The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-09-30

Y ORLEANS, THURSDE
man, thorough Republican, supporter of the
Administration, had occasion to pass upon tina
law last summer, and he pronounced it unconsu
tutional from beginning to end, with the schoo
clause out [Applause.]
Now, sirs, l understand what their position
will be when they are driven from the Constltu
ton of the United States and from the Civil
Rights bill. They propose to fall back upon the
State Cons titution Of Louisiana, that bill o
denominations, which was Matched in 1868, OF
Dryades street. But that is not strong enough
for them that falls below their mark. The
one hundred and thirty fifth article of that Con
stituton provides that there shall be no separate
schools. Upon the face Of the article, it conveys
these people are attempting to do; but if they
had taken the pains to consult the debates OF tina
very convention of their own, in which there wal
not single man repf esentlnS the people o
Louisiana, they would have found that all the
brains of that convention, bad as 1t was, were
against the incorporation Of this article in thu
Constitution. Lest may be charged with lnaccu
racy in this, ask leave to read an extract which
l have made from the journal OF that conyen
Judge LGdeng IN the
assigned these, among other reasons:
because system Of public education Ii
forced rpon the people whereby the whites, who
are to support the schools by taxes levied OF
the advantages of the public schools. Mixed
schools will not elevate the negroes, but debase
the whites. Another effect of the system will be
the neglect of the education of the colored chill
| dren" Journal, p. 800.
Judge Cooley, in his protest, says, speaking OIL
this article:
at is also another attempt to establish by law
the social equality OF all classes and colors.
believe the system will work irreparable injury
to the colored race" Journal, p. 1872.
Mr. Baker-Journal, p. 201-says on this ar
| ticle:
81 voted no because such system of schools
| will benefit few at the expense OF the many
and in my opinion will hereafter be most com
planned of by those who now favor 1t. and vii
share the fate of all paper guarantees not found.
ed on common sense and practical utility"
". Jasper Blackburn, an authority in the Bad
icel ranks, says:
81 vote no because such article, if attempted
to be car. led out practically, will break up oul
| free public school system"
| Now, sirs, before pass from this distinguished
would-be Senator, | propose to drive the last nsl
in his coffin. [Applause.] What is he? AS JOIN
Randolph once said with reference to an Oppo-
nent of his in the senate for whom he had the
profoundest contempt, as l have for the dis
| tinguished would-be Senator, 1t is not who ht
| is, but where he is that puts my thoughts ir
motion" Mr. Pinchback proceeds:
1
actuated me to support this gentleman. de-
Sired sir, in this hour OF our nations history, to
ascertain whether the laws were only to be en-
forced where the rights and privileges OF white
men are concerned"
Whv, sirs, that convicts him, not only of the
charge which have already made Of a neglect
| of the legislation of Congress whilst he was IN
| Washington, but it convicts him OF the most
shameful ignorance of the history OF this nation
as it has developed since the adjournment of that
] He tails that this crlSIS IN
which he wants to put in application these views
What crisis is 1t? Why, sirs, he certainly bias moi
read the epitaph upon the notorious Williams,
late Attorney General. He certainly does not
| followed the equally notorious Delano. He seems
to have forgotten that the great voice OF the
| American people, as represented by the giant
| States of New York and Ohio, has spoken out,
not only against this helish purpose, bu
against the Constitution of the United states, sc
far as it has looked in this direction. Applause.
Now, sirs, am man of business, as you are
| 1 am not making this speech to you for any clap
| trap purpose; want no office; have no polltlca
| aspirations to crafty. This means business, ano
| it becomes us to tell the people Of the United
States what we are suffering, and the reasons
why these punishments are inflicted. Forum
ately fos U.S. the ways Of the wicked are such thai
the most careless observer must detect the ira,
of the serpent. They have fallen out among
themselves am not addressing meeting o.
Democrats, nor of Liberals, nor OF Republicans
nor of colored men. I am addressing the people
of this whole city and of this whole country.
propose to hold up the Indictment OF these meI
against themselves, and 1 want it to go down and
to go fort h to the uttermost parts OF this whole
land. What they did in their secret counsels We
should never have known but for the in theil
own camp. I read from the New Orleans Sunday
Republican of September ~, 1875:
| 'sThe Louisidr1idn is not, at present, doing it
self much credit in discussing the school .ques
ton. 1t is, unfortunately neither truthful, vel
| Informed nor profound. For instance, 1t assert;
that at the recent election of teachers, many
most unobjectionable and worthy teachers were
made to give way for especial friends o.
the Republican, There is not one word of truth
in this statement. No friend Of this paper, mol
any one connected with it, asked for the dropping
| of single name from the old list, and not one
new appointment was made at the request OF any
| body nearly or remotely connected with this
| Office"
Here comes the part to which invite your
| special attention.
"The marking for decapitation was done in
secret meetings. of which i've or Six directors haG
no knowledge until those who participated il
them began to vote solid from programmes, al
written in the same hand, and distributed among
those who had pledged themselves to support
that slate. Unfortunately, the members who
had Joined in the ring were obliged to confess
| that they were ignorant OF the character fol
ability of nearly all the teachers thus marked tC
be dropped. They first neglected their duties al
directors by falling to visit the schools, as the
Flaw and their oath of office requires, and ther
turned out the best teachers in the schools, be-
cause they did not know whether they were gooo
| or not"
Now, sirs, do you wonder at the burning in
| dignation and disgust Of the decent portion o.
| this community at this School Board when, ou
of their own mouths, comes such a confession al
| that? Dare such men hold office IN the light
day, and meet you and me on the streets, and ex
pect to be treated with civility? The thing il