"If the government is not able to root out these
unrepublican seeds in these hotbeds of disloyalty and
snobbery, let Congress shut up the useless and expensive
appendages and educate its officers at the colleges of
the country, where they may learn lessons in true
Republican equality and nationality. The remedy lies
with Congress. A remonstrance, at least, should be heard
from the colored members of Congress, who are insulted
whenever a colored boy is ill-treated by the students
or the officers of these institutions. So far from being
discouraged by defeats, the unjust treatment meted out
to the young men should redouble the efforts of others
of their class to conquer this new Bastile by storm. It
should lead every colored Congressman to make sure that
he either sends a colored applicant or a white one who
has not the seeds of snobbery or caste in his soul."
I shall consider this last clause at the end of this
chapter, where I shall quote at length the article
from which this passage is taken.
If I may be pardoned an opinion on this article, I do
not think the true remedy lies with Congress at all.
I do not question the right to demand of Congress any
thing, but I do doubt the propriety or need of such a
proceeding, of course, in the case under consideration.
As to "that kind which sends poor white boys to Coventry,"
because of their poverty, etc., I can say with absolute
truthfulness it no longer exists.
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