New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-09-30

NEW ORLEANS, THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 80 1875

darkness came, when the barbarian from
the Jungles of Africa, the stews and slums.
and places not to be mentioned to YOU.
came and laid their paws on this system.
You have met here tonight with faces up
turned, with manhood shining in your eyes,
with indignation but not wrath, to pass iudg.
| ment on these men. You have been called
| upon to night to sanction the righteous judg-
| ment on the netsrinus dealings lately taken
place. On the school board there are nine
| colored men and nine white men--eighteen
men to pass upon everything. l have
learned something of them by silent inquir-
les OF those can trust Shall l give J ou an
| off-hsnd sketch of tbem2
| The professor then indulged in personal
references to several members of the School
Board, and concluded:
| I'll not go through with the rest of the
| eighteen chapters ! would have you give
| no stint to your ind gpation, but not ind ulge
in anger even though il be lawful, holy
anger. The resolutions will determine the
action Promise yourselves you will be
ruled by this action end nothing else.
Mr. Collens then read the following res
olutions:
WHEREAS, II is the ooinioc of this meet
! ing that the present Boa 4 uf 6, ooi Dlrec.
tors of this city have beca ,slse TO the
important trust committed to -:r charge:
| thul thcy nave pTUslibultu tHt]F POSITION
| and powers to political and partisan pur-
poses: that they have wantonly, and to the
| prejudice of the interest OF the schools, re-
| moved many competent and experienced
t. achers, ladies of un questloned ability and
high character, without any Just cause, to
make way for others untried, mex xperienced
| and incompetent, thereby DESTROYING the
harmony and efficiency of the schools; that
| personal preferences, unsupported by worth
| or capacity, and even base and immoral
motives, have been openly charged, and
remained uncontcadicte6, as having in
tuenced the selection Of teachers. That
| the appointment of a colored man as pro-
lessor of mathematics in the white Bows
Central High School, and the determination
! which has been boldly avnwed nv r (
Pinchback, the recognized leader of the
| colored members of the School Board, to
| force the race issue in the public schools, is
fraught with great danger to the peace of
the community, is unwise, and we believe,
contrary to the ideas aud wishes of ma.
jority of the colored people themselves, as
well as the conservative people OF all pay
| ties; and
Whereas, The compulsory admixture
| OF children of all races, color and condition
| in the same schools. in the same rooms, and
on the same benches, is opposed to the pr in
| clples OF humanity repugnant t) the in-
| stlnct OF both races, and is not required by
any provision of the laws or constitution OF
| this State; and
Whereas, The said board is upiustly and
| unfairly constituted, the number of colored
| members being equal to the number of
| white members of the board; whereas, the
| population of the city being l4J72l white
| and 57,647 colored; be it therefore
ReSotoed, By the people Of New Orleans
in mass meeting assembled, without refer
enee TO party distinctions
l. That the Board of City School Direc.
tors. as at present constituted, violates the
| fundamental principle OF the right of repre-
| sentatiOn, and Justice to all. white and
black, dems nds its reorganization.
:. That large majority of said board is
| incompetent and unit, morally aud from
| the lack OF culture and educst ton, to hold
| the high, honorable and responsible trust Of
| managing the public schools of the city;
and Tor the many acts OF maladministra.
tlon, lncompetency and gross immortality, as
charged, deserves the opprobrium and con.
domination of the people of both races in
New Orleans, and should be and is hereby
called upon by tle people to resign the
trust which it has so shanefully abused.
). That poshing herein shall be construed
as to imply any intent or disposition on the
part CT the white people of New Orleans TO
deny or refuse TO the colored inhabitants
any OF the benefits OF the laws on education
and schools; but We believe it to be detr-
men tai to them and to the cause of educa-
tion and the peace and harmony of the
races, to force the mixture of races in
schools, without the justification of any
benefit, advantage or necessity, against the
sense and feeling OF an entire community.
A. That other means failing u adjust the
school matter, we declare our purpose 10
test in the courts of the United States the
cOnstitutiOnality of the school tax, which
we have good reason to believe to be un-
constitutional, as we know it to be unjust
and oppressive.
D. That we are actuated in this matter by
no consideration of paity-the question
rises far above politics, and invoices the
very integrity OF our social fabric-and we
cordially invite the co operation of all good
men of all parties in this movement, the
sole purpose of which is the publication of
our public schools and their restore ton to
the respect and confidence of the commu.
nifty.
That the School Board, as at present
constituted, is in violation of the constitu.
ton of this State, which prohibits persons
from holding at the same time more tn an
one office of profit or trust
7. That committee of five be appointed
to make known to the School Board the
wishes of this meeting, and to take such
other steps az may De necessary to carry
out its objects.
The resolutions were adopted unani-
mously, and though Mr.. Ellis and Mr. Mari
were called for, they did not appear.
Calls were also made for Weichardt, but
he vanished with the rest of the reporters.
President Phillips announced that the
committee would be appointed and pub
lished in the papers, and the meeting ad.
journed.