d Legislature
is very distressing to me. Such a measure must of necessity
engender very bitter feelings in the colored people against the
whites. Peace and harmony can never exist where there is unjust
discrimination, and where the members of every community must
constantly strive for its peace, especially now in the hour of
our affliction. While calamity and disaster are frowning upon our
city, mutual helpfulness should be the common endeavor and no
action should be lightly taken which would precipitate enmities,
strife and acrimonious feelings. The duty of every man is to
lighten the burdens that weigh heavily upon his neighbor to the
full extent of his power. It is equally the duty of every member
of a community to avoid any action which is calculated to make
hard and bitter the lot of a less fortunate race. Furthermore, it
would be most injudicious to make the whole race suffer for the
delinquencies of a few individuals, to visit upon thousands who
are innocent that punishment and chastisement which should be
meted out to the guilty alone."

Hostile legislation to the colored people was opposed by a noted
Catholic layman of Maryland, the Hon. Charles J. Bonaparte, Attorney
General of the United States, under President Roosevelt. Mr.
Bonaparte rendered service and wrote sympathetic words to Mr. Bragg,
in 1904, concerning the proposed restriction of the elective
franchise. He said: "Whatever the restrictions imposed, they should be
the same for all citizens; there should not be one law for white men
and another law for black men, one law for Americans of two
generations and another for Americans of three."[511]

The distinguished Archbishop of St. Paul, Minnesota, John Ireland, a
man of wide influence, on May 5, 1890, spoke on the race problem in a
sermon delivered at St. Augustine's Church, Washington, D. C.
Secretary Windom, Recorder Bruce, the whole Minnesota delegation to
Congress and many Senators and others prominent in public life were
among the congregation. The bold and outspoken stand of the Archbishop
on this occasion created somewhat of a sensation throughout America.
Among other things he said:

"It make me ashamed as a man, as a citizen, as a Christian, to
see the prejudice that is acted against the colored citizens of
America because of his color. As to the substance, the colored
man is equal to