Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-10-17
CIVIL RIGHTS.
Interviews with Leading COlored Men
on the Supreme Court Decision
Ex-senator Bruee's Opinion.
More Information Wanted by the Senate
Committee on Education and La.
bOr-The Speakership.

WASHINGTON, October 16.-The National
Republican contains this morning inter
views with Fred Douglass, Minister Lang
ston, Prof Greene and other prominent
colored men on the decision of the Su-
preme Court on the civil rights bill. They
agree in considering the decision matter
for regret. Douglass thinks it is step
backward, and places the United States in
the rear OF civilization in Europe and
America, and its moral effect will, he
thinks, be mischievous.
Minister Langston, who says he drafted
the civil rights bill at the request OF Chas.
Sumner, says the only thing the colored
people in The States can do when deprived
of their civil rights is to bring action un-
! der common law in the State courts. The
civil rights act, he says lid not confer any
| rights upon the colored people, but merely
provided for the enforcement OF the laws
| comforting these rights, and consequently
| the decision of the court yesterday did
not take away any of the rights conferred
| by the fourteenth amendment.
| The colored people of the District will
meet Monday night to express their views
| with respect to the recent decision of the
| Supreme Conrt on the civil rights bill.
Among the speakers to be invited are
Fred Douglass, Col Ingersoll, the Rev. DIR.
| Rankin, Judge Shellabarger, Jeff Chandler
| and Judge Riddle. Arthur Smith, the
colored journalist says there is much
feeling among the colored people over the
decision, though the more intelligent of
them, who understood the civil rights bill,
| have always believed it was not good law.
If the thirteenth and fourteenth amend
ments do not answer the purpose the
colored people want another that will.
EX-SENATOR BRUCE,
Register OF the Treasury, who has Just re-
turned from the Ohio campaign, was asked
for his opinion of the decision OF the Su-
preme Court. at is a most unfortunate
decision" was his reply, "and grieves me
and thousands of others very much. |
think its effect will be to carry the coun-
| try backward fifteen years at least. 1t
| does not refer its amendments to the peo-
pie as a court decision ought to do, and it
| is, in my opinion, a revival OF Calhoun S
| theory"
"What will be its effects upon the col
ored people? ?" asked the reporter.
THAT | would not attempt to predict, -
was the reply; "but do say that moth
ing has occurred since the war to embar-
rass and discourage them so much as the
decision OF yesterday"
John F. Cook, colored, collector of taxes,
says he does not regard the decision in
the same light as: Douglass, that it is a step
backward in progress. He does not
| think public sentiment any more antago-
nistic to the colored people than when the
| law was passed. On the contrary, he
thinks it has made progress, nor does he
think the decision will in any manner be
injurious to the colored race, except, per
haps, in localities where ignorance pre-
walls. The standing morally and socially
OF the colored men and women is to be
measured by their desire for education
| and mental culture