should happen to feel
so inclined:"
"But you are treated pretty well here in
Washington"
'Pretty well; but we have To live about as
we can, an are charged more fpr living than
any of the white members. | never tried
the hotels here, so | can't say whether
they would refuse me Or not In the north
never have any trouble on the cars Or
stopping at any of the first-class hotels
| was never openly insuted but once ia
Washington, and that was at Falls, OPP
post the post office. | went in there and
asked for glass of beer. The waiter hand.
ed it out and said the charge was fifty cents
for glass Of beer. | SAID, is this because /
am colored man?' Yes said he. |
went away, at this very much mortified"
A PECULIAR INSTANCE.
In speaking of privileges upon railway
trains, Rainey gave a very peculiar instance
of the troubles ofwhich colored people now
complain. In South Carolina the rights OF
the colOred men are, he says, admitted so
far as they care to have them that is to say,
their money is as good as anybody elsc's.
The peculiar instance of the working of the
prejudice is shown in travelling from Charles
ton, Savannah. In Georgia there is a great
prejudice against the cOlored man and he is
not allowed to ride in iirst-class cars upon
any of the Georgia roads. Rainey says that
he buys first class ticket in Charleston,
and is allowed, starting from that city, to
ride in a first-class car, which he is allowed
to occupy undisturbcd until he gets to Sa-
yannah. But when he wants to return over
the same road he is not allowed, starting
from Savannah, to enter the first-class car,
and although, even if he should pay first
class fare, is obliged to go into the second
class cars. "NOw," says Rainey, "how can
it be that am all right one way and 4 social
leper the other, This is only one of the
notifying abuses to which we are subjected.
We don't want any law making us socially
equal. We know as well as anybody that
you can't legislate a prejudice away, but We
do want that when we are orderly and de
Gently dressed, that we shall be allowed to
purchase for our needs the same as any one
else. We ask no more. Why, look at Us,
! holding positions of members of congress
and voting upon important legislation having
IA direct effect upon the interest of the cOun-
try, and yet when we 90 out it is with fear
and trembling that we may be openly insult
ed when we are seeking only the common
necessanes of life.
| MINED SCHOOLS.
But you insist upon mixed schools.
understand that is the most obnoxious ica-
ture of the BILL
'Perhaps it is, but III must admit that is
our right. Do you suppose thIt | want my
two children hindered in the enjoyment Of
the educational institutions of the country,
merely on account of their color, when we
are taxed for the support of these schools :?
AS to the church clause of the bill, | am not
SO particular. Iguess l can get to heaven ly
some other road if necessary, and will no.
ask Congress to help me in that.
A THREAT
| Said Rainey: 1t is nonsense to suppose
| that we cOlored members cannot hinder
legislation, if we feel so Inclined We have
| the same right to object and move advance
| ments as any other members. | have never,
nor have any of us, employed any means to
delay bills presented by other members. We
have been content to defer so far as possible
to the wishes of all the members. But will
say that if we are crowded to the wall, and
no consideration shown for us, whatever, we
will retalliate with the weapons the rights of
our position have placed in our hands. Talk
OF social equality, and our wanting to force
| that upon the whites, what nonsense! What
colored man wants to marry white women ?
And ought not their very boast of SUPERIOR
ty be enough to protect their women from the
suit Of oolored men? We are satisfied for
society among ourselves.
SIN answer to BrownlOw of Tennessee,
who says he wants legislation for the colored
man to stop, will say that am of the same
opinion. l want it to stop, but give us our
| rights first in the shape of this bill, and we
will trouble you no longer in coming here de-
handing class legislation. We want more
protection from the whites invading our
homes and destroying the virtue of our wom-
EN- than they from us. | do not think, from
what have seen of Washington life, that
the whites here can boast of superior viz
tue, all things taken into consideration, to
us. And if | ever should make a speech
upon this subject, 1 shall bring up this
point
| FURTHER INDIGNITIES.
Rainey says that upon the boat between
here and Norfolk, he, a Member of Congress,
If he wanted anything to eat, would have to
wait for the second table, with the walters,
and pay full price. The way he Obviates
this is to carry lunch, as he says he would
| Sfarvn hafnra ho woulI toll Eitcbap f,ra with