The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1874-09-16

law are the result OF prejudice. II InlS
be true it has the merit of bearing equal
Iy in its restrictions upon all classes and
both races.
1t is the part of wise statesmanship to
respect the prejudices Of the people to a
certain extent, and it is entirely evident
that this prejudice must be respected in
Tennessee or the free schools destroyed
and the people of both races, who are
too poor TO send their children to pri-
yate schools, without the means of edu-
cation. The school law in this State
does not in any way affect the equality
of the races in the enjoyment of the
public schools; it only affects them in
their social aspects, by providing that
they shall be educated in separate
schools. The law is i'm accordance with
all the requirements of Republican, prin-
cipies, embodied in the doctrine that
all men shall participate equally in the
government of the country, and receive,
impartially, without regard to race, col
or, or previous condition Of scrvitude,
the benefits conferred by that Govern
ment. ..e -. ..jsira.r,- -ttf
The demands of tic in1practicables
who clamor for mixed schools have no
such grounds Ter their support, either
in principle or policy, as the claim Of
the colored race to equal suffrage and
the other civil and political rights Which
have been conferred upon them. There
is no similarity in principle between the
supposed Determinations of the school
laws of Tennessee. and other Southern
States, and those real Determinations in
the manner of testifying in the courts,
voting and holding office, which the
law has already removed, and which eX-
listed to the prejudice of the colored peO-
pie exclusively The separate school
provision is a restriction upon both
races; the denial of the right to testify
in the courts vote, and hold office was Il
discrimination against the colored race
in the political interests of the white
race In the opinion of'thc white Re
publicans of Tennessee our school law
transgresses no Republican principle
and makes no discrimination agIinst
any race or people
If there are States in the Union where
the colored people do not enjoy equally
the benefits of school system supported
by public taxation, let Congress rectify
the wrong. But if the coiored people
want to secure a substantial benefit. in
the matter of education, they should
abandon the idea of mixed schools where
there is no race discrimination, and in
sist upon a provision guaranteeing to
them equal benefits in every State. This
position can be sustained by every argu-
ment that could be urged in behalf of
their right to testify in the courts, to
vote and hold office, and is sustained by
the cardinal doctrines of republicanism.
As a basis for the settlement of this ques
tion the representative Republicans of
the white race from the South made this
during the last session of
Congress. And in doing so they fore
told the disasters which have come upon
the party from different policy. This
very equitable proposition did not re-
ceive even respectful consideration. It
was scornfully rejected by the boot
blacks, BARRIERS, pastry-cOoks, bar-tendefs
and thieves in Congress from the Cotton
States - .'..t r."''
Tennessee gave only 5000 majority
against Grant when there was no can
vass of the State for him, or any effort
in his behalf If One-tenth the effort
made to secure Indiana or Ohio had been
made for Grant in Tennessee, there isnO
doubt he would have carried the State
by a good majority. Yet the Democracy
have just carried the State by $4,000 or
go, 900 majority. But even this large
majority does not express the bitter hos
tility with which the Civil Rights Bill
is regarded by the entire white pOpula-
ton of the State. 1t is no exageratioR
to say that the very name Republican,
is become odious with thousands of the
adherents of that party because of this
attempt to compel the co-educationt of
the races. To a proper appreciation 6f
the full significance of the election in
Tennessee, it is necessary TO stats that,
with few exceptions, the candidates Of
the Republican party declared against
the Civil Rights Bill, and at the safhe
time received the mass of the colored
votes. Yet there were many thousands
of white Republicans who voted the
Democratic ticket as against candidates
of their own party who agreed with them
on this question, because Republican
Senate had passed the bill, Had the Re
publican candidates in our late election
declared for the Civil Rights Bill, the
Democratic majority would not have
been less than 100000 The masses of
the North and even some leaders in Con-
gress are so ignorant Of the conditioned
affairs in the Southern States as to sup
pose that there are no loyal and Repub-
lican people in those States except the
negroes and few white political leaders.
This is true of South Carolina, Missis-
sippi and Florida, with few exceptions,
but is wholly untrue of the other South
ern States. Tennessee furnished 5000
white men to the Union army, and has
70, 900 white Republican adherents with
out the Civil Rights Bill. Kentucky,
Missouri, and other Southern Border
States are in like condition. AS mat
ter of policy, to say nothing of principle,
it were better for the Republican party
to reject mixed schools and do without
the colored vote than establish them in
the South and have that vote
The crime of ultra party measures
passed into laws by Congress has been
committed before. Made blind by too
long possession of a majority in Congress
and in its greed for power, the Demo
cratic party passed the Fugitive Slave
law, outraging the moral convictions Of
the Northern people. Now certain Re
publican leaders, ignorant or indifferent
as to consequences, propose as a party