You, and your children, and your children's
children after you, will go to the wall unless it has need of you in the
arena."
"I do not think so. This whole nation is learning, through pain and
loss, the lesson of justice; of expediency, doubtless, but still of
justice; and I do not think it will be forgotten when the war is ended.
This is our time to wipe off a thousand stigmas of contempt and
reproach: this"--
"Who is responsible for them? ourselves? What cast them there? our own
actions? I trow not. Mark the facts. I pay taxes to support the public
schools, and am compelled to have my children educated at home. I pay
taxes to support the government, and am denied any representation or any
voice in regard to the manner in which these taxes shall be expended. I
hail a car on the street, and am laughed to scorn by the conductor,--or,
admitted, at the order of the passengers am ignominiously expelled. I
offer my money at the door of any place of public amusement, and it is
flung back to me with an oath. I enter a train to New York, and am
banished to the rear seat or the 'negro car.' I go to a hotel, open for
the accommodation of the public, and am denied access; or am requested
to keep my room, and not show myself in parlor, office, or at table. I
come within a church, to worship the good God who is no respecter of
persons, and am shown out of the door by one of his insolent creatures.
Pages:
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146