164 



CONGRESS, UNITED STATES. 



overrule us in Virginia, North Carolina, and 

 Georgia; but we will hold our own in South 

 Carolina ; and when her government passes 

 out of the hands of Republicans our flag shall 

 yet be flying. 



" It may be true that in Virginia they have 

 some regard for the colored people ; but I can 

 mention a circumstance from my personal ob- 

 servation which does not show regard for the 

 dead and little for.the living. When in Rich- 

 mond some two or three years ago I was taken 

 to the outskirts of the city where there was a 

 burial-ground in which the slaves had formerly 

 b.een buried. To my astonishment I found that 

 graveyard cut through for the purpose of open- 

 ing a street, and the city carts hauling away 

 the dust of those poor dead slaves and strew- 

 ing the same about the streets to fill up the 

 low places and mud-holes. I saw this with my 

 own eyes, and therefore can testify before God 

 and man as to the fact. Does not this state- 

 ment show that with some people there is no 

 regard for the poor negro, living or dead? 

 Think of it ! The sacred dust of the dead in a 

 civilized community used to fill up mud-holes 

 and low places! 



"Yet you talk about humanity ; your kindly 

 feeling for the colored race. Gracious Heaven ! 

 If you have no feelings for the ashes of the 

 dead; if you have no regard for the dust of 

 the dead slave who served you all the days of 

 his life faithfully, honestly, well, we may have 

 apprehensions as to the manner in which we 

 will be treated, now that we are free and strug- 

 gling for equal rights, unless we are protected 

 by the strong arm of the law. 



"We do not intend to be driven to the 

 frontier as you have driven the Indian. Our 

 purpose is to remain in your midst an integral 

 part of the body politic. We are training our 

 children to take our places when we are gone. 

 We desire this bill that we may train them in- 

 telligently and respectably, that they may thus, 

 be qualified to be useful citizens in their day 

 and time. We ask you, then, to give us every 

 facility, that we may educate our sons and our 

 daughters as they should be. Deprive us of 

 no rights belonging to us as citizens; give us 

 an equal opportunity in life ; then if we fail we 

 will be content if driven to the wall. 



"Much apprehension and fear have been ex- 

 hibited on account of the social aspect of this 

 subject. A few words on that point will not 

 be out of place. This fear and apprehension 

 are unwarranted ; there is no social precedent 

 for this alarm. It is merely conjectural, or, in 

 other words, it is nothing more than the re- 

 sult engendered by a diseased and prejudiced 

 mind. Every impartial thinker is aware that 

 no jaw is supposed possible to regulate the 

 social customs of any people. What is social 

 equality? Is it the undisturbed right to enter 

 public places of amusement, and receive the 

 same accommodations as are offered others at 

 like cost? Surely that cannot be, for it is ob- 

 vious that suspicious characters are frequently 



the, occupants of first-class seats among the 

 spectators; so if this settles the question we 

 may well tremble for the purity and reputation 

 of good society. Is it the unrestricted right to 

 be entertained at public inns or restaurants and 

 be respectfully treated? That cannot be, for 

 we have daily instances before us where thieves 

 and others of questionable repute enjoy these 

 advantages without, I hope, being considered 

 social equals of other guests. Is it the right 

 of franchise, of being accommodated by com- 

 mon carriers, whether by land or water, and 

 treated as other first-class passengers are ? I 

 think not. It is therefore a waste of argument 

 to insist upon it. Social equality consists in 

 congeniality of feeling, a reciprocity of senti- 

 ment, and mutual, social recognition among 

 men, which is graded according to desire and 

 taste, and not by any known or possible law. 

 Men as a rule are always careful never to in- 

 troduce into the sanctity of their family circles 

 those who would abuse the privilege, or who 

 are not recognized as social equals. This is a 

 right that cannot be disputed, neither can it be 

 invaded by any law or statutory enactment. 



"The earnest desire for the passage of this 

 bill as a measure of justice and equity becomes 

 more evident from the stubborn opposition 

 made to it. There has been no measure passed 

 by Congress having for its avowed object the 

 benefit of the negro race in any way but what 

 has met the same contention that has been so 

 apparent in this instance. 



"Much has been said about the Constitution 

 and its bearing upon the passage of this bill, 

 and the ultimate result of such an event. Time 

 will not permit me to refer to them all. I will 

 say, by way of general reply, that those who 

 read the Constitution with partial and selfish 

 motives in view fail to see the interests of the 

 colored race apart from what is implied in the 

 last three amendments thereto, and frequently 

 with a narrow conception of those. We claim 

 equal rights and interests with other citizens 

 who are embraced within the limits of all its 

 provisions. If this should not be admitted, 

 the people would soon lose appreciation for 

 that instrument, and clamor for a change that 

 would afford them more general and better 

 protection. Believing it to be adequate for 

 the ample security of all, the people are con- 

 tent with it. 



"Article iv., section 2, of the Constitution 

 reads thus : 



The citizens of each State shall be entitled to all 

 privileges and immunities of citizens in the several 

 States. 



" According to this provision it is unconsti- 

 tutional to deny any privilege or immunity to 

 colored citizens in either Virginia, Georgia, 

 Kentucky, .or any other State that is guaranteed 

 to other citizens. It must be remembered that 

 we are not dealing with the past, but with the 

 immediate present and for the future. 



" In this connection reference may be prop- 

 erly made to the public schools. All the ob- 



