The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1846-11-19
Mercer County, Ohio

vi u NlSlU ny bWO UUIlSl lllCuIln
and myself, last week, to the settlement OF
colored people in the above named county,we
learned some particulars relative thereto,
which had Il powerful tendency to deepen in
my mind, feelings Of adherence toward that
wicked prejudice and lawless spirit, recently
manifested on the part of portion of the
white citizens, in threats, publicly made in
the form of resolutions, adopted at a public
meeting, to expel the colored people, "peace-
ably if we can, forcibly if we must" pledgng
themselves to use every means i'll their pow
er to effect their objectnot excepting the bay
onet.
In order that the reader may know some
thing Of the situation circumstances and char
acter Of these objects Of popular hatred, and
victims Of cruel pre- JUDGE, it may be proper
to give very brief sketch Of the origin and
progress Of the settlement, its present condl-
ton and future prospects.
About eleven years ago, Augustus Wattles
well known as friend to the oppressed, and
devoted philanthropst, purchased land in
Mercer County, and commenced operations
with view to the establishment Of II manual
labor school, for the benefit Of those youths,
who are, by the operation Of an unchristan
prejudice, and, if possible, q more wicked
legislation, deprived of the opportunity Of
even learning to read the bible in the schools
established by law for white children, and for
the support Of which the colored people are
taxed. lie erected school house in the
woods, and gave out an invitation to colored
young men and boys, who wished 10 obtain
an education, and to pay for it in labor, to
avail themselves 81 the opportunity. Num-
ber3 did So and by studying and laboring
alternately, acquired considerable literary at
tainnenys, and at the same time prepared the
land for cultivation. Thus acentre Of attrac
ton vas formed, and many industrious, intel
f3ng and enterpiising colored people tlocked
% it. Al the present time the settlement
consists of several hundred persons perhaps
n3ac one hundred families; (this is only
plcss) and they are nearly all land holders.
They held large portion Of their land under
patent from the government, signed by the
President Of the United States and perhaps
{. larger portion is held by second hand titles,
made By white citizens, recorded i'll the Coun-
ty Recorders office, guaranteed by the laws
Of the State, and rendered more sure by the
State Constitution, which expressly secures
the validity of contracts The idea that these
people can be legally Xpatriatcd-driven
from their homcsteads and heanh-stones-
bought and paid for, and held by the strong
governments, is ridiculous in the extreme
None but the most perfect ignoramus can
possibly believe it. and if, after what has ia
ken place within the last few months, in Mer
Ger. the Legislature of Ohio does not at its
next session repeal its shameful, wicked, alb
sur4 and unconstitutional " black-laws," they
will deserve the execrations of the whole
world and Of all poSterity.
IiIt fo rntIirn tn tho pnlnrn1 pnOulp They
appear to be Industrious and prosperous, as a
general thing, and think am warranted in
saying that none of them have ever become u
township or county charge. There was,
therefore, evidently no necessity OF requiring
them to give bail on this account. Let us
see how much necessity there was for securl-
ty for their good behavior Go, all we who
would require of the colored man that secu-
rity for his good behavior which we could not
give for your own, and search the records OF
crime in the county of Mercer. Learn there
The number of convictions proportionally OF
coiored and white persons. Then blush for
shame at the result. You will surely blush
if you have any sense OF shame left. While
White men have been convicted Of crime at
almost every term Of your county Court, 1t is
believed you will search in vain for the first
conviction Of colored person residing III the
above named settlement, if there has even
been one such conviction in the county. It's
thought by persons residing in the colored
settlement that none of them have ever been
indicted on a criminal charge AS regards
the state of education among them, it is supe-
rior to that of their white neighbors who
frequently call on the colored boys to write,
or make calculations for them. Even town
ship officers, (of course they are white) such
as road supervisors are under the necessity of
getting colored persons to write their road
receipts and in one case at least, a justice
of the peace CD called on a colored man to
calculate the amount Of judgment he was
about to render
And these are the people whom the laws of
Ohio, and portion of the citizens of Mercer,
require to give bond and security for their
good behavior and that they will not become
county charge and in default of this their
patriotic palefaced neighbors, threaten to ex-
pol them from their own home at the point of
the bayonet. There would be far more reason
in requiring security in the opposite direc-
ton.
Even if the law required property quail
fcation to entitle persons to the right of citi-
zen8, the colored people would have the adj
vantage Of their opposers. There being but
little doubt that fair estimate would show
tho co'ored people as a class, compared with
those who formed the mob meeting and adopt
ed ,be resolutions of expulsion, to possess
PR oerty in the ratio Of two to one.
repeat tiff the Legislature of Ohio fail
to repeal the black laws, which are the source
oP I'll Ia ~ will ,roll,, r,o,,;t :,