Year: 1874

part OF our republican institutions. After show
ing the bad effects OF teaching the negroes Ina
their safety lay IN organization, as race again u
whites and making them partisan supporters OF
corruption and robbery, and denouncing the men
and most dastardly enemies the colored people
ever had, he discussed


THE CIVIL RIGHTS BILL


After saying he could not support the bill be-
cause he regarded 1t unconstitutional, ne said -
lfit becomes law It will break up the whole pub
lie school system OF the Southern states, and none
viii be greater sufferers thereby than the colofed
people. IL is well known TACT that In the States
containing the bulk OF the colored population
there existed widespread and powerful prejudice
against the introduction OF a system OF common
schools to be supported at the public expense. We
equally well known that a large majority OF the
wnite people OF those States even large majority
secure to the coIored children the
largest possible advantages OF education in
nay, violently opposed to any law which, like the
Civil Rights bill, would force the admission OF
the same scnoolrooms,. That opposition exists
and we have to deal with 1t as a fact. Try to en-
force, under such circumstances, the system OF
mixed SCHOOLS and this Will be the resut:-The old
prejudice against system Of public instruction
to be supported by taxation, as IT still exists in
the states IN question, viii at once find itself
powerfully reinforced, and TO an attack, 80
strengthened, against q defence, In the same
nas SYSTEMS Of Sa
sreater misfortune conceivaeie 'tat' That could





especially the colored people, have gained, now
they have at least their separate schools at the
pubic expense as part OF the general system ?
Destroy that system and they viii have no mixed
schools, while their separate schools would perish
also; would the law, then, benefit the colored race
his rights to ride all over the country IN Pull
man palace car to board at first class hotel and
SIT in the dress circle OF theatre But such things
can be enjoyed, under any circumstances, only by
the very small number OF Weather people among
them, and those pleasures and convenenc OF
their lew men OF means would be purchased at
dreadful price. The interruption OF the public
school system-the advantages of which they now
extensively ENJOY IN separate establishments
would deprive the children OF tine poor OF a thing
which Is as necessary TO them as their daily bread
But in still other respects the enactment OF such a
law would not be beneficial to the cOored
man 1t would be dangerous venture to the
made the objective point or new strife
under circumstances so un avorable. Now
that they nave the poslca rights Of II citizenship 1t
means they already have TO make themselves re-
spected and TO leave al else to the gradual progress
many prejudice that few years ago was stii
deemed invinciDle"


He then said that the way to solve che most
difficult problem OF protection to the, colored
people is IN their own hands. Instead of exercis-
ing over one % another system OF terrorism . IN
encourage among themselves individual 1nde-
pendence. Not in union Is their SAFETY, but in
division. He then cited as an example TO them
the adopted citizens of the country who as long
tney, in an almost solid body, stood together on
tne SQe OF one party, the Otner thought OF taxing
their rights from them: out sooner did they
break their ranks and divide than both sides stood
up for them with equal zeal, 1t is a lesson easily
understood. AS soon as the coiored citizens IN
the South shake of the odium which arises from
their having as solid organized mass, been the
main support OF the worst kind OF par
tisan rule; as soon as every one OF them
casts his vote this side the
other, as his opinions or incinatons may
dictate, each party will make their protection a
special object IN order to attract a majority OF
their votes, and when these votes shah have be-
come numerous tnat the coored voters become
an important element IN both parties. the fullest
measure OF protection will be afforded them That
will do more to stop the bloody eXcesses in the
South than any military interference, and more to
establish Just and hene6cent relations between the
TWO races than anv CongressionalleglslatOn.


The senator then entel ed into an elaborate dis
cussiOn OF the finance question, and dwelt at
some length upon State affairs.