Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-02-07

EAND8A A@1A1a
With US the only possible doubt on
corning the adoption By the Senate Of
the House bill, which marked the day
before yesterday as another BLACK
Friday, hinges on the question wheth-
er it be Radical enough for that body.
There is a large Senatorial majority in
favor Of such legislation, and Just be-
cause it is so late in the session they
are the more likely to accept all the
House offers them, without mixed
schools, and rush the b Il through, even
though they be compelled to resort to
the same desperate tactics as the House
has done. The Senate is not likely,
therefore, to stultify itself, after en-
acting a more stringent bill, t. reject
one only a triheless so. When We con-
slider the part that this misehievous
law is designed to play as a political
and Presidential lever, all doubts Of
the Senate's concurrence and the Pres
ident's approval disappear.
For the same reason, we cannot in.
dulge the fond anticipations of those
who think it viii prove a dead letter
from the moment Of its signature, and
that the great bulk Of the negroes will
seldom OF never demand the social
equality granted by it. Such would
indeed be its fate in the natural
order Of things. But the Radi.
Gals never leave Southern affairs to the
natural order. Never did they seen
less disposed to do so than since their
defeat at Northern ballot boxes. A
solid electoral vote from the South has
become essential to them in the grand
struggle of next year. And this Civil
Rights bill is an essential part Of their
programme. A knowledge that the
great mass Of negroes do not seek these
"honors thrust upon them" should
be an incentive with our people
to deal gently with the inferior race.
and In nowise hold them, as a race, re-
sponsible for the Vaccinations of our
political Opprtssors. But negroes and
mulattOes viii be sought and found and
paid to push their way into car, hotel,
theatre and court, IN the most defantly
offensive manner. Carpet Dagger and
scalawag viii unite to throw them in
the way Of our young men, more brave
than discreet. Negroes with a smatter.
ing of "book-larnin'' will be taught all
the arts Of professional jurors.
Marshal, here in the city Of Nash.
vile, would hardly dare decline then
services with a penalty Of $1,000 hang.
ing over his head. In a thousand ways
which devilish ingenuity can invent,
this Civil Rights bill VIII be forced on
the more excitable Of our people In or.
der to create disturbances and Justify
the occupation Of State after State with
Federal troops in timefor the Presiden-
tial election. The mere powero Of arrest
that 1t gives, on complaint of any
nomadic negro, can be made to prevent
thousands on thousands of Democratic
votes. Our only line Of defense will
be excessive caution and excessive
patience. We have no doubt a majori.
ty Of the Northern people endorse
Civil Rights in the abstract, as they
have no OPP ortunity for testing it in
the concrete. Utterly as they condemn
Fedora, military interference, Grant
and bis ring hope to reconcile them to
It by the plea that It is only to protect
the negro in his newly-conferre rights
Old excuses viii not do, ard they must
furnish a new one on which to base
Southern outrages." Let rs take
care not to furnish the latter.