National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1879-06-17
NEGRO LABOR AMI RIGHTS.


We second the motion.
NEGRO LABOR AND RIGHTS.
The Savannah RecorIcr has answered at
our article on the question of Negro
" Labor " instead of replying to the points
made by us. In other words, IL begs the
social question, which we have not treated,
and with which we have nothing TO do,
that being n problem beyond immediate
solution. We have dealt with and only
propose TO treat of, the colored man Of the
South as q citizen under the laws of the
nation and rs q worker in the field Of
human enterprise. In these two relations
to his country and society the colorcd man
is entitled TO a fair chance in the race of
life. As n citizen he is entitled to equal
rights before the law. lie is entitled to his
them at the balot-bOx when he desires to
assert the right of suffage the same AS other
citizens. On this point we stand, and this
we insist upon for him; and to deprive him
of this is 10 abridge his rights Of citizen
ship and render him scarcely n remove from
| the condition of an absolute slave. Then,
again, to take advantage of his ignorance
or necessities as laborer and adopt
policy in the exchange of labor
for pay which virtually declares
that the laborer is not worthy of
his hire is to give him but poor and
unfair chance in the race of life. 1t is sub
version Of the genius and spirit Of Ameri-
] "
these things in behalf of the white and
colored man alike in every section of our
common country. If this position alllicts
us with negrophobin' we have
ii, but not without. The laws Of social life
are quite different thing, and they apply
with equal force TO all peoples, whether
white or colored. Society makes its own
laws and controls its own relations, with
power quite as arbitrary as those which
come of statutory enactment. With these
we have nothing TO do in this discussion.
The Rccordcr asks with much simplicity:
I When did ever the negro.loving North send
negro to Congress? When was ever one
made Governor or Judge? How many
have ever sat in the legislative halls of New
England or other free States? Perhaps two
or three, at best, and those in Massachusetts,
and since the war.
Here our cotcmporary begs u question
that has not been before raised in this dis
cussion, and has no place here. In all the
Northern States the colored man is respect
ed in all his civil and political rights, and
he submits them, as do all other citizens, to
the arbitrament of the popular will and
Judgment If majority of the people de-
eide that he or Il white man shall hold office
he has it, but IL does not follow that any
white or colored man is deprived of his
rights if the people shall decide thnt he
must remain in private life. So long MS he
is left free to vote as his principles and iudg-
ment dictates so long and so far ms the laws
protect him in the sacred rights of person
and property 30 long rs he is admitted TO
the public schools MS are other citizens, thus
securing for himself and his children an
education that will quality him for the dis
charge of the duties Of an intelligent citi-
zenshp, so far the colored man has an equal
chance in the race of life but when these
are abridged in any degree his chance be-
comes uuiustly Circumsuribcd, and he is nm.
fairly dealt with.
Again the Rccor,ie, very innOcently asks
Why were the poor negroes slaughtered IN
/ New York during the war, when a draft was
. made for white soldiers, and not for negroes
Why were they assaulted aud murdered il,
their own homes? What evil had they done
We respond that that was Dcmocrati,
3 outrage and slaughter, which occurred IN.
der the inspirations OF Southern slavery
and we leave the RCcGrdCt and those whC
defended slavery and pugtook of the spiti
which led on TO the murders then commit
= ted to give the reason why the colorcd peo
pie were assaulted and murdered in thci
| " own homes,' rs they have often been il
) the South since slavery was abolished an,
| the freedman became n citizen instead of
= slave. The same political patty whicl
= slaughtered the negroes in New York city
e has filed the South with negro corpses sine,
= the war, because they presumed to cXcrcis,
:, political faith ut variance with that OF til,
II Democratic party. The RCco,dcr is bette
/ qualified than We TO solve the question i
$ has propouuded.
Y The RCtorder adycrts 10 the antecedent
VI wv h'b'" ." J"'''HN"'4"' VI N''u NlOhs, III
/ now suffers through an abridgment of hi
f rights as a citizen, and in that it virtual,
c ignores the fact that the laws OF the coun
n try have made him citizen aud guaranteed
TO him equal rights before the law II /
n the open violation OF these rights at tn
n South of which we complain, and which ha
J led MS into this controversy. When th
5 negro citizen is assured in all the rights tll
! laws have conferred upon him all contro
yersy over him will end, Until then he ha
/ our sympathies and our aid so far MS it ca
/. reach his case without infringing upon tn
b law and the rights Of others.