The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-06-28
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS,
Wisdom and moderation do not seen
20 be distinguishing characteristics 81
even the most intelligent representative
OF the colored race In Louisiana. The
visit of the self-constituted delegation
OF colored men Tuesday to Gov. Nichols
was not 10 much a protest against sep.
arate schools for white and colored chill.
dren az threat that IL the recommen-
dalton OF the committee OF the School
Board is carried out the colored people
will organize themselves into a race
party and begin furious political war.
fare upon the whites. One OF the dele
cation declared that IL the programme
of the School Board committee were car
rIed out Il would be a fire brand; =
another affirmed that the establish
ment OF separate schools would be
an insult to the colored race; An
tome, the late Lieutenant Governor,
thought there should be more inter-
course between the races, and seemed
to think It proper to force 1t by mixed
schools, and much was said all around
about constituted rights and pledges and
promises made by the Governor and the
Democratic party. During the inter-
view the attitude and utterances of Gov
Nichols were firm but kindly and ia the
spirit In which he met the delegation we
shall discuss the issue they seem deter
mined to provoke.
The delegation, some or the members
OF which were colored men generally
esteemed In this community, would
have done more credit to themselves
and to their race had they employed
the language Of reason or remonstrance
instead OF that OF insolence and menace.
They ought to have learned by this time
that we have now government Of law
In Louisiana, and that personal wrongs,
violations or the constitution and the
statutes, are remedied and redressed in
the courts, to which all have admission
and before which all are equal, and not
by political revolutions they ought also
20 realize that this community has had
enough Of turmoil and strife, and that
when they talk Of making q fire brand
of simple social question and
of reviving race issues and race
organizations, they antagonize the ma
tcrial interests OF the State and city and
array against themselves and their peo-
pie very powerful and bitter influences.
Nay, more; they should consider
that II they attempt to carry out their
violent and revolutionary threats they
will render themselves amenable to the
law, and that the execution of the law
is now In the hands of those who will
fearlessly execute 1t to the preservation
of peace and good order. We make
these observations In no spirit Of hos
tility to the colored people but to re-
buke the spirit Of insubordination to
both natural and statute law manifest
ed by their representatives and which
would be equally censurable II displayed
by any other class or race in oar popu-
lation.
And now let us consider this question
on its real merits. The recommendation
made by the committee OF the School
Board through its chairman, Mr.. Archi-
bald Mitchell, in favor Of the es-
Establishment Of separate schools for
whites and blacks, sciu be carried out
1t Is we'll for all classes to understand
this ct the outset. No threats OF vio-
lence. or Of political fire brands, will pre-.
vent this. II there shall be any persons
of any color or race, who may feel a.
grieved by 1t, they will find it better to
seek redress, as Gov. Nichols suggested.
by resort to the courts to measures which
may subject them to criminal prosecu-
tion and conviction. But why should
any one feel aggrieved by the establish
ment OF separate schools? There has
been no proposition to exclude either
whites or blacks from the public schools
or to furnish the children of one race
with superior and the other with infe
rior schools. The recommendation Of
Mr. Mitchell's committee is. that, public
school OF a certain grade, afford
ng certain educational facilities.
hall be maintained for white chill
lren, and that precisely similar schools
,hall be maintained for colored chill !