The star. (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1874-1875, 1875-01-08

of the Old Dominion, but that would not
entitle him to dine with the President OF
the United States, or secure him recep-
ti0n from the city fathers of New York,
who have no great admiration for the
Issbloody nagur." When Frederick Doug
lass was returning with old Ben Wade,
DR.. Howe. and the other Commissioners,
from San Domingo, he was refused ad-
mission to the dinner table Of an ordina-
ry Potomac River mail boat. And yet,
Douglass is much lighter in color than
Kalakaua, is in all respects fner-l0ok-
ing man, and in point of genius and men
tai accomplishments Is as much the SD
perior Of the Hawaiian as Wendell
Phillips is of Brick P0meroy. Nothing
could be brought against Douglass but
the prejudice of color.
Who knows but the visit OF Kalakaua
may do something toward breaking down
this prejudice? President Grant has
set a good example. Perhaps his views
upon the effects OF the adoption Of the
civil rights bill have undergone change
during his intercourse, officfal, social and
personal, with His Majesty of the Ha-
waiian Islands. He has declared him.
self against the mixed school feature of
the civil rights bill. But he not only
gave Kalakaua one of the most brilliant
receptions ever witnessed in Washing
ton, but entertained him at grand
estate dinner" One of the "Oourt jour-
nails" we have several OF them here(, in
giving an account of the affair, stated
that liking Kalakaua took Mrs. Grant in
to dinner" and added, ''the King sat
upon Mrs. Grants right at table," 1 re-
member when the President gave din
ner to the San Domingo Commissioners
at the Executive Mansion, Frederick
Douglass was notinvited, though he was
as much entitled to official recognition
as Ben. Wade or DR.. Howe. OF course,
the Presidents treatment Of Kalakaua
was almost entirely of an official char
acter. But that did not change the colcr
OF the Kings skin or straighten the kinks
in his hair, or hide the 0leaginous ap-
pearance of his face. Scotland's poet
asserted, hundred years ago, that
"Ihe rank is but the guinea stamp
a, The mans the gowd for a. that"
In our day, it would seem as If this
principle was reversed. Instead of the
"gowd" (gold) we take the 'sstanlp."
This may be the result of our long-con-
tinned familiarity with "rag money!
whose only value is the ''stamp' it bears.
kalakaua is not less a cOlored man be-
cause he is the King of about 60, ,0el peO-
pie, whose ancestors entered upon civili-
cation within the memory of some per-
sons still living. To be sure, he is an
educated and, to some extent, a polished
gentleman, but not mOressO than thou
sands of colored men in the United
States. Touching the visit of Kalakaua
to this country, something, of course,
was due on our part to international
courtesy. Had he been travelling as u
private individual, very little attention
would have been paid him. But his
presence here can not fail to help the
civil rights bill. The very fact that a
c0lored man was received and dined at
tue Executive Mansion, where he had
the honor Of escoruing to the table the
first lady of the republic, and sitting on
her right-King or no King-is a power
a ploM vat at Saise we 40 not
as Melnotte said of the tickle Pauline,
"'Tis the prince thou lowest, not the |
man." And yet if, stripped Of his roy
aity, he would be denied the social priYi-
leges he has enjoyed, we would be very
much open to this charge.-BostonG Globe |