Arkansas weekly mansion., 1883-10-27
ADDRESS TO THE COLORED
PEOPLE OF LOUISVILLE,

ADDRESS TO THE COLORED
PEOPLE OF LOUISVILLE.
LOUISVILLE, KY, October 49,
Many negro citizens met to dis
cuss the late decision of Justice
Brady concerning the civil rights
bill. A lengthy address, of which
the following is a synopsis, was
issued:
TO the Colored Citizens of the
State Of Kentucky: Whereas, The
Supreme Court of the United
States has declared the civil
rights bill of March 1, 1876, un-
constitutional, and therefore null
and void; and whereas, this decis-
ion falls with great force upon
our rights as freemen in this our
native land; now, therefore, in
order to clearly and promptly set
forth the views OF the colored peo-
pie of this state upon this import
ant question, we earnestly call up
Oh the colored citizens in every
town and city in the state to as
semble in public meetings at once
and pass upon the sentiments
therein expressed:
l. By the amendments to the
constitution of the United States
we are citizens thereof, which in
SO far as law is concerned means
the same to every man without
distinction or discrimination up.
on any account whatever.
2. by the fundamental laws of
the government, which this de-
cision and even the supreme court
of the United States cannot re-
peal, every citizen, white or black,
is entitled to his civil rights as
such; therefore as citizens we
have been deprived of no civil
rights hitherto enjoyed by US by
the recent decision of the supreme
court of the United States.
3. The means Of enforcing these
rights have always existed
through the various channels of
the state courts, but the laxity OF
these courts i'm several states TO
enforce them brought about the
enactment of the civil rights bill
of congress, which has been de-
clared void and the means of re~
dress rcmanded to the various
courts of the states.
4. The fact that the common
sense and Judgment of the people
generally is rapidly tending to-
ward fuller and more complete
recognition Of their civil rights
without the Intervention of courts
is u matter for congratulation, and
if we advance in intelligence,
wealth and department as good
citizens the reason for special leg
islation in enforcing our rights
will become less, not that by law
any of these qualifications are
necessary to equal citizenship,
but BY unj just force are made me-
cessary in our case.
6. We call for a systematic
national organization among the
people of the United
States, through which undiscrim-
mating common carriers and
other public convenicnces may be
known, and hereby call upon the
colored men engaged in every
of business in the south,
their friends and all with whom
they may have any influence to
import their supplies and export
their products with such corpo-
rations exclusively in every case |
where it is possible to do so. We |
call upon the influential colored |
men of the porth, east and west |
to put forth. a':ch efforts among |
their friends and the friends of the |
race in commercial circles as will |
strengthen the course indicated
therein.
In conclusion, the address rec |
that all oolored citizens
shall patronize and in every way
aid such corporations as do not
discriminate against them. |