Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1849-01-19
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FREE NEGROES-THE EVIL AND THE
REMEDY

REMEDY.
The being Of The Slale would Justly The
removal oil The Tree negroes from our borders :
The removal might, and no coubt would, he Ell
lecied wihont any violation al The laws OF hu-
manly and oil christian tenevoence. But the
remedy would be worse than the disease
We coDfne criminals because the good Of So
ciely requires it. We iced and clu!he them be-
cause We have deprived Them OF The means of
feeding Clothing themselves In like manner,
by removing the tree negroes we shall incur The
obligation 10 provide for all their wants in their
new homes, until hey have had ample time and
opportunity 10 ma he such provision or themselves
We cannot cast them into a stormy ocean and
bid them swim. We cannot land them on a
sterile coast and bid them eat We cannot ex.
pose them unarmea and deienceless mid ravinp
cannibas and bid them live. II we send lhcm
10 Africa, besides The enormous charge Of
their transportation and support Tor some year or
two We incur the perpetual burden and expense
oil government and an army 10 project them
against the natives; ior they are not likely ever
10 be abe 10 cope unaided iih those nations =
Dur natural allies at The Norlh will take them;
but they always desire good bargain. As in
the case OF The Randolph slaves, we must send
ample means II support with them and, more
over, give security thai they will no! sQuander
those means and become a burden 10 the State OF
their adoption.
:. T.oJe2c,"e,;!5r o. cessahr Imsru torture
US the more We struggle 10 get rid Ci it
Wear il one mus, and we have only 10 enquire
in what way it will SIT mos, easily on Us.
That the negro race can only live happily and
securely n a Stale Of domestic slavery is now
well established by experience. We have, how
ever, no right and no wish 10 make slaves OF the
free negroes. Bn we may and ought 10 subject
them 10 a government that realms such feature.
Of domestic slavery, and such only, as are essen
tial 10 tt.ir happiness and our security. Instead
OF doing this we have been guilty OF the gross
error Of attempting 10 govern them by the En-
gish Common Laws: a code suited not 10 sava-
ecs or half civilized beings, bur only 10 the most
enlightened OF mankind. Il is more than doubl-
FOL, whether any European people, except tie
English, could bear tue latitude Of civil liberty,
which This code allows, without GegeneratiDg into
anarchy and RIGHTEOUSNESS. II is code which
leaves man 10 seii-sovernmen, more than any
other; and the tree negro is the least hued for
SELL government OF al human beings.
10 truth, history and philosophy alike teach US
that persons o! weak minds, an uncyilized ma
lions, cannot he eoyerncd by Law, but must be
subjec ed TO ne more or less arbitrary rule q
guardian a master or despC With such per-
sons and such nations, The passions and the ap.
petiles are stronger than the rea .on and they will
tear OF future punishment.
The negro does not lose caste and is no, less
happy in all his social relations, Tor having COM
| milied crime. He has nothing TO deler bin
from its commission bnt the penalties OF
code whose maxim il s, that il is bel
ter that twenty guilty should escape, than
that one innocent man should be punished
In practice, the negro well knows thai the twenty
guilty DO escape, but tia, he inucccn, mr. is
hot ha ot
net add to the negroes rcspec,abiliiy lie is still
a degraded and despised being. dis natural IN
| defence and imnroyden6e are increas,d ny his
| social position His nature, the law under which
| he lives and the sociey in which he moves all
prompt him to crime. lie canuol govern him
sell. and me Law is no. tued 10 govern him
Let him choose bis master or guardian, or
ruler Of some Sort as infants and apprentices,
and soldiers and sailor, do, and it seems 10 US
The evil is remcdied Let him bire himself by
the year, or for longer period TO some re-
spon>ible white person, and, on failure to do SO,
require him TO give security for bis good beha-
yiour, or subject him TO be hired at pnbic auc
ton. So Car as he is concerned change the ad-
mrablc provision Of the common law, which re-
fuses 10 enforce specifically all contracts Dining
mans person 10 seryiude, however temporary
The exceptions already cited to this principle,
seem to US abundantly to prove, that the treat
ment Of the free negro which We propose IS in
entire concurrence with the wi.e and humane
spirit of the common law. The condition Of
master and servan, is the natural relation be-
tween an inferior and superior roce, when
brought into con,ac II is the only one which
can protect Inc morals, the property and the
personal security Of The inferior race. l,
shields il from aggression, from superiors, and
I'D he al n
own incidence and improyidence. Pace two
such races together as equals, and the relation
is one of hatred and hostility.
The negro peculates on the white man, ant
the white man Expresses the negro. Individuals
tyrannise over him, and Cinci' natl AID Phl'a
delphia mobs hunt him like wild beast. Thu
relation Of master and servant which we pro
pose 10 establish, might like tina, Of guardian
and ward, aud master and apprentice, be regula
ted BY law. so as 10 leave much less room io
arbitrary rule and oppression, than in the case
Of the soldier and sailor Is there any thni
monstrous or cruel in placing the free negro IL
! a position like that of the soldier and sailor
it is true, but accompanied with less hardship
], and exposure, and liability to arbitrary oppres
sion, than theirs?
e Every human being is entitled to that amour
Of liberty which hs can enjoy without aous'
: and 10 M mare. The liberty to choose b
temporary master who shall pay stipulate
sum for his services, with right to apply
court to redress the injustice of such naste
) or remove him, as in cases OF wards and al
. prent,ces, is as much liberty as nine tenths
. the free negroes can enjoy without abuse.
: intend these suggestions for The legislators
our State, for men wiser and more learne
than ourselves, and we shall NOT thc.ef
/. trouble them with pedantic Citations of the la"
and institutions Of other countries, TO prove ID
: correctness of our views.
, JOAN TAILOR. op CAROLINE.
Appointnent BY INC to'e,ngr u p'fs'E,'.-
Richard A. Maupin, Of San Francisco 10 be
:. Commissioner for Upper c iliiornia, 10 take az
Z | knnule ipments of deeds q