Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1880-03-26

Rapids. Mrs. Crosswell is tall and grace
full, about q years of age, with beautiful
complexion, dark brown hair, blue eyes,
and of most winning manners. The gov
ernor has three children by former mar
riage.
THE HOME AND COLORED CHILDREN
Good Sense From a Republican Conrem-
New Era
When the question arose as to the expo
diency of accepting the bequest of the late
Thaddeus Stevens, under the conditions of
his will, we took ground in its favor and
counselled with such of the management
rs had doubts as to what should be done
in the premises when the time should
come for action. We then foresaw that
the admission of colored children to the
Home would in the near future become a
practical question which would have to be
met in a practical way. We believe the
most direct and satisfactory solution lay
in the acceptance of the Stevens be-
quest upon the conditions of his
will, which were that the inmates should
be educated, clothed and subsisted on an
equality, but not that they should
sleep in the same dormitories. We were
assured that when the time came to
meet the question it's most direct and sat
isfactory solution would be found through
the terms offered by Mr.. Stevens; and as
no colored children had applied for admis-
sion, we could not see that any practical
good could result from premature agitation
of the subject. The question of equal
rights in all public institutions had already
been definitely settled by the fundamental
and statute law of the nation and the COM
monwealth. The prejudice of caste or
color, so far as those rights were involved,
was giving way before humanitarian pro-
gress as rapidly as revolutions involving
radical political and social changes can be
usually accomplished consistently with the
greatest good. to the greatest number. So
far as any mere prejudice stood in the way
of a practical recognition of the fifteenth
amendment of the constitution, when the
for it and stood ready to combat it.
We therefore regretted that local con-
temporary sought to force the issue upon
really no practical necessity for it, and
when that management was not prepared
to meet it. There were no colored children
| demanding admission through their
parents or those directly responsible for
their welfare. The construction of the
Home building, SO far as its dormitories
| are concerned, was not adapted to carry
ing out the terms of Mr.. Stevens bequest,
| and none but demagogues would desire to
make more radical innovations than he
contemplated. Political and social rights
| should not be confounded with social
| equality. There are even some things
| which are right that may not be expedi-
| ent. There are even some prejudiceS that
| must be respected, or at least treated with
forbearance, until they can be over
| come. There are parents and rela-
| tives of children in the Home who,
! while willing that they should study and
play together. and be fed at the same table,
| would make an earnest protest against
them sleeping together with colored chill
dren in the same dormitories. Mr.. Stevens
had the good practical sense to under
stand this feeling when he drew his will.
But because the Christian ladies who have
been giving their time, labor and means to
this public charity for years are not will
ing at the first crack of the political whip
to take a more radical step than Mr..
Stevens, the most radical and sincere
friend of the colored race of his day, would
ask were he now living, these self-sacrific-
ing Christian ladies are thus publicly in
suited and their motives thus grossly mis-
represented by the organ of a class who
know and care a great deal more about
buying colored votes on the eve of a prim-
ary election than they do about providing
homes for friendless "waifs'' or the status
of inhabitants of the dormitories of tho
skies.
"Get out! ~ That is the thanks the
selsacriicing ladies of the Home get for
their years of unceasing labors and cares
and vexations in clothing, feeding and
educating friendless children. For years
port these ladies labored in season
necessary to support the institution.
Their labors were disinterested. They
were not assuming the unpleasant attitude
of beggars in behalf of their own children.
They did not meet at the Home time after
time to cut and stitch and darn for their
own qualification. The excellent matron,
venerable in good works, has not devoted
her life to the fostering care of these
hundred or more "poor unfortunate
waits - for the sake of official
emolument for herself or her political
friends. To say that she and her
co-laborers will favorably compare in
all the graces of Christian life and the
demands of "common sense" with the,
writer of the above paragraph would be
paying them poor compliment indeed.
They will not "get out" They have ac-
cepted the provisions of the law. They
will carry them out so soon and far as it is
practicable, and it can be done without i'm
posing extra expense on the county, if
demangogues will cease their reckless at
tempts to tear down what they could not
have built. The managers are entitled to
a reasonable time to reach the end contem-
plated by the law, in the best practical
method and we we very much mistaken
the common sense" of our judges, the
county commissioners and the people, if
they second the demand of demagogues
that the management of the Children's
Home shall "get out p