Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1830-01-15

And taking II for granted. tint IN Distinguish I'd
individual VII, has ialirn n'o mist,ko. through the
crroi",u1 IN INNER ia which tim report OF the
reached HIN, wonli be extrrm ly uha iiug that any
1mpr.ssi"ns should be nude ho public mind,
whrh he fac;s do not warrant, trust it Will not be
regarded as any departure from dccorum in me, tn
adopt this mode of bringing to his notice. and To that
o' 'li. pnblic, Some circumstances which conceive
ought tn be embraced in history o! the case.
Having myself recently hecn in he city of Cncin-
nati, endeavcrcd 10 make myself as well acquainted
with this subject p,sslbe. And through SOURCES
which believed cnli'l led to credit learned num-
6er of particulars, WINCH give the expulsion of the
people OF color from that place. very affecting cha
rac,er.
Many years ago the Legislature OF Ohio passed a
law, TO check the emigration of the African dcsccn-
dans. That act provides that persons of color.
ENGRAVING 10 the state of Ohio, shall give bond with
security, for their maintenance and good behaviur
and rscts heavy penalty those who shall employ
such persons without their having complied with the
roqr;sii ions OF the law. will not be- positive of the
dtte of this statute, the motives which dictated it,
Bat my Impression is thai j, passed countcract
the policy OF Virginia, n the which she had
previously taken, to thrast out her fee coorcd popu
lation OH her sister States. And il must be admitted
that this policy OF Virginia. cannot be defended Oh
principles OF moral right, either regards opera
on on The other States Of the Union, or on tue Ah
can descendants.
That it cru.' to tho people of color, will need
40 argum"nts To prove. when plainly Of
bsnshn, nf for the offence of acquiring right to be
Jrfc! But her apology for this Of oppression is,
. w dSVrIQCilio'i.
suppose we admit it--by what means, it may he
asked, did they becoin, degrad ~ Plainly-by the
policy or Virginia Then she first degrade, HEM
aud afterwards Furnishes them for being degraded!
Sic Furnishes them tjr her crime. and not teirs
But passing by this shocking fact and still ADM,
ting, merely for the sake of argument that these
people are a nusance-'on whnm ask, has she n
right to impose that nuisance? Are the free stat
10 receive her outcasis from soiry when her policy
"a c,n inually creating new and increasing supply,
II s!o IS determined to pursue such course, every
principleof Justice demands that she should keep e.
tccts W thin her own limits But surely It must be
an astonisbnict TO som future ration IL il il not
to the present that tie enlightened state of Virginia
shond assume the fact. That her measures have de-
graded whole class of men; and then merely ON
tina assumption, should punish them, without their
being convicfed 9f any o6ence except the fence of
boin free!
But whatever were the for the law of Ohio
1t certain that the pubic feeling respected its
operation on the people of color, did call for il
q. the time of its passage. 1t considered both
iniumnn and unconst uiionai. And thus it remained
dead letter till few months ago. liz then that
Mree individuals, in Cincinnati, In The office of town.
ship trustees revived IL, by public notice, which re-
qnlred the people OF color to comply with u provi-
slons or leave the place in limited time, II think
was thirty DAYS When Recently in that place |
was assured that the respectable part of the citizens
did not call tor thu measure. Bu was Informed
that tho l1cest class OF the whites did call for it. That
Hs was the case, receives further confirmation from
the fact that they raised mob To enforce the order
of the trustees.
To enter into minute detail of the various tran
sactlons IN conneXion with this extraordinary pro-
ceeding of the trustees, would carry far beyond
the limits to winch am confinrd. My present OBJ
lect ~ tn show. that the facts will not warrant the
conclusion Chat they represent the general feeling
winch prevails IN the state OF Ohio. The exisien
OF the law, taken IN come xon with y, non-eyecu-
ton for nInny years, may be regarded indicating
feeling "f resentment against the policy of Virginia
aud feeling of ton Ids the unhappy
victims OF that policy. But surely The proceedings
fh. lhrpo hin q
lng the and OF the mob in cneavorinr TO enforce
it, ongh not To he considered the of the state
nor as representing its feeling towards much injured
part of the people of the United States Had every
individual in the township concurrcd in The measure,
II would have been merely the of the to,cnsp and
not of the state. But wheu t is understood that the
measure was not called for by the intelligent part of
the koDnship, and that those most ardent IN const
tuted materials for a m,ob it surely ought not to be
held up tn view characterising even the tow nship
ITSELF But 1T should be regarded unhappy cir
c'mstancc, developing in its progress the genuine eff
fectS OF an Uni ust and cruel policy.
That there some worthless characters among
the coored population in Ohio is But where is
the country upon the face of the whole EARTH where
there are white people at all, in which 1t may not be
s,id that there some worthless characters among
the whites? AMI are TO prescribe whole race
of mankind on such grounds these' 1t 10 the oh
ject OF all civil governments TO pr"tec the innocent,
well as To restrain the turbulent and punish the
guilty. Aud it is plainly violation of moral order
well immutnblc justice, to punish the description
of persons (the nnocent,) which ought to be pro-
tceted
In tho state Of Oho the most ini ciligcnt and most
influential part Of the citizens the people or
lor not only with kiIlncss, but with respect propor
Toned TO their moral worth. And many ofthrsc, nm
dor such policy, are acquiring property and repua
ton. j speak tins from hnotriedge Of me Erct.
There were, il is said, considerable Number Of This
description III Cincinnati at the time the order of the
Trustees was issued They received the notice with
keen of the indgnty and injustice that was
offered to them: and Immediately sent d"pua'ron
10 Cv1adn 20 procure tract of land cn which to form
settlement, under the protection of he British Go
vcrnmrnt. is there citizen of the United S;atrs
who can reflect on tbs procedure. and blush for
the disgrace nf his country, /. there an individual
capable of reflection, who does not sec the impocy
Of the measure!
a tract was accordingly procured, md they pro.
pared for emigration Great sacrifices made
or hoir little propery-but they went, 10 seek n
hun ia a British Province They vent nj season of
the year, wn'n they must neccs nrly meet the rgors
OF northern winter, without the possibility OF ina.
king suitable provision for il.