Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1847-02-12
COMMUNICATIONS.
Is ~ FIGHT TO SEND OUR Chill
DREN TO THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
or THIS STATE. WHILE COLOR.
ED CHILDREN ARE EXCLUDED

So numerous ana so important have been
the topics growing ouiof The anti slavery dis.
c%ussion, that no one should be surprised if
some that ought to have claimed a share Of
attention, had escaped geutri notice. The
most profound pioneers Of the enterprise fell
far short Of seeing the extent to which ptin-
ciples announced by themselves would uli-
matcly lead. WIN. Lloyd Garrison, not ma
ny years ago in an address TO colored citizens,
| believe Of Boston, called that a free Con-
s~titution which he now 50 earnestly repudi-
ales as a 'Cuvcnant with death and an agree
ment with Ilell.' Had any one tod him at
that time that that Constitution which he so
Landed was spreading the aegis Of its reme.-
dous power over the whole system Of slavery,
and that the colord people in a~y,iiiay them
selves Of their privileges under il, as he uIg-
ed them to do, were strengthening that very
system which he SO earnestly desired to pull
down; he would have opposed hin, as he
now does those whom he thinks are in error.
Not, however, because he was less Jealous
in the cause then than now, but because he
did not then as now, see that the Constitution
Of The United States was a Saw which was
then in force, admitting the right Of slavery,
and therefore before God utterly null and
void"
No other rofo5aatory 1vcmeni, moreover,
has ever tolerated to the extent, that
freedom cf speech so favorable to the express
sion Of benevolent feelings, and The conse-
quent ~dcyelopcmeat cf enlarged IDEAS. And
although the different organizations claiming
TO be aUti-slavcry, are more or less under par
ty or s]cctarian influence; sill! to the indiyid-
uals composing these organizations DO we lock
with confidence for aid in carrying on, not
only tie an'i-slayery, but every other reform
a,ory movement. 1t is 10 them / wish 10
suggest few thoughts.
All anli-slayery men, and many others, de-
nouncc in severe terms. what are called the {
black laws Of Ohio. Among these disgrace
full s%tatutes, none meet with scyerer condem- !
nation than that which depriyes colorpd peo- c
pie Of any participation in the public schools &
Of the State.
1t is well known that the Congress Of the
UniJed States, while cur State WAS yet under
Territorial Government, made a proposition
TO grant every Both section of each originally
surveyed township grant; ''vhat ihe section
number IG in every township, aud where
such section has been sold, granted or dis
posed Of, other lands equivalent thereto, and
most contiguous to The same, shall be granted
- :-I.I.t-.,. = NH ,.,-.t:,- r. H..
use Of schools"
The State in Convention assembled &C.
copied the proposed grant on condition, That
all the lands before mentioned to he appropri-
aicd by The United States for the supper: of
schools, shall be vested in the Legislature Of
this State in trust for said purposes" Con
gress accepted Ills modification Of he rropo-
silion, and the title was vested in the LeLis-
lature Of Ohio in trust for the use aforesaid,
and for no other use or purpose whatever"
Some of the defenders Of these nefarious
laws attempt To palIiale their enormi,y by as
sering that Co ,gress could not have intend
ed al portion of the grant to colored people.
This assertion, however, is ~unsustai ed by
any prof, or reasonable inference. Ii is UNI
reasonable 10 suppose that Congress was ig-
norant Of the then mixed population or that
they supposed none but whites would there
after settle in the State. The convention that
formed the Constitution of our State, had the
subject Of blacks and mulattoes frequently
before them, and at one time by a very close
vote excluded the colored people forever after
from the right Of suffrage. The frequent &C.
currcnce III that instrument, Of the phrases
"wbile iulahitauls,'' ''w bite male inhabi-
tants,' and ''ciiizeus, " 'olectors,'' &c.. show
conclusively, that the delegates had not for
gotten the mixed character Of our population.
But in view Of this fact, and while the sub
ject was Immediately before them, they in
cnrporated into their Constitution The follow
ing clause: ''Ihat no law shall be passed to
prevent The poor in the several counties and
townships within this State ftom an equal
participation in the schools, academies, col
leges and universities wilhinlhis Stale, which
are endowed in whole or in part, from The re-
venue arising from donations made by The
United States for the support Of schools and
colleges; and the doors Of said schools, aca-
denies and universities, shall be open for the
reception of scholars, students and teachers
Of every grade cithOut any distinction or pre-
ercnce aChatecer, contrary to the intentions for
which said donations were made"
The donations were made to the s'inhabi-
%tants," and the colored people being inhabl-
iants, have most clearly an equal right with
the whites TO the advantages arising from Sec
ton l6; and the clause of the Constitution
Just quoted, plainly guarantees them that