Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1830-05-20
THURSDAY, MAY 90, 1880.

Mr.. Powers, of New York, in his speech on
the amendment proposed by Mr.. Wickliffe, oil
Kentucky, to the bill for the punishment OF crimes
in the District of Columbia, amendment
excluded slaves from its operation, IN respect 10
Peniteutiary ofences,-introduced the following
letter from gentleman of this Town, which we
take the liberty of copying;
Mr.. p. went on to observe, that in the tor
mer discussion upon the bill. honorable gentle
men seemed to suppose that if slaves were SEN
fenced to the penitentlary tor crimes, their num-
bers would be so great to fill upthe present estat
lislment, and render it necessary immediate
lv, and at great expense to commence the
building of more. How do facts sustain this ar
guments The truth appears to be, that there are
very few slavesin the District, In proportion to
free persons, who are brought before courts OF
iustice.' for the commission OF offences, and this
fact was highly creditable to their masters, who
exercised such salutary guardianship over the
conduct and morals of their slaves, and removed
from them the temptation arising from want by
providing so well for their comfort. Mr. + sad,
he had addressed letter of inquiry on this sub
iect to the clerk of Alexandria county, Mr. Lee
A LAWYER of high responsibility, whose answer ne
wished the clerk to read TO the House, and which
was accordingly read as follows.
@.flermdria, .qprI "a, 1880,
"Sia: have received your letter OF the esd
INST. time will not admit of my making as par
-,;cuIar an examination as wish, to enable me
N Give avery accurate reply to your inquiry
What shall now state is from'general recollec-
ton. Slaves, by the law in force in this county
are for misdemeanors punishable IN summary
way by single Justice, out Of court, by stripes,
at the public whipping post, not exceeding thirty
nine Therefore such cases do not come before
the court, or become publicly known. l have
INQUIRED of one of the magistrates, who has been
many years acting, and is an efficient and eXpe-
renced magistrate, as to the number Of slaves
he has had occasion to have punished for INSIDE
meanors. He states that ne has had but one
slave .clippsd, though there have been brought
before him many slaves, charged with CRIMINAL
offences, that is, with misdemeanors, who ne
has discharged.
Il have understood, from source on which
RELY, that Justice of the peace TOR this county
who resides in the county. has said that during
the time he has been a magistrate. which Is aoont
Is years, he has had only one slave wh,Pped.
4 third Justice has stated that during the year
1929. he has not had before him more than from
10 to IL slares charged with aay offence; some
of them, he has discharged for want OF sufficient
evidence, and some he has had whipped.
"This magistrate does about halt the business
in the town. With regard to free people of CO.
lor, there are some offences which are punisha-
BILE before Justice of the peace, and they. but
few. All others are punishable by verdict OF
Jury and Judgment of a cOsrt.
II IL 10 E.na 10 nj nm
state from nv observation, both when | was
practising as Lawyer in the Court here, and
Since have held my present station, that the
uumoer of free persons of color, compared to
the number of slaves charged with offences be
fore the Court cannot be in a less proportion
than of ten to one-that is. ten free negroes to
one slave. As to white offenders, they have ex-
ceeded black offenders including free and bond.
in double, if not treble the above proportion.-
have been long satisfied that the lower class of
the white population is much more vicious, and
more apt TO be guilty of offences, than either the
slaves or the free persons of color; and that the
free people of color are more vicious and more
prone to commit offences than the slaves.
With regard to the free people of color, they
are tempted to it from the idle life they too gen
eralfy lead; thew steal instead Of working for
their living The slaves are generally we'll
treated. we'll clothed and fed; therefore have
not the same motive; that of supplying the neces-
saries wants for becoming rogues. The class OF
white people have mentioned, from the want of
proper education and instruction; from the too
easy requirement of ardent spirits, and too wild
a notion of what real civil and political rights
are, they mistake RIGHTEOUSNESS for liberty, which
produces great idleness, and this ends in crime"
A writer in the Augusta Chronicle says
6. The planting of cotton is completed, and