Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1847-07-20
The Negro Question in the convention.

The Negro Question in the Convention.
Below are given some remarks made
by Mr.. BOND. a thorough Wing, in the
convention in reply to Mr.. Norton of
this county, and Mr.. Hurlbut of Boone ,on
the re solution in relation to the emigra.
ton offree negroes into this State here.
after. They are as follows;
'The gentleman from WHINE Norton)
thinks the resolution would be violation
OF the United States constitution, and al.
ludes to the fact that free coloured per.
sons are treated as citizens in New York
and that in theory at least, they have
right TO hold office in Massachusetts
Now, | take the broad ground. tibet free
negroes are not citizens of the u. States.
within the true spirit, meaning and con.
struction ofthe constitution of the United
States, and the laws of Congress on the
subject of naturalization. The provision
which both of the gentlemen think viola.
ted by the resolution is as follows:
"The citizens of each stale shall be EN-
titled to all privileges and immunities of
citizens in the several states"
Now. Congress has the sole power "to
establish an uniform rule of naturaliza.
tion,' and under this provision laws have
been enacted, whereby free white per.
sons may become citizens; but there is
no provision made for negroes or blacks
becoming citizens. In referring to the
subject of citizenship, and to the meaning
and construction to be given TO the clause
of the United States constitution, which
the gentlemen think will be violated,
should tie prohibition clause proposed by
the resolution be ADOPTED, the Supreme
Court of Kentucky says: SIT seems that
no one can be a citizen of State, under
this article of the Constitution, who is not
entitled, on the terms prescribed by the
institutions of the State, to all the rights
and privileges conferred by those institu.
tons upon the highest classes Of society,""
lst Lift. 334 Free negroes and mulat.
toes are not such citizens as were con.
templated by This article of the constitu.N
ton. Id. Nor is the free negro entitled
by the institutions of this state, to all the
rights and privileges conferred by thoss
Institutions upon the highest classes ofso-
ciety. | say sir, is the gentlemen will
ling TO confer on those rights and privi-
leges upon the free negro and mulattoe.
1t would seem they are. For my part
am not. The gentleman may say the
authority given is from slave State,-
Well, be it so. will now give them
something from Connecticut. "Before
the adoption ofthe Constitution Of the u.
nited States, each state had right 10
make citizens of such persons as it pleas.
ed, but as that Constitution does not au.
tholize any but white persons to become
citizens of the United States, it creates
presumption that no State had many per.
sons of color citizens; and this presump-
ton Will stand until repealed by positive
testimony" 10th CT. r $50.
Mr.. President, / have exercised my
right as member of this Convention to
present this proposition. The gentlemen
from Brown and Will, have been pleased
TO say it was unwiseiy forced and thrust
upon the Convention, and great excite
ment has thereby been produced. Sure.
" wisdom stands conf,unded by these
new lights from the north. Once upon
time, wise men came from the East; but
the sceptre has departed from Jude-the
order ofthings is changed, and we see all
the wise men coming from the North; at
least this is the case in Illinois. Now,
Mr.. President, we of Illinois are not re-
sponsibIe for slavery, we want none OF its
evils: and surely we have right to pro.
tect ourselves from having thrust upon
us the very refuse ofthe black and mulat.
toe population of the slave states. MY
two honorable friends from Boone aud
Will. threaten to defeat the constitution
if the proposition should be adopted. Are
they the whole electoral vote ofnorthern
Illinois? Do they control the vote of the
freemen Of that district of the Stated
Have the servants become masters? If
so, | envy the condition ofthoss who live
in that region of our highly favored state.
Mr.. President, represent constituency
most ofwhum are from slave states. Ma
NY ofthem left sIaveLolding states to rid
themselves of the evils Of slavery. They
are liberals mostly opposedto slavery from
principle. They feel they have right
TO claim protection by this convention
from a state of thing worse than slavery
ITSELF as many of them think, If a pro-
vision of the character contemplated by
the resolution, should be inserted in the
new constitution, the question will BE- set-
tied, and permanently settled, and agita
ton and excitement will cease.