The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1840-09-02
Gen. Harrison and White Slavery.

ffdTTtSOH, Sucu beNcThOT oI lus IfIIhoIJ VI
Indiana, approved Of law, which by its enact
msn,s inflicted SLAVERY upon any POOR
rnnp, who might for trivial offence be subjts-
ted 10 its penalties, but allowed the PROPERTY
OF the RICH to bear them harmless, for equal or
greater offences,
Freemen Of Rhode Island would you deem
such law Just and preperl Can any cireum-
stances excuse so monstrous a distinction be-
tween man and mana distinction which in
fiicis no punishment on the rich man but de-
prives the poor man Of the dearest boon Of every
American-hs LlBERTY1 Reflect upon it 4;
jndge for yourselves il We have not rightly rep
recent cd the law--read it-and then say if YoU
can approve it.
Furthermore, the same I'm. IT. Harrison,
At subsequent period, when member Of The
Ohio Legislature, voted in favor of the enact
rnent Of similar law in that state. The sec
zion in which il was comprised will be fouud be
low, and we also ask you to read that a,tentvely.
The laws OF extracts wo have copied are GER
lifsd by proper officersto be correct transcripts
Of the records, and their genuineness does not
admit Of doubt.
The only excuse or palliation, for these laws
"c have seen advanced, is, that they were in-
tended to apply TO horse. thieves, burglars, for
gers, and other offenders Of equal crlminaliIy :;
but do the laws warrant srsh a limited inter
pretation 1t is evident that they do not and
indeed, who ever heard of law punisbing such
crimes merely by fines and costs The ex-
cuse is idle and preposterous. Besides, the
preceding sections Of this very law Of Indiana,
Furnishes all the offences specified BY ,Chjppjng,
imPrisonment, Pillory and death. Aud in this
same law, assaults aud batteries, rio, aud other
trivial offences ere mentioned, aud punished by
fines and costs only so that for these the law
was intended; for these lesser misdomennors
or breaches Of penal law, as are not attended
with any moral iurpiruds.
Ohio, at the time when Harrison advocated
he passage Of the law in that state, had her
pehilentiary, where criminals OF the magnitude
named were confined at hard labor. The law
would have had no application To such offenders.
II applied TO trif1lng matters, generally not in
,oiying any moral guilt, and not punishable by
imprisonment, but for which small money fines
are imposed such as assaulis-d driving over y
toll bridge in faster gait than waIk-buying
lottery ticket-not turning out TO work the
highways when warned-refusns to accept
some petty town ofiice--r0tang without Ii
eense--psddling tin ware without permit
playing at MAE pins, and the like. All persons
fransgrsssing in such particulars. il too poor
10 pay the fine, or costs, on conviction, might
I IL. II
Revolutionary soldier, when insulied by Tory
tiIl nc could stand il no longer, if he permitted
the spirit Of 20 TO so far get the better Of him
as to return the insuit by some trning
,ssault might be knocked off TO any person |
who made the best bid. That this was the
operation Of the law, is apparent from the
debates that took place at the time. as
will be seen by the extract which we append, /.
from the speech Of Gev. Lucas, who opposed
it, and exposed the na.rant injustice with which
it might operate. Yet wih fall kaowledge Of
lis cfsets WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON |
toic3 for us retention
Again, Gen Hale Of Cincinnati, in the letter
(which We published last week) giving an ac-
ssunt Of Gen. HstriSon's conduct To him iu .
Cincinnati, says
@ then said TO him, they make some char.
tes against you in the morning papers about
selling white men vt auctioa by ths sheriff in .
Indiana. tie (H.) then said there we're a great
many horse thieves, and in the Territory We
had no pen,ensry, and jails of very little con.
sequence, and he had 40 other way ol puuishne
them" ihen said TO him, (tl.) did this law
silHde to all crimes, or only tho higher
allu al all I
remarked, how did Mr.. Buchaaan calum.
Mate you, when he only explained the law 7 /
lie then cot in a violent passion = tre,uhlsd aud 4
lro,hed at the mou,h--aUd said Buchanan was
add scoundrel, and apy person who took
hispar,, and the whole party was set Of id
sroundrels.',
then remarked b him this was strong Ian.
euago TO me, and should not permit il. lie
then said by ~ay OF an apology, that he did
not know was friend Of Buchanan's." then
a'ksd him II he did not sign the law 10 sell |
"hue men at auction, while Governor of Indi-
sna lie said be did. ! then said think you 4
1ld wrong. hsl replied II THINK I DID /
hioh l. I'aid then, General, You will give
me Inc same privilege TO think for m, self
''en' tiale's letter bears the date OF June 4tb,
ie4O' and the sltsrea,ion it refers TO toe. place
during the preceding month. We have il.
therefore. from his own lips. in the month a,
May. 1910. that Gen. HARRISON THINKS HE
DID RIGHT IN SIGNING THE LAW I.
TO SELL WHITE MEN AT AUCTION
yhsB Govsrnor Of Indiana. and there 10 no rs,. 4,
.sa 10 deub, that. ss President. he WouLD
APPROVE LAW CONTAINING SIM
iLAR PROVISIONS, APPLICABLE TO-