San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-12-05
PRESIDENT HARRISON ON THE
COLORED QUESTION.


In his message to congress Presi-
dent Harrison has this to say about
the colored people and the race ques-
ton generally;
"The colored people did not intrude
upon US. They were brought here
in Oh aims and held in the communi-
ties where they are now chiefly
found by a cruel slave code.
Happily for both races they
are now free. They have, from a
standpoint of ignorance and poverty
(which was our shame, not theirs),
made remarkable advance in educa-
ton and in the acquisition of proper
ty. They have as people shown
themselves to be friendly and faithful
towards the white men under
temptations of tremendous strength.
They have their representativ es
in the national cemeteries, where
a grateful government has gathered
the ashes of those who died in its de-
tense. They have furnished to our
regular army regiments that have won
high praise for their commanding Off
GERS for courage and soldierly quail
ties and for fidelity to the enlistment
oath. In civil life they are the toilers
of their communities, making their
full contribution ito the widening
streams ofprosperity which the COM
munities are receiving. Their sudden
withdrawal would stop productionand
bring disorders in the household gen.
orally. They do not desire to quit
their homes, and their reply is to re-
sent the interference of the emigra-
ton agents who seek to stimulate
such desire. But notwithstanding
all this in many parts of our country
where the cOlored population is large
the people of that race are by var
ious devices deprived of any effective
exercise of their political rights and
of many of their civil rights. The
wrong does not expend itself upon
those whose votes are suppressed, but
every constituency in the Union is
wronged. 1t has been the hope of
every patriot that a senseof justice
and respect for law'.would work grad
ual cure of these fragrant evils. Surely |
no one supposes that the present can
be accepted as a permanent condi- |
ton. If it is said that these cOmmu- |
mites must work out this problem for |
themselves, we have a right to ask |
whether they are at work upon it. |
Do they suggest any solution? When |
and under what conditions is the |
black man to have a free ballot? |
When is he, in fact, to have those full |
civil rights which have so long been |
his in law? When is that equality of |
influence which our government was |
intended to secure to the electors to |
be restored? This generation should |
courageously face the grave questions |
and not leave them as a her.
itage of woe to the next |
generation. The consultation should |
proceed with candor, calmness and |
tice and humanity, not of prejudice |
and cruelty. No question In our |
country can be at rest except upon the |
firm base of justice and of the law L
earnestly invoke the attentio of con-
gress to the consideration of such |
measures within it's well defined con-
stitutlonal powers as will secure to |
all our people free exercise of their
rights of suffrage and every other
civil right under the cOnstitu-
ton and laws of the United |
States. No evil, however deplor-
aOle,can JuSblly Gne assumption elmer |
OH the part of the executive or of con-
gress of powers not granted, but both
will be highly blamable if all the
powers granted are not wisely and
firmly used to correct the evils. The
power to take the whole direction
and control of the election of men,
bers of the house of representatives is
clearly given the general govern
ment. A partial and qualified SUI
pervision of these elections is now
provided for by law, and in !
my opinion the law may be so |
strengthened and extended as to Sc
cure on the whole better results than |
can be attained by law taking all |
the process of such elections into fed |
eral control. The cOlored man should |
be protected in all of his relations to |
the federal government, whether as
litigant, juror or witness in our
courts, as an eiectOr or member of
congress or as a peaceful traveller on
our railways.