The weekly Louisianian., 1874-06-27
limit in some degree the common
rights of citizenship. In other in

EAA63sS W SalAAOAAoAaAes &0 O<AeA IL
stances where the statute is neithe
.silentnor hostile, custom based :upo
conventional agreement and fos
tered and .invigorated by a viciou
public opinion, heutra1izes the law
and not only compasses practices
destruction Of the rights in question
but even renders their enjoymen
when permitted BY sunerance a hu
initiation and a perpetual annoy
ance. If a special law, therefore, i
asked, the demand proceeds upo1
the absolute absence, as far as th,
colored citizen is. concerned, of tha
pa1sonal equality before the Law
which is assumed to exist in th'
National Constitution, as the GROUND
upon which class Legislation is in
admissible. So that in this excep
tional demand the very spirit Of The
rule which seems to be violated re.
quires such action in order 70 pre-
serve the Integrity. Of this great
principle Of civil liberty. The OBJ
lection is seeming rather than real,
as the Congressional action sought,
while attempting to vindicate, the
right of a class when prescribed by
local statutes or public opinion crys-
talized into oppression and often
sive custom does not invade the
rights Of any other class Of the COM
munity; nor place the party in
whose interest it is made upon any
vantage ground above their fel-
lows. 1870
It gives no peculiar, exclusive, or
additional benefit to those who ask
it, but simply proposes to render
practicable by. statute, the exercise
Of those rights already guaranteed
in the great charter of the nation
the Federal Constitution. Some
gentlemen opposed to the legislation
asked, soy that. in citizenship we
have received all that we can legally
claim. A misconception obtains; as
to the full significance Of the tenn
as applied to; u.s.: which robs
it of force by so limiting its meaning,
as that it neither measures. nor pro-
tects our rights. The immortal ut:
terances that all men are born free
and equal represents all OF human
rights that the American Caucasian
claims ao:h;s glorious birthright. II
The gentlemen who. think present
adequate to the #protecr
lion of fhe rights Of the eo!ored
people were debarred access: to- the
public schools; or to all the oonven+
iences and luxuries of modern tren-
sit, or the benefits and enjoyments
Of relaxation in places Of amusement,
Or a seat in the temple Of; God, 'or
The rights Of sepulture without pro-,
scription for the loved dead, he
would Immediately resent such in
Eringements of his privileges as a
Of his rights of citizenship.
These points were elaborately dis
;ussed, as well as the fact that the
rights to be guaranteed by the. Civil
Rights bill did not involve social
The :colored people
mad no. wish to force themselves
1pon the whites. t!':G,.. 81.
: Ex-Governor Ransier, Of South
was next introduced. He
the need of the Civil
by telling Of his expert
,nce during q former visit TO- Balti-
more, when he and State Treasurer |
Jadoza stopped at 1.-The Eutaw
House, and after they had gone to |
heir room were asked # they ware
;olored men, and:when they adnait-
ed it, were told that they gould not
4, Colored' men had done
heir part to build up; the country
nd had freely shed their bleed .ter
in the Revolutionary, the Florldn
nd the lst war. They were now,
q. the providence Of God, free.
growing in wealth and
intelligence; they were greatly III
Lebted to the Republican party.
Is an organization it conducted the
var to q triumphant issue. The
olored people owe to t the rights