New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-12-17
FORCED ISSUES.

It might be supposed that what with
the armed investment OF the State govern
ment. the siege Of the. Returning BOARD
and the reprieve from assassination grant
ed BIZ the White Leaguers. the Repub'
lican party had enough on its hands II
seems. however, that there are others who
think differently. Some person unknown
to and Of whom we have no suspicion
SEEM disposed TO force upon the pubnc
the ISSUE Of !crcible entry OF colored
| pupils into the white schools. we can
say further that these persons are neither
the State nor district superintendent OF
education. TIE movers and the motive
@: this forcible intrusion is as much a
mystery 20 ourselves as to any one ELSE
But m issue SO forced and ohtruded a
such time must be met. and we have had
| no hesitation in expressing the opinions
embodied il our article Of yesterday.
We axe aware the State constitution
| says:
! s,itut;obs OF learning established extensively
! for any race by the State OF louisiana
Such is the constitution. and it has been
| embodied in a statute. which imposes
| penalties upon the refusal to admit pupils
! without regard to color. Neither this
clause Of the constitution nor the law has
been put into further force than the rolun'
tary acqu;esance Of pupils and teachers
has justified. The enactments were passed
at a period when extreme expectations
were :ndulged by persons who proposed
! 70 enac: distractions into practica! effect.
! Those who acted upon that idea found its
utter :mpracticabl,ity. and have with
drawn from authority OF interference in
cur school affairs. The present school
authorities have regarded any attempt at
compulsory association Of races as traughs
! with especial mischief and Injury TO the
co!ored pupils, and calculated TO drive the
| property holders to repeal OF the taxa
ton upon which alone the children OF
! color could expe:t any education a; all.
!: has been long our opinion that the
! compulsory clause Of the constitution
| was ;mproviaent and impossible Of exeeu-
ton. and tia. it should be submitted
anew to the people. We are satisfied that
the black pc ople would rather have sep
! arate schools t han no schools. We are
convinced that society would be more at
peace and less exasperated against negro
suffrage were the race relations recon-
c:led BY separation. than Il these perpe''
! ual issues be thrus: upon US. Men speak
! of law higher than constitutions. There
| are social usa ges which can nc: Ie Re.
| peaied. There are acts to regulate the
social intercourse which can never be en-.
forced. 4 constitutional amendmen:
| which should give the federal government
/, jurisdiction over religious worship could
no: force the members Of a synagogue 70
worship in church. nor vice versa.
f; ). Legislature has the same RICH: to as'
sosiate the sexes a: school as to compel
race union. The attempt to compel tie
one would be as impotent as the other.
We hope the improv;aent persons who
have c,unselea and perhaps precipita:ed
this issue viii perceive the evil corss'
querces Ct their action. We attribute 70
! then, no wish 10 agitate o. enrsge society.
| hu. they must have perceived that the at
:smp.s have done SO. and they must re-
n,e,nbe. that in nothing are American
! men or mothers 50 sensitive as in the
fights or sentiments Of their children.
With repu:ed disclaimer on behalf Of
the State authorities Of any responsibility
| for this ;mpruden: and dangerous issue
thus forced upon the people. we :rus: nc
;u,,hsr trouble Of the same kind may oc'
! CTR, anti; the whole people Of the whole
! State .ha:i lave had time to &C: upon tie
s1bi.e:.
a.eanwh;ie we call the attention {! he
judiciary Committee to the occurrences
connected Will, tie two efforts 70 compel
the association Q: the two races at school.
They wi: see that the constitution Of the
STATE requiring this very thing to be done
is practically imperative. ard they may
see that if tie law Of the United States
shall require the sane thing to be done
!: ~iil require the United States army
and :. Little moe TO carry the law into
.ffac.