Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-02-11
4 CYOL4TED PLEDGE.

4 TIOZAT TED PLEDGE.
The action of the democratic members
of the House of Representatives in oppo-
sition to the civil rights bill is gross vio-
lation of the platform upon which their
party stood in the Presidential contest OF
1872. The first resolve in that platform
reads as follows:
1--WE recognize the equality Of all men
before the law, and hold that it is the duty
of government in its dealings with the peo-
pie to nete om equal and eyaet justice to
al. Of whatever nativity, race, color, or
persuasion. religious or political"
This was the first and leading plank OF
tho platform upon which Mr.. Greeley
stood as candidate for President 1t was
at FIRST adopted at the Liberal Republican
Convention held at Cincinnati in June.
and afterwards adopted by the National
Democratic Convention held at Baltimore
in July. 1t went as far in the direction of
guaranteeing civil rights to the colored
race as the republican platform. and it had
behind It the great name Of Horace Gree
ley with his life-work in behalf of the
negroes Of the South as a pledge that it
would be faithfully kept. Without this
plank in the democratic platform there
could have been no coalition of liberal
republicans and democrats in the cam
paign of 1872. Without it Mr.. Greeley
would not have been the candidate of the
democrats. Placed there it bound demo-
Gratis as we'll as liberals to see that equal
and exact justice should be dealt to all
without regard to race, color or politics,
while 1t enabled them to 60 before the
country and appeal TO white and black
republicans for support, claiming that the
negro question had been taken out of pol
itics by the bond given in their platform
that he should have equal rights with the
white.
The vote in Congress upon the civil
rights bill the other day is the answer to
those who inquire how the pledge of the
platform of 1872 has been kept. That bill
is one which only provides tina. colored
people shall have decent usage at inns.
theatres and other places of amusement,
and in the conveyances for travellers. 1t
says nothing of schools. elections. or So
cial equality, providing only for civil treat
ment to negroes as before mentioned-the
same privileges which they enjoy in the
North and in all civilized countries where
they exist in any considerable number. 1t
is so moderate and reasonable that the
wonder is how anybody can be found to
oppose it. It is not the radical bill which
Mr.. Sumner framed, but bill carefully
excluding everything which could be ex-
cluded and yet secure the simple and COM
mon rights for which it provides. Yet
this Is the bill against which the demo.
Gratis in the House filibustered the better
part of week, keeping the House in con-
tinuous session during the time more than
forty-six hours, and when they could do
no more to kill it winding up their dis
graceful fight against lit by recording
themselves. solidly in opposition to its pas
sage. This is the way in which the dem
oorats kept the pledge in their platform of
1872. This is the manner in which their
alliance with Horace Greeley is treated
now that he is in his grave. This shows
the undying hatred of the Bourbon demo
Gratis to the freedmen of the South and
their abiect servility to the old slave mas
tiers who are re-appearing on the stage of
national politics.