Morris tribune., 1883-10-20
MAKING AN ISSUE
Bob Ingersoll Has Word to Say
About Civil Rights.
And Declares that the Late Decision
Gives Away the Results or
the War some other
Opinions


topic of discussion by the politicians. he
publicans are much excited over it, and re-
gard an amendment to the constitution COW
ering the grounds of the civil rights bill as
one of the issues of the future Col Robert
G. Ingerson, who has just returned from the
west, was asked by a press correspondent:
seWhat do you think of the recent opinion or
the supreme court touching the rights OF the
colored n1ana'
tsI think il is all wrong. The intention OF
the trainers Of the amendment, by virtue OF
which the law was passed, was that no DIS
tinction should be made IN inns, in hotels
cars, or theatres-in short, in public places
on account of color, race, or previous condl-
ton. The object Of the men who framed that
amendment 10 the constitution was perfectly
clear, perfectly well known, perfectly under
stood. They intended to secure, by an amend
rnent to the fundamental law, what had been
fought for by hundreds Of thousands OF men.
They knew that the institution OF slavery
had cost rebellion They also knew that the
spirit Of caste was only slavery IN announcer
form. They intended to kill that spirit.
Their objection was that the law, like the
sun, should shine upon all, and that no man
keeping hotel, no corporation running cars,
and no persons managing a theatre should
make any distinction on account of race or
color. The amendment is above all praise.
1t was the result of a moral exaltatlon such
as the world never before had seen. There
were years, during the war and after, when
the American people were simply sublime;
when their generosity was countless; when
their sense of Justice was as keen as Chrlsts;
when they were willing to endure any hard
ship to make this an absolutely free country.
This decision of the supreme court puts the
best people of the colored race at the mercy OF
the meanest portion Of the white race. IL
allows contemplate white man to trample
upon a real good colored man. L believe In
drawing a line between good and bad, clean
and unclean, but do not believe in drawing
a color line, which is as cruel as the lash OF
slavery l am willing to be on an equality
in all hotels, in all cars, in all theatres, with
colored people. I make no distinction OF
race. Those make the distinction
who can not afford not to. Ii
nature has made no distinction between me
and some others, do not ask the aid OF the
legislature I am willing to associate with
all good, clean persons, irrespective OF COM
plexion. This decision virtually gives away
one of the great principles for which the war
was fought 1t carries the doctrine OF state
rights to the Democratic extreme and rem
q new court agree with Justice Harlan.
He has taken a noble and patriotic stand.
Kentucky rebukes Massachusetts,. l am
waiting with some mpatience-impatient be-
cause I anticipate pleasure from his dis
senting opinion. Only a little while ago
Justice Harlan took very noble stand on
the Virginia coupon cases, in which was IN
volved the right of a state to repudlate Its
debts Now he has taken stand in favor OF
the civil rights of the colored man, and
in both instances I think he is right This
decision may, after ALL help the Republican
party A decision of the supreme court
aroused the indignation of the entire north,
and hope the present decision will have
like effect. Any government that makes
a distinction on account of color is
disgrace to the age in which we
live. The idea that a man like
Frederick Douglass can be denied entrance to
car; that the doors of hotel can be shut in
his face; that he may be prevented from en-
tering a theatre! The idea that there shall
be some ignominious corner into which such
man can be thrown by decision of the
supreme court! This idea is simply absurd.
'sThe real American, the real believer in lib
erty, will give three cheers for Judge Harlan
One word more The government is bound to
protect its citizens, not only when they are
away from home, but when they are under
the flag. In time of war the government
has a right to draft any citizen, to put
that citizen in the line of battle and compel
him to fight for the nation. If the govern
ment, when imperriled has the right to
compel a citizen, whether white or black, to
defend with his blood the flag, that citizen,
when 1mperiled has the right to demand
protection from the nation. The nation can
not then say: You must appeal to your
state If the citizen must appeal to the
state for redress then the citizen should de-
fend the state and not the general govern
ment and the doctrine of state rights then
becomes complete"
John F. Cook (colored, the collector of
taxes, says he does not regard the decision in
the light that it is a step backward in the
progress of civilization He does not think
public sentiment any more antagonistic to
the colored people than when the law was
passed On the contrary, he thinks it has
made progress. Neither does he think the
decision will in any manner be an injury to
tie colored race, except, perhaps, in the To-
calitics where ignorance prevails. The stand
ing, morally and socially, of colored men and
women is to be measured by their desire for
education and mental culture.
What TrumbuII and Mcdonald Say.
CHICAGO, Oct. 18-tIt does not in the
least affect the fundamental rights of the
colored race, and / regard it of very little
consequence more than it settles disputed
law question" said the Hon. Lyman Trum-
bull when asked by a reporter his opinion
CT the recent decision of the United
States supreme court declaring I'M
constitut onal the civilrights bill of 1875.
at Goes not" continued the jurist. 'interfere
in the least with the true civil-rights bill,
the one of 1866, which conferred upon the
negro, in common with all other citizens
over 81 years of age, political and civil rights.
The bill we are talking about, passed in 1875,
attempted to confer social rights upon the
negro: to assure him equality in hotels
theatres, and cars; it gave him no legal
rights he did not have before"
The judge said that by the fifteenth amend
ment and the act Of 1866 the negro was put
upon exactly the same political and civil
standing that any white man enjoys These
acts still stand unchallenged and are in full
force to-day, and that legally the decision
was undoubtedly good law.
Ex-senator Mcdonald, of Indiana said
that the ruling of the supreme court regard
ing the civil rights of the negro was exactly
right; that it was in accordance with past
rulings. He thought the amendments were
not intended as police regulations for states
The ringfield, H., Convention. =
SPRINGFIELD, ILL.,, Oct. 1S.-The colored
convention was turbulent affair The fac
tions contending for the mastery had fierce
struggle. but those who desired to organize
for the protection of their political rights