National Republican., 1883-11-03

of his color was to be pitol In its efforts to
bolittle the thirteenth amendment the SUI
prcme court had been driven to the absurd
inconsistency of declaring by im-
plication that until the passage
of the fourteenth amendment it was
within the power of the states to hunt down
and murder colored men without any process
of law. The supreme court had declared
that congress could not legisate to maintain
the civil rights bill until the states had taken
some action adverse to the rights given the
colored man by that bill. 1t was only neces-
sary for tho states TO keep still and take
no action, and tho only redress citizen
had was in suit at common law
aud ii the state courts hold that this refusal
of common carriers and inukoopers to grant
equal rights TO the coOred man is simply
social mat or, and not one for them to decide,
what redress does the citizen have?
In the opinion OF tho supreme court as re-
Gently promulgated there occurred these
words:
There nre certain physiological differences Of
racc that cannot be ignored.
In the printed opinion of the court these
wol DIS had been omitted ana yettheY should
be regarded US a shining lamp, in the light Of
which the whole decision should be carefully
scanned. Yet this supreme court had held
that where the constitution had given gem
cral powers to congress, that general language
was sufficient to clOtho that body with plen-
AIRY powers OF legislation.
What could bO more general than tho Ian
guage of the amendment, which was that
congress shall have the power to enforce their
provisions by appropriate legislation. Com
prcss had endCavured to do this but tho su-
prcmc court shifts of on another track, and
Gays wait till the states do something. The
absurd reduction had gone on until
tho highest tribunal in the land
had declared, first, that the states
have no right to lcgisate in any way in re-
gard to these constitutional amendments, and
then that congress has no right TO lcgisate
until the states shall have lCgisluted. This
was the peculiar method that the court
adopted to demonstrate its great consistency
and its powerful respect for the force OF its
own opinions. Tho question had been asked
ii this legislation was permitted to stand, why
was IL not proper Tor congress to 20 on
and lrgislute for the maiutainanCe OF any
other right? Legislation wOuld only 10 on
while such distinctions were upheld, and
when all men were allowed the privileges
and immunitics conferred upon them by the
fundamental law then no further legislation
would be needed. TO preserve liberty is the
only excuse for governments. Liberty was
the one priceless jewel Of soul. Ii WIS tho
plant bud, flower and fruit and IN that
word is comprised all that makes life worth
the living.
The decision of the supreme court had
warmed into new life the serpent of state
rights, and in cause of civilization versus
barbarism it had granted TO the
defendant new trial John NJ. Har-
lan had the moral courage to
dissent from this aud to break away
from prejudice and maintain patriotism
The next view of this question
was that 1t was social matter. In the old
days, in every well organized democratic pro-
ccssiOn, there was four-horse wagon with o
a H.,
with the device, white husbands or none"
This was the hue and cry now. 1t was SIM
ply question of equal rights under
tho law. No man could afford to op-
press his follow man and hope to pros
per. He, himself, had rather be oppressed
than TO Cypress others to be robbed rather
than 10 be a thief. No two men were equal.
No tWu anythings were alike except, perhaps,
tho ul laons Of two idiots who believed this
dcci5 IN 20 be just. The man who hates the
b HCE imam because he is black is equal to
hilm who hates II poor man because he is poor.
4 hia wa. caste, and caste was an Outgrowth of
the inGtncst trait that ever found a home
IN the In nan heart 1t was only necessary
for the black man to be true TO himself and
exercise his rights at tho ballot box.
Wac republican party had been one of queer
impulses, and it would be proper to wait aud
see whether it indorsed this unrighteous de-
cisiUn .t tho supreme court before the full
responsibility waslald upon ltS snouluers. III
had licn party in the past made up of
gueer c!emerts, courage and cowardice, en-
-'thnsi sm and apathy.
The cOored people were only anxious to
bury their past injuries and go on In the
march of progress to raise their race to u
point where they would be entitled to the
same consideration that humanity extcn Is to
all men, and in this they had the hearty
countcnance and support of the best men of
the country living and dead throughout
his remarks the lecturer was most enthusi-
astically applauded, and at the conclusion
was warmly congratulated by those around
him