Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1889-01-25
A "Rigorous', Ohio Policy Wanted.

Entered ct the PoatcGico G. Alsza,:gi F;rg;n;e. o'
sec01G-claSs matter,
A rigorous Ohio Policy Wanted.
The question Of Gen HArFiscn'a policy
towards the south" las been discussed by
the republican presa, and there hes been no
little speculation SIS to whether il wonld be
rigorous" or "conci!iaiory," and "a to what
be would "insi5t'' should be done in that
part OF the country. Recent events force
to the front another queston-What will Do
the new Presidents policy towards Ohio?
The last Ohio Legislature, more than
twenty wears after the close of the war,
abolished the BLACK laws" Discriminating
against tbs negroes, which had until that
time remained upon the statute book, and
thus opened the public schools ofthe State
to white and black children alike. During
this period of mole than twenty years, it
must be remembered, the republican poll
ticiens of Ohio had been trying to force Up
on tue Southern States through Congress
legislation which would do sway with ell
race discrimination in schools and else
where, in that portion OF tbs Union.
No sooner did tie Ohio people discover
that the action of the legislature which had
been much praised as 'abolishiDg relic OF
barbarlsm," really meant that negro parents
could, if they chose, send their children to
schools previously attended solely by whites,
than trouble broke cut in anumber ofpiaces.
The mos. serious difficulty has been in town
of Clermont county, which bellies iis name
of Felicity. The population of the Felicity
consists of nine whites to one negro. and un
til the Law of 1857 was passed, the negro
cd fch
were maintained almost exclusively by the
whites, the school-taK paid By the negroes
being OILY $16 to S3 600 by the whites.
When the school term opened il the fall of
1887, several negro children presented them
selves at white school, and Insisted upon
admission. They were refused entrance,
and when negro father accompanied his
children, in order to enforce their rights, be
was roughly handled by scmo white men.
The negroes finally concluded that it was of
NO use to continue the struggle, and a peace
was patched up by an agreement of the
whites to provide two graded schools for
colored children, taught by excellent color
ed teachers.
But the old trouble was renewed when the
last school year opened in September, 1883.
The graded school system for the blacks had
u
ing the two schools, and the whitea decided
to support only one school for the blacks.
Tbereupon the Blacks resolved to make an
other effort to get their children into the
white school. Three successive days the col
ored children applied for admission. and
three successive days The white men and
women flor the feeling was even stronger
amoug the women than the mep) stood in
the door and told them that they could not
enter. The School Board consisting of
three republicans aud three demncrats) re-
NAMED passive, informing the negroes when
appealed to that theys did not propose to
take any hand in the matter. La the words
of one of them, Some of our best citizens
said to US, 'We want you directors TO keep
your hands eff, aud we will attend TO this
matter ourselves. we propose that the ne.
groes shall not gointo cur white school, We
have made every provision for them. It
would break up our school, for the majority
of the white people would Withdraw their
children"
Agaiu the negroes found that they must
give up the attempt to secure their rights by
their own exerticns This time they re-
solved to appeal to the courts. Indictments
were sought aud obtained against celtaiO
white persons who had obstrnced negro
parents when they tried 10 enter their
children in the white school. Tne cases re
Gently came to trial Two jUries refused TO
convict the oflenders, and il being evident
that public sentiment would secure the same
result in any case, tie trial of oil the other
cases was postponed.
All through this struggle, which hiss now
lasted nearly gear and haf. the Govern
or of Ohio has been inactive. Not one word
has he said in denunciation of the outrages
or in rebuka of the law.breakers. His re-
cent message to the Legislature was entirely
silent on the most vital issue now pending
in the State OF Ohio.
Here evidently is clear case for the in-
coming President. In State OF the Ameri,
can union negroes are denied those rights
guaranteed by the federal constitution. Lo-
cal sentiment sustains the injustice; the
courts refuse to punish the offenders; the
Governor of the State, oyeraWed by the po-
litical influence of the law-breakers, is su-
pine. The poor negro of Felicity is helpless
in the face of q hostile State.
Obviously there must be policy towards
Ohio.n and as obviously it must pc "rlgor.
ousn one The sun should not go down on
the 4th OF March before Benjamin Harrison,
President of the United States, has notified
the white people of Felicity, Ohio, that he
will "insist" that they open their schools to
the negro children, that 3 force Of United
States troops will be stationed ct the door
of the school house to enforce the rights of
the negroes, and that the pusillanimous Gov
ernor Of the State will be lodged in the pen
itentiary.-M 7. Ereniag Post jan %.
Syrup Of Figs
Is NATURES own true laxative 1t is the
mosf easily taken. and tbs most effective