Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1846-03-13
LEGISLATIVE.

LEGISLATIVE.
February Goth. the HOUSE went into a
Committee Of the Whole on the Bill to re-
peal the law excluding the testimony of col
ored persons from the Ohio courts. The Com
mittee to which it had on a previous occasion
been re-committed, reported back the Bill
with an amendment proposing to strike out
all after the e%nacting clause, which would of
course kill the Bill.
Mr.. BARNES of Trumbull said if he wero
to Judge from the action Of this House upon
the bill to repeal the act of 1901, "reauirinp
all black and mulatto persons coming TO ro-
side within this State, to give bonds for good
behaviour" he could have but little hope that
any thing he could say on this occasion, would
have any weight upon the minds of gentle
men upon this floor.
In that case it was said the law was a dead
letter upon the statute book, and therefore it
did no harm TO let it remain, as no one ever
attempted to enforce it. But, sir, allowing
that argument to have been correct, | ask
whether as much can be said of the bill un-
der consideration.
By the law which is sought to be repealed
by this bill, no Black or Mulatto, is allowed
to testify or be a witness before any court,
where a white person is a party. The laws
Of our country as well as of all the Christian
lied world claim TO be predicated upon the
moral law of God. | do not mean to say it
conforms to its phraseology, or its particulars
but based upon it as a general rule of ac-
ton. Law is a rule Of action. its essential
parts are precepts, and penalty. Law may
be said to be legally binding, according to
the human enactments under which We live;
but are morally binding only, when the es-
sential principles of justice are maintained.
Do the colored population of your State en-
Joy any rights whereby their libe rites can be
protected ! According to your present law,
Sir, it matters not what the character of a col
ored pc son may be if 1t should be ever so
upright, and if a white man should be dispo-
sed TO enter the domicil of such colored per-
son, maltreat the master, violate the person of
his wife, or ruin the character Of his dauph-
ter, and at last bear of his purse-under this
section Of your law, where is his remedy p
And should there be five, or even ten colored
persons, of good character and upright integ-
rity, to witness the whole transaction, yet
they are precluded from giving any tes,imo-
ny, because the pcrpetrator of the wicked
deed is a phite man. Now, sir, | ask, is
| this democratic is il inst: is il administer;p
equal Justice to ALI saw. sir. this I,y i
unconstitutional. and thor, fore mill and void
The Constitution declares Tia, all mn aro
born free. and have the rigbt of ,coni,inr nron.
ertv anil ENJOYING honni3ess PR
Now, sir. either tbtt decla ration ia f,Is.
or else voLr laws are wrong and onnressive
For the coloreJ population of vonr S,,,e hava
no rights secured to them wha,evsr II ;s
said thew are ignorant. Then 1ivs ,hera H."
means Of instruction for il is soIen,nIv do
Jared in the Coustih,,ion Of Won, So ~,
no law shall be passed 70 nrevert ,hs n"or
from participating in the chool f,nd VIII.
ont any distinction az IN color or cond;,;on"
Here Mr.. b. read from The s5,b aec,ior
of The sth article Of the Cons,;tu,;on of tho
Stale of Ohio, "'
If all ignorant persons were excIudsd from
testifying in courts of inst;ce' mediate m,mv
a crime would 90 unnnnisbed AnJ ,yhy
not make a general law IN evcl,do III 800
rant. illiterate persons from tss,;Crinni r.
the laws of YOUR State M blact or mul,,to
persons are permitted 10 particina,s IN tho
common schoolf fund. The lev of Inou,Iod"o
is taken from. and The doors ayo shM, 1919
them, They arc told thew aro = w. aga'ns'
der of beings. Do Won make tbem belisya