Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1840-06-11
From the Columbian Register.
THE WHITE SLAVES.

''Gen. HARRISON, when member OF the
Ohio Legislature, voted that white men.
when imprisoned Tor The hon payment of
small sums of money for Rne, or cnsrs,
should he sold at the post as slaves. at bea:
of drain, to serve master tiM the money
was earned"
This statement The Palladium has The
impudence to call al .'old SANDER" But
it is nevertheless true, in every particular,
10 the very letter. An "oId slander," is
il! We have copy of the law now he.
fire us. certified by the Secretary Of the
Stale of Ohio, and the name of William
Henry Harrison is recorded among those
vim m,e,l for It. But ie, the act speak
foritself, and then the reader can then see
how exactly the above articles describes it.
The most material part Of The section re-
rerredIo is as follows:
."Bt IL further ehuessd. that @hen any
person shall be Imprisoned either on etecu-
lion or o,ker,cise, for ,l,e non payment Of
fine or rnsrs,- or both, i'shal3 he!ta@ful fpr
,he sheriff Of the county 10 sell out: such
person as a servant to any person. Within
the Stale. who will pay the whole amount
due. for the shortest period If service; of
which sale public notice shall ls siven nj
least ten days; AMI upon such sale being
effected, the Sheriff shall give to The pnr-
chuser a certificate thereof, aud deliver
over the prisoner to him, from which lime
The relation between such purchaser aud
the prisoner shall be that of master and ser
vant, until the time of servitude expires"
The Federalists say, however, that these
'.whi,e slaves were thieves robbers, &C.
This again, is an impudent falseho6d.-
Thieves. robbers, forgers, and that class,
were treated much more kindly by the
laws of Ohio, than the poor people whom
General Harrison voted TO sell as slaves.
The thieves and robbers were sent to the
Stale prison, where they were well housed,
comfortably clothed aud fed-tausht
useful trade, and above all, were put under
a good keeper ofexcellent moral character
known. to be humane. though strict. ap-
pointed by the Stale. moi because, he
made the best bid, but because the pub
lie had every confidence in his integrity,
capacity, exemplary morals. But this
Harrison law had nothing 10 do with such
persohs, I, applied 10 triAing matters, gen.
orally not involving any moral guilt. and
not punishable by Imprisonment. hut for
which small money fines are imposed; such
as assault-driIihg oyer a toll bridge III
faster gate than walk-buyins lottery
licket-not turning out 10 work on the
highways when warned--refusing 10 accept
some petty town. otfice-retailing without
a lcense-peddling tin Ware Without a
permi,-playing a, nine pins, aud the like.
All persons lrausgressing in these Parlicu-
lars, if TOO. poor TO pay the fine. or costs, on
conviclioh, might be sold like tatile in The
shambles. An old revolutionary soldier.
when insulted by tory till he could stand
it no longer, if he permitted the spirit of
'76 10 so far gel tho better of him as TO re-
turn the insult by some trifiiiE assault.
Nigh, be knocked off, 10 any persjh Who
made the best bid, That this was the op-
Grafton Of the law. is apparent from the
debates that took place at the time. Gen.
Lucas, who was then member of the
SeDdle, hhu Wd6 GltCl Ndtto 'bS LSaAO
CRATIC Governor Of. Ohio, opposed it. and
the following Is an extract of the speech
made by him on that occasion;
"What will be the operation of this Sec
ton, said Mr., Lucas. We will suppose
case-suppose one Of the patriots Of The
Revolution should be iHsulted by an enc.
my of his country, or tory. who had
Tough, against him in the struggle for iib-
ery, and he should be provoked 10 coftifnit
an assault Ia defending fhe honor Of his
Governmen,-by our laws he may he
prosecuted and 6ned. He is poor and un.
able to puy his fine. What would follow
under,he provisions Of. this secli,n! :, He
IS PUBLICLY ADVERTISED FOR
is dragged by The crier along
The sireeis-i6e man who provoked the
assault bids ME amioant Of the fine and cost
.torthe shottsfts,m of serpiee say FORTY
1EaRs-THE. OLD PATRIOT IS
SOLD TO HIS Prosecutors snd