Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-02-14
The Edmunds Civil Rights Bill.

rights bill Will came up in the Senate for
consideration in a day or two. This bill
is intended to take the place of the civil
rights bill which was lately declared un-
constitutional. The bill provides that
either party to a suit in a State court
can have the same removed to the
United States Court when it is shown that
any civil right is denied on account of
race prejudice. The apparent purpose OF
| the bill Is TO put the races on an equality
so far as civil rights are concerned, and to
/ make it incumbent on the Federal Courts
I to see that this equality Is maintained. OF
/ course the bill is aimed at the South. SEN
ator Edmunds and his class of statesmen
/ are confirmed in the belief that the white
/ people of the South are determined that
the negroes shall not enjoy their civil
rights. How do they get the impression
I that the negroes are deprived of their civil
rights? Certainly not from the negroes.
I Senator Blair and his labor committee
made careful inquiries of the negroes re-
sDecting their treatment when visiting
this State just before the opening Of Con-
/ gress, and the published testimony did
/ not show a single complaint. Senator
Blair must have been astOnished at the
unanimity with which the negroes declar-
ed that they were in the full enjoyment of
all the rights the law allowed them, and
that their treatment was all that they
could ask. Senator Edmunds gets his i'm
preston Of the condition of affairs in the
/ South from unreliable negro politicians
who have motive in misleading him and
other Republican leaders, and from office
holders in the South who, while they want
| the Republican party to remain in power,
don't want any Republican party in the
I South. They want to maintain condition
of affairs that viii permit them to retain
/ the offices. Mr.. Edmunds does not under
I South. If he did he would
not. if he desired the well
fare of the negro, advise any more
civil rights legislation. The relations be-
I tween the white and colored races viii
adjust themselves much more rapidly
without legislation than with it. The ne
I gTOes were not alarmed when the late
I civil rights law was declared uncOnstitu-
/ tiOnal, and were not apprehensive that
they would be deprived of any civil
/ rights. There was, perhaps, here and
/ there, a contentious negro who sought to
/ excite IlLfeeling between the races, but
/ he was not encouraged by his own race,
| The feeling towards the ne grOes in the
South is kindly, and there is a disposition
TO help them to improve their condition.
! In this State schools are provided
I for negro children, and negroes are en-
/ cOuraeed to give their children the bene-
fit Of them. In the courts no distinction
in the treatment of the two races is dis
( cernible. The tendency ofthe Edmunds'
bill viii be to di sturb the pleasant rela-
tions now existing between the races. A
! certain class of negroes will demand
more than they are entitled to, and this
/ demand will meet with resistance. Where
/ there is now peace and cOntentment there
may be dissatisfaction and disturbances.
Legislation cannot force the negro into any
/ different position than he now occupies.
/ His Importance as a citizen will increase
I only so fast as his condition improves,
and the improvement of his condition is
/ problem that he must work out for him
self. All class legislation is a mistake.
( The Savannah River Improvement.
We publish an article this morning
written by Mr.. William Hunter, of this
city, showing the Importance of pushing
forward, as rapidly as possible, the i'm
prOyements for deepening the channel of
the Savannah river. Mr.. Hunter shows,
with great clearness and force, that the
commerce of this port has grown wonder
fully since deeper water to the sea was
obtained. He gives the increase in
the tonnage for a number Of years,
and the increase in the ex-
ports and imports. II additional
arguments are needed to impress the
House and Senate Committees on Rivers
and Harbors with the necessity Of dealing
| with the Savannah river literally they
are to be found in Mr.. Hunters article.
There is no reason to doubt that with
twenty-five feet of water the commerce
of Savannah would show even a greater
increase than has been secured by the
additional depth of water already OBJ
tanned. As the section of the South de-
/ pendent on this port grows in wealth and
/ population the commercial Importance of
this city must grow. Every possible
obstruction to commerce ought to be
removed. The largest class Of vessels
cannot now load to their full capacity at
our wharves. They are forced to drop
down the river, in some instances nine
miles and in others eighteen miles, and
there take on part Of their cargoes. 1t
will be readily understood that this want
of a channel capable of accommodating
the best class of vessels tends to check
the growth of our commerce. We have
no doubt that our Congressman are well
informed respecting the needs Of the
river, and are doing what they can to Sc
cure an ample appropriation for carrying
on the work of improvement. The facts,
presented by Mr.. Hunter, however, will
help them to convince Congress that our
demands are not only reasonable, but that
they ought to be complied with.
The Agricultural Convention.
The convention of the State Agricul-
tural Association ended last night A
large number of the members left this
morning on an excursion to Florida, to
attend the State Fair at Jacksonville, and
others left for their homes. 1t appeared
to be the general sentiment Of the men,
bers Of the association that the cOnven-
ton was a great success, and that the
good results that would flow from it
would be very noticeable. The papers
which were read showed marked
ability and careful preparation. The
subjects treated have an interest for
others than those engaged in agricultural
pursuits. The paper of Mr.. Harris on