Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1875-03-11

they were assigned to such rooms as he
saw fit to give them, and they were
at perfect liberty to go elsewhere.
At the Grand Central, H. L. Powers,
the lessee, was called upon, and in re.
ply to the question whether he would
entertain colored visitors, he said he
did not think he would either be honor
ed OF. troubled with them. When ask
ed if he would allow them to sit at the
general table, he said that the hotel was
provided with three dining rooms, and
as he did not allow anv one to dictate
to him in his establishment he could dis.
pose Of colored guests as he saw fit,and
that if he saw fit to put any one In the
smallest dining room he should do 80.
At the St Denis, in reply to the ques
ton whether the hotel would admit
colored guests, the clerk said that if it
was the law he supposed there would
be nothing left for the management to
do but to obey. The general impress
sion given by the proprietors was that
probably all their rooms would be occu
pied, or not in any condition to receive
undesirable guests.
In conversation with the leading N.
York restaurant proprietors, there was
found bitter sentiment of opposition
to the features of the civil rights bill re-
lating to the entertainment of the ne
gro in public houses and restaurants.
One proprietor of many years experi-
ence with colored walters, had found
them the first to protest against serving
their own people. He thought it
matter that would regulate itself; that
the interests of his business and the
sentiments Of his patrons should be pro
tected, and this even at the disregard of
the law. He preferred to pay penalties
rather than suffer the obstruction of his
business. Another gentleman, employ
ing French servants, stated that he
should exercise the right, as he always
had, of discriminating with regard to
the quality and character of his patrons;
that he could not entertain colored peo-
pie, intoxicated Or disreputable persons
nor those who were untidily dressed /;
that in all these matters he was obliged
to exercise the greatest caution. The
sentiments Of other proprietors were
found to be similar to these. Only one
was found that expressed his willing
ness to abide by the law. Generally
no trouble was apprehended by the new
law, as it was thought the matter would
regulate itself in the future, as it had
done in the past.
VIEWS OF PROMINENT CoLoRED MEN
The feeling of the eolored oltion of
the population in New York, generally
was found to be that the civil rights bill
was of little advantage to the race, and
as political measure was a failure.
Isaac Hunter,one of the members of the
Liberal Republican Association, said
that the radical republicans had played
this measure as their last card, and in
so doing had thought to win over the
colorel; but the colored men had lost
all confidence in the republican party;
and by taking from Charles Summers
bill the very essence of civil rights to
the colore6 man, the republicans had
spoiled their whole game. The color.
ed voters had depended en- the radical
republicans so long, and had absolutely
gained nothing, that they were not
likely now to place any trust in them
for the future.
Peter Downing, who is in the GUS
tom house said it would have been bet
ter if no bill at all had been passed than
the present one. 1t gave the colored
man no other rights than he had ais
ready gained under the amendment to
the constitution. The Rev J. Morris
Williams said that the bill did not give
satisfaction to the colored people gen
orally, although large proportion ac-
cepted it as the best they were likely to
get under the circumstances. In his
opinion it showed that the ADMINISTRATION
party was very weak in the knees. The
Rev. Jacob Thomas said that he was
not satisfied with the bill. as it was vir-
tually of little practical effect The Rev.
William Spellman said that he thought
the civil rights bill, as law. will be
like many other statutes, entirely value
less and of no effect. The prejudices of
some persons would still remain, and
they would continue to evade the law
without actually violating the tenets.
VIRGINIA 'eBoARDING HOUSES"
The action of the hotel keepers in
Alexandria, Va, under the civil rights
law is explained by mail details. The
Alexandria Gazette says:
s'The Mansion House and the City
Hotel have been closed, the proprietors
wishing to avoid the difficulties that
would be sure to result were they to
conduct their houses in accordance with
the provisions of the civil rights law, for
no matter how civil they might be,
there would necessarily be disturban-
ces between their white and colored
guests, in some of which it is not un-
reasonable to suppose blood would be
shed. They have cancelled their licen-
ses as hotel keepers, discontinued the
service of their omnibuses, and taken
out boarding house licenses for the pur
pose of accommodating their permanent
boaders.
The form of announcement shows
concert of action, and is evidently de-
signed to deprive the establishments Of
the characteristics of ''inn" specified by
the act. The terms employed in the
announcement are as follows:
"NoT1cE TO THE PUBL1c.-On and af
ter this day the hotel will he closed.
The proprietors, for the accommodation
of their permanent boaders, have taken
out the necessary license to keep pri.
x,afo hoordinre houro and will for tho