The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1881-07-09
The Logic Of Events.

Under this caption the New Orleans
OJserrer quotes and comments upon an
interesting decision rendered by Judge
Church Of Crawford, Pa, Democratic
official, "upon the suit of Mr.. Elias H.
Allen, colored citizen of the third ward,
Meadville, Pa, who applied for the ad-
mission of his children to the Huide-
koper Grammar school, the public school
for that ward, and was refused on the
ground that there was colored school
with equal educational facilities in the
first ward, to which he must send his
children" Contrary to general expecta-
tions Judge Church sustained the man.
damus sued out by plaintiff and decreed
that the children should be admitted to
the Huide-koper school, thus setting
aside the construction placed upon the
State law of 1854 which the School
Board adopted for it's guidance. The
Judge said:
Since the act of 1854 was passed great
revolution has taken place in this country.
Absolute equality before the law and equal
protection under the law is to be predicated
Of the recent constitutional amendments
and legal enactments of every State com
posing the United States and of the Federal
Government itself. Under these circum-
stances cannot see why this section under
consideration, involving as it does the very
personification of caste, has been suffered to
remain upon the statute book. As q matter
OF fact, believe it to be practically dead
letter throughout the Commonwealth 1t
ought to be 50 in this city, and now must be
held incapable of enforcement as vfOlative
OF the principles Of the constitution Of the
Unitcd States. 1t must no longer be said
that tho Huide.koper Grammar School is the
only place within the United States where a
distinction is made as to the civil rights OF
citizen on account of his race or color. If
the Senate of the United States is open to
the entry Of q person of the hitherto pro
scrbed race, so much the more ought to be
open to such q person q public district
school.
The question of prOpriety and taste, as
we'll as the social and intellectual infcriority
Of the colored race, was dwelt upon by
| counsel for respondents in their argument
but 1t is manifest that with these features
of the case this court has nothing to do. Ii
! is question of constitutional law, pure and
simple.
Yet cannot avoid the remark that can
| see nothing destructive to our institutions
! in the demolition of the legal barriers that
have been erected so long and so high
| between the colored race and their natural,
civil and political rights and liberties.
The white race owe the colored race at
least fair play in their great struggle for
| education and improvement and advance
| ment which they are making and have a
! right to make in their recently cmancipated
| condition.
It, after being accorded equal advantages
and freedom from petty tyranny and studied
insult, and the incentive to self-respec'
which is meted to others, the colored man
falls behind in the great race for human
progress, it will then be time to talk of the
moral and intellectual inftriority of The
race. Nothing but gross uncharitablenes.
can be jealous or envi0us Of advancement
and progress founded upon true merit.