National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-02-16
POLITICAL AND CIVIL RIGHTS.
The Colorcd People Of Virginia and Their
Interests.
To the Editor Of The Republican, i:

To The Editor Of Tic Republican
The peculiar interests of the colored people OF
Virginia are attracting considerable attention al
this time as the natural result OF the importance
of their vote in the pending political contest II
their action is governed by an intelligent apprc-
hensiOn Of their true interests and duties the pres
ent Will be an eventful year to the race. 1t be-
comes the duty, therefore, of fair minded men to
lay before them such facts as will point out the
course which they should pursue. do not think
that the distinction between political and civil
rights has been made sufficiently plain to the
eolored people. There is marked difference be-
tween the two rights and propose to devote this
preliminary article to showing the difference
As an example, the constitutional law which
abridges the political rights of the colored man
also abridges the political rights of the white man.
in other words, the colOred man has 10 pay one
dollar before he can vote, but the white man has
also TO pay one dollar before he can vote. Hence
it cannot be said that the law is q technical viola
ton of the Fifteenth Amendment. Unfortunately
franchises many of them: and as the colored peo-
pie all Republicans, the repeal of the law re-
Quiring the payment of one dollar prcreGui-
site to voting becomes matter of as much concern
to the white Republican it is to the colored Re
publican. 1t fact il may be truthfully said even
more so, for the public offices are i'll the main filed
by the white men.
But the civil rights question is entirely different
Take The jury question as an example. The laws,
or rather the 1nalprdctlre OF the Judges had from
the days of reconstruction to the advent of the
Liberal or RcadilIster party excluded the cOlored
man from the iury-bOX. No matter what his.in-
tereSt in the cause-his property, his good name,
his liberty ave- even his life-all might be nj the
mercy of jury of men whose antipathies to his
race prepared them to admit The guilt of the ac-
cuScd before word Of evidence was heard. There
he stood, wholly in power fthose who claimed
10 lie his superioTs Not so with the white man.
His civil rights are unabridged. When he stands
before jury it is IL jury of his peers Hence the
white has the direct DprSDugl in
terest III this question which the cOlored man has
Let us put the proposition beyond the power of
cavl by illustration from the official records of
the Virginia house Of delegates. session 1880.
There were two members of that boiy-One
white man, Mr.. Henry T. Wickham, of Hanover:
the other colored man, Mr.. Ross Hamilton. Of
Necklenburg. Both of these men were Republ-
cans, and both Fumdcrs. The question Of repeal
ing the law requiring the payment Of the capita
up. This was RcadiGster measure, but
both these men approved it. Why? Because,
as Republicans, they were mutually inter
ested. SO we see how on the question of political
rights both the white and the cOlcTed man
can lay aside his prejudiceS on the debt question
and act with the Readiuster party. But when it
ham, having no personal interest in the mat
ter, remembers only his FunderiSm and gives his
vote every time i'll favor of the old judges who
had excluded the colored people from the jury
box; while Mr.. Hamilton forgot his Funderism
and remembered only that the civil rights of his
race were concerned iii the election of judges who
were willing 20 give them place in the jury-bOx
have not written this with the intention of re-
Yiying race prejudices. On the contrary the col
ored people can accomplish but little without the
assistance of liberal-Ininded white men. Still
they must act for themselves The ballot has been
put in their hands by the National Republican
party. to be used for the protection of their civil
rights Let them to it that this political right
is wisely used.
The right of trial by jury of peers and the
education OF their children are the two great
questions of civil rights which involve the future
prosperity and happiness of the colored race. In
my next will treat of the subject of education,
and give an insight into the shameful discrimina-
tons in The school finds of the State which have
been made by the Bourbous against the colored
people,
Having learned my political opinions in the
school Of the great original. sign myself,
MILL BOY OF THE SLASHES.