The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1897-02-03
CHARLESTON, Eel. 1, 1881.

sensible editorial upon the failure
to invite the negro representative
from Fayette county, to the Legis-
lative Ball:
.Theattempted much-to-do made
by some of the Republican mem
beers of the House of Delegates
about the failure of the committee
on invitations to invite the Hon.
Chris Payne, the colored member
of that body from Fayette county,
to the legislative reception and ball
given at the State House last night
by the society people of our city,
was wholly unnecessary and abso-
lutely uncalled for.
Civil rights have long since been
guaranteed to the colored race in
this country and that situation has
been fully accepted and acquies-
ced in by the people, but in this
portion of the United States social
equality has neither, SO far, been
sought nor accepted by our people,
nor is it likely to be done.
"For those who desire social
equality the civil laws place no re-
strictions, but the laws of society
are governed by that inherent prin-
ciple of associating with those only
whom its devotees may choose to
associate with, and while the mem
bers of our Legislature who remain
ed away last night had perfect
legal right to do SO, yet they have
no just cause whatever to complain
of the committee whose members
are composed of four well known
and popular young society Repub-
licans and three Democrats of
similar high standing for failing to
invite any one except those whom
it was their pleasure to invite, and
it would be well for those members
who felt SO much umbrage at the
SO called slight of one of their fell
low members to read carefully the
proceedings CT the Massachusetts,
Republican legislature the other
day, wherein colored member of
the Governors Council was refused
to be permitted to attend His Tx
cellency to the Tennessee Centen-
NAL Exposition next summer.
"Social equality is not tolerated
even at the very home of those who
profess SO much love for the
negro"
The plan of making amend
ments to the present constitution,
has been placed in the hands of
committee, composed of fifteen
members from both Houses, of
which eight are Republicans and
seven are Democrats. This means
that nothing will be done towards
amending the constitution unless
it is of a partisan nature. Some
of the committee are in favor of an
amendment striking the word
white" out of the constitution,
thus paving the way for mixed
schools, of colored and white.
There is stiff opposition to the
formation of the new county of
Augusta. The counties from
which it is proposed to take the
territory to create Augusta" are
all fighting the proposition. But
as it will be a Republican county,
the Legislature seems determined
to create the county, whether right
or wrong. They are looking out
for the Republican party, and net
the interest of the people.
1t is now pretty certain that the
bill presented in the Legislature
providing for 'eGirl's Industrial
School" will be passed. This is
the best bill before the Legisla-
ture, and is something the State
should have had years ago.
AS concerning the question of
dealing with the criminals of the
State, two important bills are
likely to engage the attention of
the Legislature at any time. One
of these meeting with much favor
able notice is introduced by Sena-
tor Hughes, of Cabell county, and
provides that each county shall pay
its own criminal expenses. instead
of letting them accumulate to
large sum and then sending on the
bill to be footed by the State. The
second bill referred to provides
not only should the criminals in
our penitentiary work out their
own board, but that they should
be put to work where such work is
most required upon the county.