The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-09-28
SEPARATE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

but will bring him, we think, very
little profit. This high-hearted Airl-
cans sense OF honor and dig
nifty has been wounded by the very
wise and judicious action OF the
School Board in providing for separate
schools for the white and colored chill
dren. and he has appealed to the courts
for an Injunction to prevent such an
arrangement
No allegation Is made by this naughty
descendant OF Ham that the School
Board has refused or failed to
provide as full, ample and salts
factory school facilities for the
colored as for the white children; his
only grievance Ia that the white and
colored children are not to be mixed up
and educated in the same school rooms.
Trevigne and his coadjutors may pos
sibly embarras the efforts Of Superin-
tendent Rogers and the School Board to
organize q thorough and effective
school system, and thus work injury to
the negro children as we'll as to the
whites; but they cannot accomplish
their end. The action OF the board vio-
lates none Of the amendments Of the
Constitution of the United States, quoted
in the petition Of the plaintiff printed in
the DEMOCRAT yesterday morning.
though it does violate article 1856 Of the
bayonet constitution of 1868, now desig-
mated the constitution of louisiana.
But the question arises will the courts
of this State destroy the public school
system, and thus deprive both
whites and blacks Of the bles-
, sings of education in vain ef-
fort to enforce pernicious provision
! Of so-called constitution, formed by
| the enemies OF the State and our civil
ization, and forced upon the people at
the point OF the bgyonet. The protest
of the people OF Louisiana to the United
J States Senate against the imposition Of
this constitution upon them is fresh,
even now, in our memory. 1t was al
7 most a piteous appeal to our conquerors
} to save us from such degradation,
from such humiliation and shame; it
! was, indeed, thrilling beseechment to
} the civilized and Christian people Of the
> Union to save civilization and Christian
ity in this great State from the African
/ supremacy which this very article of the
constitution was designed to establish
> But there came no response to the cry
and the carpet baggers and negroes,
under the bayonets of the Federal gov.
eminent. promulgated that spawn of
their malevolence and ignorance as the
constitution of Louisiana.
What the public school system has
been under that constitution, 1T is need
less to relate here. We all know
that the schools in many portions of
the State were worse than useless
we all know that under that SO called
organic law the work Of public edu-
: cation has not advanced; that, on
: the contrary, a strong prejudice and
, hostility has been engendered against
1t, and that the large sums of money the
> tax payers have paid for it have been
! almost an entire loss.
It is not, therefore, to be supposed
that under any circumstances the mixed
school system can be again forced upon
, us by this foolish negro and his coadju-
tors. A constitution which violates a
. law Of God-most markedly manifest in
the restless and aggressive spirit Of
such negroes as Trevigne toward the
white race which was the work of the
Z enemies of the people; which was de-
: signed to subordinate civilization and
' Christianity to African ignorance and
, savagery, and to burden and plumber
, the trade and industries Of the commu-
: nity-such constitution, we say, is not
, binding upon any civilized people. A
: constitution created by the people them
selves, and for the purpose Of fostering
and protecting their liberties and inter-
, ests, is the highest and most solemn
of all laws, and every good citizen will
: obey it. But law-call 1t q constitu-
, ton or what you ll-organized in
, hostility to civilized society. and which
is attempted to be enforced against the
public interest can, we repeat, bind no
, court nor influence the actions OF any
people.
The people Of Louisiana, under the
: power of Federal bayonets, endured the
| constitution of 1868, when all Its iniqui-
tous provisions were being enforced
) against them. And, restored to their
rights and liberties, they have sought
| to live in peace for the time being with
out making change, conscious that
2 under the worst laws, administered by
, wise, honest and devoted public ser.
{ wants. the interests of society CAN be
protected and advanced. We believe,
now, that the wish Of majority Of the
people Of the State Though we differ
with them) is to go on for a
, year or two yet under the exist
ing constitution. Gov. Nichols pol
, icy has been so temperate and con-