Year: 1875

at the state OF Connecticut. Her
black code" has been expunged, and
the law of 1872 provides that mo
child shall be excluded from the pub
lie schools on account of race or


color" Pass this measure and the
work in Connecticut will be undone.


Look at Illinois. Prior to 1870 the
general school law prescribed negroes,
although some municipalities provided
for their education; but the law Of
1874, passed but year ago. prohibits


all school officers from excluding,
either directly or indirectly, any child


from the public schools on account of


color. Would you undo the work in
Illinois? Look at Iowa. The Su-


preme Court of the State decided in
1868. that under the State Constitu-
ton


Boards of school directors have no


discretionary power to require colored


children to attend a separate school.
They may exercise a uniform discre-


ton, operative upon all, as to the resi-
dence, qualifications, freedom from
contagious disease, or the like, of
children, to entitle them to admission


to each particular school; but they


cannot deny youth admission to any


particular school because of his color,
nationality, religion, clothing or the
like


In harmony glth this decision the


law of 1872 declares that


'"All the youths of the State from 5
to q years of age, irrespective of re-
ligion, race, or nationality, are enti-
tied to equal school facilities.


Is the victory of Iowa to be over


turned? So it is in Massachusetts,.
While in 1S49 the Supreme Court of
Massachusetts, decided the general
school committee of Boston have
power under the Constitution and
laws of this Commonwealth to make


provision for the instruction of color
ell children in separate schools estab
lished exclusively for them, and to
prohibit their attendance in the other
schools, yet in 1854 the Legislature
abolished caste schools and by subse-
quent legislation enacted that mo
person shall be excluded from pub
lie school on account of race, color, or
religious opinions. Will you now
permit this caste system to be revived
in Massachusetts under the sanction
of Federal law? Minnesota, too, by
the law of 1873. imposed fine of $50
upon any sCuOOl UUttIo WuICA SHdii
exclude any child from the public
school ION account OF color, social
position, or nationality" So has the
to represent declared, through its su-
preme judicial tribunal, after pro-
tracted contest, that "black children
have righ. to admission into the
public schools on equal terms with all
others;' and its Legislature by sol
emn enactment has provided that mo
separate school or DEPARTMENT shall
be kept for any person on account of
race or color" Shall she be robbed
OF the glory of her achievements?
Sir, should be recreant to her best
interests and false to duty did l not
protest against any measure which
would detract one iota from the merit
of her school system. in which her
people take such a just and honorable
pride.


But, sir, not only would this pro-
vision allowing separate schools undo
the work already accomplished in
those States where mixed schools are
estab ablished by Law, w,sbut in all those
States where the contest is yet being
carried on for free schools the work
would be at once abandoned. When
Federal law shall permit separate
schools it would be idle for States or
individuals to continue the struggle
for equal advantages for every race. .e


Pardon me a word in relation to the
real cause, of opposition to this bill,
particularly in that portion. of the
country more thickly populated by
the black race. I fear our Southern
~ hale much IN
mixed schools as they do to any
schools whatever for their former
slaves. Whatever may be said about
this opposition springing from pre-
judice, arising from color, race, or
previous condition, / am forced to the
conviction that the real secret Of hos.
tility lies in the fact that these black
people have become citizens and pro-
pose to take part in the administration
of public affairs. 1t is because they
have become an element in politics
and may possibly contest with the
white race of the South the right to
rule The South to-day is struggling by
every means in its power, aided by
the Democratic party In the North, its
ally in war and peace, to regain It's
lost authority in the State and Nation,
and to rebuild its shattered political
fortunes. Unwisely she seems to have
determined that the only means by
which this purpose can be accom-
plished is by trampling upon the
rights and liberties Of the black race
and denying to them the equal protec-
tion of the laws Instead of extend
ing to them the right hand of fellow
ship and recognizing them as neces-
sary and important element IN the
future Of the South which might be
used for her highest advancement,
there seems to be a fixed belief that
the surest aud quickest road to power
is over the rights of this race. Hence
| am not surprised at this opposition
to free schools in the South. As
ignorance was the chief rivet. the
main link in the chains of their 'thral-
dom, so the continuation of that
ignorance is the shameless, cowardly
weapon with which they hope to make
their way back to power, while at the
same time it shall serve to fasten upon
their former slaves, by system of
vagrant laws, condition of serfdom
scarcely less terrible than that from
which they have so latel:- escaped.
Full we'll is it, known that if you
should give to the black man an equal
chance in the race of life. you could
no more re-enslave him or trample
upon his liberties than you could have
held him in bondage except by making
it penal offense for him to read the
word of God.


This, sir, is the secret of this oppo-
sition-this the policy of the Demo
cratic party. Say not, then, this op-
position arises from race, for they are