Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1846-11-27
Law Of Maryland Concerning Free Ne
gr0CS.

The article below from the Marlborough
Gazette, contains information that must In
tercst the people of this District. 1t is de-
sirable that the acts of the Maryland ami
Virginia Legislatures, which affect the inter-
ests Of the District should be published in
the papers of Washington and Georgetown,
as soon as they are passed. OF the law re-
isrred to below | was wholly ignorant till |
read the paragraphs in the Gazette and |
must say that though a STAKEHOLDER, | have
read it with surprise and indignation. In
deed, | question whether a law like that re-
ferred to is constitutional! | presume the
consequence of an inability to pay the Sec
ond fine Give hundred d~ollars) is the sale Of
tho person offending, and he is thus, though
free, 10 be made a slave for life. Can any
State by a Legislative enactment, reduce a
free man to slavery without being guilty of
felony or some high crime! 1t is moreover
exceedingly unjust to free colored population,
and injurious to the whole citizens Of the
District. a poor, free negro, for instance,
who happens TO have a slave wife and chill
dren in Maryland, is absolutely prohibited to
visit his family under the penalty of being
reduced to slavery, and a citizen is prevented
from sending his free servant into that State
on his necessary business, or to carry one
there as nurse or laborer. What would Mary
land say if the Corporation Of Washington
were, by way Of retaliation, to enact a law
declaring every slave who comes to this city
from that State on his masters business Of
otherwise a free man The Maryland law
is not less unjust and iniqultous, and must be
regarded as a wrong to the free blacks, and
an injury and an insult TO the white popula-
ton Of our District.
JUSTICE.
"FREE NEGROES. Two free negroes from
the District of Columbia, were arrested in
this village on Sunday last for coming into
the State of Maryland in violation of a law of
the last Legislature. They were fined TWEEN
ty dollars each, which sum being secured Ia
the informer, they were discharged. The
fine under the law for the second offence is
$500, one half to the Colonization Society,
and the other TO the informer. Under the
law of 1899, these restrictions wee confined
to free negroes coming from other States; bu
the law under which these negroes were ar
rested, subjects free negroes from the Dis
trict of Columbia to all the penalties of tn
law of 1889. Several arrests have been mad
under this law, and as few of the parties il
terested are presumed to know of its exis.
ence, it would be well for the District D,
pers to publish this articlc.-JIa JorOug
Gazette.
A very grievous occurrence lately too
place under color OF the above law. 4 yer
worthy free negro was returning to the cit
in company with his employer, (Mr. Tucko
pumpmaker of this city, on their way frol
Mr.. Calvert's, near Bladensburg, whitht
they had been to repair his pump. Afte
passing through BIadensburg, and being o
the high road on their way 10 the city, the
were pursued by some men from Bladens
burg, and the negro taken forcibly from tn
cart of his employer, on which he was jour
neying peaceably homeward, and carrie,
back 10 Bladensburg and put in confinement
and what aggravated the injury was, that
because he would not submit quietly TO b
bound and carried off, he was beaten ant
otherwise maltreatod-hls employer and mas
ter, a white man, standing by all the tim
and demonstrating against the arrest and i'll
usage of his servant.-NaiiOnai LnieHigencel