Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1899-03-03
A STRONG PLEA FOR
JUSTICE.
Speech of Honorable George
n. White, Congressman
from North Carolina,

81. "A'IIOS SOIl6t SSSIIldT
from North Carolina,
This problem Is onfron,ing the ma
tion. We seem as a race 10 be going
through a crucible, crisis-a peculiar
crisis. 1t is not necessary, nor have I
the time, to enter into any explanation
as to what brought about this crisis.
l may say, however, IN passing. that
possibly more than by any other one
thing it has been brought about by the
fact that despite all the oppression
which have fallen upon our shoulders
we have been rising, steadily rising,
and in some instances we hope ere long
to be able to measure our achievements
with those of all other men and women
Of the land. This tendency on the part
OF some of us to rise and assert our
manhood along all lines is, fear, what
has brought about this changed COL
dition.
Shall the nation stand by listlessly,
or shall it uphold the principles that it
has established? Shall it recognize,
as declared in the organic law, that all
men are born free and equal and are
endowed with certain inalienable
rights, among which are life liberty,
and the pursuit of happiness?
i
| During the discussions here since the
pendency of the treaty of peace have
heard good deal said, both in this
House and at the other end of the Capt..
toll, about the Declaration of Independ-
ence and the Constitution of the United
States u hare heard a good d,a! said
about Thomas jefferson and Others
who had to do with the drafting o1
that instrument. And it has been al
legged that they did not mean what
they said IN that declaration, for the
reason that at the very time it was
promulgated they owned slaves, anG
therefore when they spoke of all mer
being free and equal they did not mear
the black population. The Coustitu
tion is a very elastic instrument wher
You have purpose to serve. Public
sentiment is law, and law, when prop
erly executed, is public sentiment.
heard once of learned old lawyer
who was instructing his class prepara
l>{, L,
supreme court of the State for license
He said to them one day, MY dea
boys whenever you have case in re
gard to which the law is in your favo
and the facts against you, you lnus
lean hard on the law; but if the law i
against you and the facts in your favo
then lean hard on the facts" One
bright young fellow said, "Well, Judg,
suppose both the law and the facts arr
against us, then what must we do?
"Ah, my boys" said the Judge, "thel
you must beat about the bush" II oc
ours to me, sir. that every time a con
struction of the Constitution or an in
terpretat;on of the law is made with
reference to the humble race with wicl
l am identified, the principle of tina
old judges instruction is brought int
play. If the law is in favor OF tn
Negro and the facts rather against hin
they lean hard on the facts. If tn
reverse is true, they lean hard on th
law in the construction of a statnt
with reference to him; but if the Negr
happens to have both the law and th
facts on his side. all the decision!
touching his rights seem to be beating
around the bush. | regret TO say it
and l say it with respect, with no in
tention OF rejecting upon anybody O.
any branch of this Government.
Now, the problem to which refe
not only touches my people, but in my
humble Judgment it reaches out ane
ramiges and affects every citizens o
the American Republic. How Ions
will we sit say we" l will si
here only two years longer, should
live, I am going to try mighty hard tc
live that long. How long will you si
in your seats here and see the principles
that upderlie the foundation of thi
Government sapped little by little, bu
nevertheless surely sapped away? !
took the pains this afternoon 70 run
over one or two Of the States that have
bee n harping, through their represen
tatives, most about the oolored man OF
this floor since / have been in Con
gress. s.;s3. n .1s ..:5
took Mlssissippi, because ! recall
that two gentlemen from that State
sspsciallyI have rsference 70 Coz.
gress ALIEN and CongrsssmAa WILL.
AMs havs tSleen special pains On saver
= occasions % re4sr to the Negro; they
zs1sFred "a. him u = slufrine way, 10
vi him O some ethine e be
nsnSssd, re3efxed NJ Iii aa AiIine