The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1875-09-09

down the prejudice IN the puDnc mnu
by which it is poHsiblein some cities and
sections Of the country to make separate
Schools"
Senator Pratt: 1T has seemed 10 ME
most surprising thing that people who
declaim against negro equality are never
heard to start any objection to admission
to fullest rights of citizenship Of the for
eigner, though he be ignorant to the last
degree, a pauper or y criminal, unac-
quainted with our laws, and not capable
even of speaking our language. More
than third of million of immigrants
from every country of Europe annually
land upon our shores, and are heartily
welcomed to the privileges of citizenship,
with whom, it is not unfair to say, the
negro population of this country will
bear favorable comparison in all the ele-
ments that so to make useful citizens"
In these remarks of Senator Pratt you
see the Know-NOthing hoofs and tail
sticking out, and you will not wonder
that after the people of Indiana refused
to re-elect him to the Senate, President
Grant Immediately took him into his ad-
ministration, comforting upon him the
highly important Office Of Commissioner
of Internal Revenue. 7II
But the real gist ofthe matter in hand
is found in the remarks of Senator Howe,
of Wisconsin, one of the oldest Of the Re-
| publican Senators in service, and dis
tinguished leader Of his party. He said,
among other things;
Mr.. Howe: But Senators say, Let
| hn fttl. do M IN fhn h,
lie schools are the creation of the Statei
do not dare to say that the color in those
schools shall be mixed; say that, and the
schools will fall; there shall be none l
hear the threat, and l admit that am
afraid do not know but that they will
do it. Every step in this whole terrible
march has bsen taken under some threat.
This is one that comes very near 10 me.
do not know but the schools will fall If
we do not stay our course; but when
peril threatens of any kind can meet it
but in one way. Let justice be done
though the common SchOOls and the very
heavens fdH."
Senator Sargent offered the following
amendment " Provided, that nothing
herein contained shall be construed to
prohibit any State or school district from
providing separate schools for persons
of different sex or color, where such sep
arate schools are equal in all respects to
others of the same grade, established by
such authority, and supported by an
equal pro rata expenditure of school
funds"
The amendment was voted down, only
seven Radical Senators voting for it.
Fellow. citizens, l have thought it
proper to call your attention to these
proceedings in Congress, for the purpose
of showing who are the best friends of
the common school system, the Demo-
cracy, by whom it has ever been fostered
and maintained, or Radical politicians,
who prefer to see "the common schools
and the very heavens fall" rather than
that our system of separate schools be
preserved,
But have another reason for referr-
ing to these proceedings. The common
school system is not confined to Ohio.
1t is found in almost, perhaps every,
State in the Union; and the States that
need it the most are those in which
slavery lately prevailed, and which, at
the close of the war, contained nearly
four millions of wholly uneducated
blacks. And yet the bill Of which have
spoken was forced through the Senate
for party purposes, although it was NOR
ally certain that should it ever become a
law and be executed, it would be death
blow to the whole common school system
in the Southern States.
Upon this subject pray you to let me
read some remarks that | made when
the bill was under consideration in the
Senate, AMI which will as fully express
my views as anything | could say now
Mr.. President, | said some time ago
so long ago that l had almost forgotten il
that this bill is prejudicial to the inter
ests of the colored race. Every man in
this Senate, have no doubt, desires tC
see that race educated. 1t is for the best
interests of the whole people, not simply
of that race, but of the white race also
that they should be educated. How are
they to be educated in the Southern
States which lately were slave-holdinl
States? Unless the Federal Government
is to assume the right to set up schools
there and carryon education on the doc
trine to which l have alluded, that there
J is no express prohibition against theil
doing it in the Constitution, if the Fed
eral Government is not to set up and pay
for schools there, those schools must bC
set up and maintained by the State Leg
} islatures and paid for out of the property
J of the white people of those States. The
PROPERTY belongs to the white people
almost the whole of it; the taxes come
out of their pockets; and it is their Leg
slatures that must pass the laws to levy
those taxes, with the exception of per
haps two States, or at the most three, IL
} which the negroes predominate. Now
ask you, Senators, if you, treating al
utterly unworthy of regard this thing
which you call prejudice, and which
, you felt yourselves not great while ago
. and which was as strong in your States
Senators from New England, as it was il
: the days of your fathers-if treating tina
as a mere prejudice you require tina
there shall be mixed schools in thost
! States, ask you what will be the result
The result will be that schools will no
! be established; the taxes will not bt
laid the laws for the common schoo
! system will be repealed or rendered
nugatory; and the consequence will b,
that both the negro children and th,
) poor white children, too, will go withou
J education. There never was so fatal
: blow aimed at the common school sys
tenn, never 80 fatal blow aimed at tn,
education of the poor, never so fatal
blow aimed at the education and eleva
: ton of the children of this colored rae,
conceived by the mind of man as thi
civil rights bill. Now, there are som,
people of the colored race who have tn,
sense to perceive it. l hold in my hanC
what have clipped from newspaper
an extract from an address by coloreC
Methodist preacher, delivered in tn
| city of Richmond but short time ago
in reference to this very bill; and
crave the attention of the Senate to il
1t ia marked nv such good sense. il ia 8,