Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-01-08
DEBlTE on CIVIL RIGHTS.

The debate in the House on the Civil
Rights bill brought up again in that body
the spirit of opposition, on the democratic
side. to colored people. The speech of
Mr.. Stephens was not success. Of the
debate and accompanying events special
says:
Every available seat in the House was
occupied al an early hour by those eager
to hear the speech of Alexander IL.
Stephens, on the Civil Rights bill The
spectators witnessed a magnificent fail
ure. The scene was a novel one. Mr..
Stephens is small man with a very feeble
frame, which seems the more attenuated
in the exceedingly black clothes he wears,
His face is full of the wrinkles and angles
Of age. His eyes. however, have all the
fire of youth. His voice. although very
feeble, has shrill, piping tone. which
causes i, to be heard throughout the hall.
Mr.. Stephens wore his customary skull
cap of purple velvet, beneath which there
fell broad fringe of silver hair. His
figure seemed almost unreal. He chose
a seat at the rear of the House. at q desk
upon which there was placed a formidable
DTtlSL " vi h vi law -DophS. Hc lilClllbtIN
gathered around him, more from curiosity
than from desire TO listen to his argu-
ment. There were few new thoughts in
his speech. His line of argument did not
materially differ from that chosen by other
democratic speakers. He acknowledged
to a belief in the Jcffersonian declaration in
the Constitution, that all men are created
equal, but he struggled with the old theo-
ry that equal birth does not warrant equal
rights. There was but one allusion to
the political future. In that he threatened
the formation Of new parties. Mr. Steph-
ems was followed by Mr.. Ransier, a colored
member from South Carolina, who not
only wanted equal rights for black men,
but also for black women. The speech Of
Mr. Harris, of Virginia, afforded curious
illustration of old-time plantation swag
ger and manners. Mr.. Harris had made
a fair argument on his side of the case,
but could not resist the temptation to de-
nounce negro equality. He did this in these
words ~ defy any man to say that the
black man is the equal of the white man.
Mr.. Ransier, who sat across the aisle,
Immediately rose, and confronting the de-
tiant Southron, said that he had that cour-
age, and declared that the black man was
the equal of the white man. Mr.. Harris,
forgetting that the colored member had
the same rights on the floor with himself,
turned upon him and .impudently said :
"You sit down, Sir; am talking to white
men and gentlemen, and not to you"
Mr.. T.. Rockford Hoar Immediately arose
and made the point of order upon Mr..
Harris, that when the latter ceased to ad-
dress the whole House he yielded his right
to the floor. This rebuke silenccd Mr..
Harris. The argument Of the opposition
to the Civil Rights bill consisted of three
propositions First, that the bill is uncon-
sttutional; second, that its passage would
result in the destruction of the exist
ing school system in the Southern States :;
third, that the negro is not the equal of
the white man. The argument against the
constitutionality of the bill was based
upon the decision OF the United States
Supreme Court in the New Orleans slaugh-
tcr-house case. 1t was urged that the
Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments to
the Constitution, referred to colored men
rs citizens Of the United States, not as cit
liens of the United States, not as citizens
of the States that the distinction between
the citizenship of a State is recognized
anu cslaDIloHcu tHat INC llSnte Vi Tue uc-
groes as citizens of the State must rest,
where they rested before the adoption OF
the amendments, within the jurisdiction Of
the several States. 1t was denied that the
exercise of any new power was granted
by these amendments. A fair argument
was made in support of the present school
system. 1t was shown that in many of
the Southern States separate colored and
white schools are well supported. NJ
merous petitions and letters were present
ed from prominent persons, representing
the sinister effects upon these schools OF
the passage of a mixed school bill. The
argument seemed little strained, how
ever, when Mr. Harris, of Virginia, stated
that the separate colored and white luna
tic and blind asylums Of his State would
be ruined if black and white lunatics, and
black and white persons We're compelled
to live together