Arkansas weekly mansion., 1883-10-27
EQUAL RIGHTS.

Our opinion OF CnlS lnou1ehtous
question is that wealth and inteli-
gence is the key to the situation,
these once acquired, will bring
US in contact with all the leading
factors of the world, and of itself
demand the merited respect.
First, we must educate our youth,
then give them professions or
trades and patronlze them. I'd, an
educated lady or gentleman will
not open a hotel, barber shop or
restaurant and discriminate
against one of their own race.
Until we fully recognize all the
rights of each other, we have no
right to attempt to force others
to recognize US in capacity that
we refuse to recognize each other.
An educated gentleman would
not refuse to shave Douglass,
Bruce, Langston or Smythee,
should they present themselves
for such accommodation, but an ig>
ronamus would. Now the far
steal civil rights bill has been an
nulled by the supreme court of
the United States, equal rights
falls back upon its merit where
it rightfully should. These things
should be let severely alone to
regulate themselves, tien like
the more favored races, every
man will be respected for what he
knows and has, which will be an
incentive to the, race to acquire
kno wledge and wealth.
We speak the above from per-
sonal experience. In the year
1860. when we concluded to be
free, we carefully packed our
trunk and left South Carolina,
our native land. We even then
rode III first class cars, stopped in
first class hotels, and travelled as
a first class passenger on the
Ohio River, eat at the first table,
sat next to the captain, who sat
at the head of the table, On the
steamer Silver Moon. At this
dark and dismal hour no discrim-
ination was made on account Of
color, why, because we had a
plenty of money and put on the air
Of an intelligent gentleman. We
were recognized as such so long
as the two lasted together, and
just as soon as they were severed
we were lowered in the balance OF
equality. These great and po-
tent levers does not only elevate
men in America, but the world
over. While in Hayti, doing
large commercial busines, there
was no American greater than
Simkens and the same course
characterized our case while in
Jamaica, Nassau, Canada and De-
troit, Mich, when we came to
Arkansas in 1877 the national
and state civil rights bills was
in vogue and colored people was
barred from first classs cars, no.
tells, saloons and restaurants. A few
years ago, the Legislature found it
to be lead letter and repealed it.
Since its repeal colored men are
admitted to nearly every
thing white men are. We have
even been admitted to full men,
bership of the state press to as
sist in shaping public sentiment,
a thing which would never have
been permitted had we endeav-
ored to enforce civil rights on an
unwilling people. Now the col
ored people as a mass are enjoy
ing nearly every right here that
they can enjoy in Canada, and if
we continue to qualify ourselves
end not stop to force ourselves ON
any body who are not willing to
receive us. The cast prejudice
will in time die of itself sooner
than it could be killed by any |
special legislation. Had it not
been for the special legislation,
the whites of the south would
have respected colored men of
distinction, also colored ladies
and gentlemen ON travel and treat
i'll bred blacks as they did and do
ill bred whites. but the civil rights
bill took away all the superior
virtues of colored people and
formed them into one class and
that the lowest class.