Year: 1875

THE PARLIAMENTARY STRUGGLE.


The parliamentary struggle in the House
over the civil rights bill, which closed Fri
day after continuous session of nearly
forty-eight hours and resulted in the dis
comfture of the friends of the bill, presents
the minority to the country in no enviable
light. The bill itself in relation to which
the contest of parliamentary warfare and
physical endurance was waged, is one
necessary to secure to the negroes rights
guaranteed them under the amendments
to the constitution. For that reason the
democrats opposed it. 1t was not the rad
ical civil rights bill passed by the Senate
at the last session, but a more moderate
bill, prepared to obviate the principal OBJ
jections made to the former. Rather,
however, than permit this bill to pass,
which is only just and necessary for the
protection of the colored people of the
South, the democrats took up two days
and nights of the session, now rapidly
drawing to close, in dilatory motions to
defeat the consideration of the bill and
prevent the majority exercising the right
to which they were entitled, that of con-
sidering and passing the bill if they chose
to assume that responsibility.


The position which the democrats as
sumed in this matter is entirely new. At
tempts by dilatory motions have been
made at other sessions to gain time for
speech-making or offering amendments or
forcing a compromise, but in this case the
minority resorted to filibustering to defeat
the consideration of measure in favor of
which there is an undoubted majority in
the House--a step never before undertaken
in that body. The minority have rights,
and SO have the majority; and one of the
rights Of the latter under the constitution
is to control Legislation. That right the
democratic minority undertook to destroy.
and thus TAR have been successful. The
majority might have adopted new and
arbitrary rules to meet the case, but they
wisely refrained from using the power in
their hands in doubtful or unusual man
ner, while the minority have made them
selves disgracefully conspicuous by their
scandalous and revolutionary proceed
ings.


To-day the rules of the House will prob
ably be changed, and Wednesday the civil
rights bill will be on its way to become a
law.


By their course in this matter the demo-
Gratis have shown revolutionary, lawless
spirit, disgraceful to all concerned in it,
besides setting an example from which
future trouble may arise. Beyond this,
they have emphasized their opposition to
the colored people of the South in the
strongest manner. and proclaimed by their
virulent and extraordinary opposition to
the bill for the protection of the negroes
what will be the fate of that unfortunate
race in this country if the democratic par
ty has the power of controlling it. There
was very little doubt before as to the feel
ing of the democracy toward the negroes
albeit the Southern Conservatives have
expressed recently regard for them-but
the last hope that the democrats would re-
gard them as other than fit for slaves and
allow them chance to make the most
they can of themselves is now entirely ex-
tinguished.


The principal objec. Of the civil rights
bill is to secure an opportunity for the
blacks to obtain an education in the COM
mon schools, but this privilege they are
not TO be allowed if the democrats can
prevent it. If the negroes are found vot-


ing solid in the future as in the past with
the republican party the democrats may
thank themselves for it. No black man
will vote with the democrats while that
party does all il can to oppress and chain
him down in slavery.