Christian
Recorder: November 26, 1874
Mr. Editor: -- I
find the following in one of our city papers this morning:
Washington Notes
Washington,
November 12. – The President has said, within a few days, to those in his
confidence, that he will veto the civil rights bill if it passes the House,
where it now is as unfinished business, and still on the speaker’s table. If
the President should have the opportunity of vetoing the bill, it is conceded
that it would make him popular in the South, and strengthen his chances for a
renomination. The management of the bill on the floor of the House will devolve
upon General Butler, chairman of the judiciary committee, and who will oppose
all amendments. As Mr. Butler is not opposed to a third term, he is the more
anxious that the President may have an opportunity of finishing it, but the
Conservative element undoubtedly be amended and returned to the Senate and
there it will fall for want of time.
I
am not only surprised to see the above, but astonished. I cannot believe it is
true, yet I fear it savors of too much truth to be pshawed at. That Gen. Grant
at one time desired the passage of the Civil Right Bill, I think admits of no
doubt, but that he has lost some of his ardor, and grown somewhat indifferent
in regard to this all important measure, appears too evident for the colored
people to pass the fact by with absolute indifference. And if it is a fact as I
apprehensively fear, neither those of us who hold positions under him, nor
those who have the simple good of the party at stake, should be silent. With
me, there is no party, when my rights are in jeopardy. I think every man should
measure his party allegiance, as that party measures out his manhood. Neither
should governmental positions play the part of hush money. We all, of the
colored people of the United
States are wrapped up in that Civil Rights
Bill. Its failure is our failure. Its success is our success. Indeed it holds
in its grasp our destiny as a race. We stand or fall in that Bill. Should it
fail, I shall regard it as the indignant proclamation of heaven, saying arise and depart, for this is not your home.
This is a White Man’s Government. But if it succeeds, then it may be interpreted
as the voice of God; saying to the negro, “Awake from your lethargy, and build
schools, churches, houses, and prepare to run the race of life where you are. But
if President Grant is opposed to its passage, woe be to the whole measure, for
congress will never pass it in the face of his objections, merely to give him a
horse upon which to ride into democratic favor. And certainly the President
could have no object in vetoing the Bill except to cluster around him negro
haters, and Democrats. I hope the above is false in toto. I know of nothing in Grant’s administration to indicate such
a conclusion. My fears are founded upon what ought to be reliable rumors. Three
Republican Congressmen have told the writer, that President Grant was opposed
to the Civil Right Bill, but I thought they were manufacturing a ruse, to
apologize for their own negligence in not passing it. Then comes a report, that
the President remarked a few days after the late election, that the defeat of
the Republican Party through the country, was owing to the ‘impracticable and
utopian theories of Senator Sumner, as embodied in the Civil Rights Bill.” Now,
here comes the article that heads the letter. I know the colored people all
over this country, would like to say, “It is impossible for President Grant to
have made any such remarks.” But when we take into consideration, the number of
our great lights that have gone out, and how many of our once distinguished
leaders have deserted us, men too, whom we thought had rather die than to vary
from their principles; is it I say, beyond the possibility of the President to
do the same? Is it not time at least to feel a deep concern?
But
if the President does intend to cast his influence against the bill, he should
not do so, upon the plea that the late elections were the result of the
pendency of that measure. He knows that question is not new to the American
people. The Civil Rights Bill, has been before the country for all of six
years. At the last election in ’72. the unanimous verdict of the country was in
favor of the passage of that bill; and now to saddle upon it, the evil train of
consequences, which have grown out of the other charges brought against the
party, is to say, the least unfair. We should not allow men in any position, to
shift the entire faults of the Republican Party, and place them upon the
shoulders of the civil Rights Bill. Let their fault tear their own burdens.
There
are too many white men in the land trying to wash away their sins, in the Civil
Rights pool. About ninety-nine out of every hundred when they get the devil in
them, and want to run over to the democracy, raise the bowl of the social
equality, and charge the Civil Rights Bill with contemplating some fearful
evil. These miscreants may throw sand in some people’s eyes but they will fail
to divert the attention of God, from their treachery; and hence their reward is
before them.
If
the President feels that his popularity is waning, let him meet the issue, in
some other way than in trying to blame the manhood of my race. What would be
our status in this country, if that bill fails? None. Why Sir, the Hindostan
Pariah would be Princes compared to us. It would take us hundreds of years to
recover the dreadful shock. It would brand every negro in the country with
eternal infamy. But it is useless to continue this line of argument. To reduce
the whole question into a nut shell: Every man in the country who is opposed to
the Civil Rights Bill, is opposed to the colored race, and if President Grant
is opposed to its passage, then he is our enemy, yes, the deadly enemy of the
colored race. I cannot believe however, the President will go square back upon
his record. But as our Washington colored gentry, are quite expert in getting
up committees, I think it would be highly advisable in them, to send a
committee to interview his Excellency and see where the President stands, and
urge upon him to recommend the Bill in his next message. But if they should
find, that he is trying to charge the recent defeat of the party upon the Bill,
let us at once meet the argument, for thanks to God, we are fully able to do
it. I believe that the treachery of the party to the negro, caused the defeat
because God is displeased, and not the abstract dependency of the Civil Rights
Bill.
