Arkansas weekly mansion., 1883-11-17
A CIVIL RIGHTS INQUIRY

"A CIV1L R1GHTS INQUIRY
Are the rights of the colored
citizens of Arkansas not ALREADY
secured by law? Let US see. The
fourteenth amendment to the
constitution of tie United States,
declares that no state shall "deny
to any person within it's jurisdic-
tlon the equal protection of the
laws In other words, that the
state of Arkansas shall not by her
laws deny to either a colored or
white person the equal protection
OF the laws. In obedience to this
provision of the national consti-
tuition the state of Arkansas by
section 3 of article 2 of her con-
stitution, declares that s.the
equality of all persons before the
law is recognized and shall ever
remain inviolate; nor shall any
citizen ever be deprived of any
right, privilege or immunity on
account of race, color or previous
condition." Section 13 of the
some article, affirms that eevery
person is entitled to a certain
remedy in the laws for injuries
or wrongs he may receive in his
person, property or character"
Section Is of said article, says,
that ''the general assembly shall
not grant to any citizen or class
of citizens. privileges, or immu
mites which, upon the same
terms, shall not equally belong to
all citizens" The statutes of our
state and the common law of the
country confer ali rights, privile
ges and immunities and impose
all burdens and duties uron both
colored and white alike and the
mode and means of obtaining le
gal redress are the same for all
persons. In view of these consti-
tutional statutory aud common
law provisions may not the COL
ored people Of this state properly
and hopefully claim and contend
ior every civil right privilege and
immunity enjoyable under the
law by the white people? 1t does
seem so. Suppose they club their
means and employ good counsel
any doubt ap8aatttteflEe ap8aatt tflEe atf II there is
toned being the "rights, privile-
ges and immunities" that enat lie
one to get a meal at a hotel or to
get the accommodation he pays
for at theatre, there can be no
doubt about they being the means
by which he is enabled to get the
fare he pays for on railroads, for
the Legislature is even cnjoined
by the following sections Of our
state constitution to pass penal
laws, yea, criminal laws, for the
enforcement Of proper treatment
to passengers by railroads. Read
article xvii, section 3. All indi-
viduals, associations and corpo-
rations shall have equal rights to
have persons and property trans0
ported over railroads. canals and
turnpikes, and no undue or un-
reasonable discrimination shall be
made in charges for or in tacili-
ties for transportation of freight
or passengers within the state or
coming from or going to any 9th
er state," Sec. g.. "No railroad
or canal company, or any lessee,
manager or employe thereof shall
make any preferences in furnish
ing cars or motive power" Sec.
10. "The general assembly shall
pass laws to correct abuses and
prevent unjust discrimination and
excessive charges by railroad,
canal and turnpike companies for
transporting freight and pas
sengers, and shall provide for en-
forcing such laws by adequate
penalties and forfeitures."
Now then, Mr.. Editor, if the
above questions are to be an
swered in tie negative, then we
need class Legislation.
A PLEBIAN.