Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1849-02-09
The Black Laws.

Gov. Ford, in his inaugural, thus discour-
ses Of these laws:-
From a consideration of the laws them
selves, as well rs from the agitation of the
subject in all parts Of the State, | invite the
attention Of the General Assembly to the act
Of January 9Th, 1901, entitled, ian act to re-
gulate black and mulatto PERSONS" and the
act ameudatoty thereto, passed January 25ll,
1907. These acts, which are in common
parlance, denOminated The :" black Laws" are
of long standing, the first having been enact
ed soon after tho organization Of the State go
v,tnment. From the first they have met with
a decided opposition from a portion Of the peo-
pie of the State. OF late years and on a more
full investigation, this opposition has become
more determined and more extended.
There has sometimes been manifested a
disposition to impute improper motives 10
those who enacted these laws. In this at
tack upon the memory Of those who have
gone before US, | am not disposed TO partici-
pate. These acts were undoubtedly intended
by those who passed them for guod-they
were legislating for a State which had but
just been organized. On lis southern bound
airy, and separated from it only by the Ohio
River, were States in which the colored man
was enslaved. But in their W State, both
ny ~ CouN'IluliuH anu I'VE oIblldHCt VI 400,
happily, slavery could never be tolerated lis
people and every portion of them must forev-
81 remain free. Under these circumstances
they apprehended danger that their southern
nelghbors might cast upon them such Of their
slave population as were worthless, either
from age or vicious habits. Entertaining these
views, and believing that the best interests
OF their own State. required that its popula-
ton should be composed Of the White race,
they passed these acts 10 obtain as far as pos.
slbIe that object. But the object in view has
not been effected. Our colored population
has increased and is still increasing, these
laws TO the contrary Notwithstanding. In
fact they never have 10 any considerable eX-
tent, been enforced, except one section, here
after mentioned, and are now, as it were a
dead letter upon our statute book. Since
they are thus obsolete, and to many of our
citizens odious. and believing that it would
cOnport with Justice and add to the peace and
harmony of the community. ! recommend the
repeal of both these acts. But it upon due
consideration you shall be of the opinion that
the interests Of the State forbid such full re-
peal, | must then the more especially press
upon your consideration the repeal Of the
fourh section of the act Of 1907, and this,
from the foil conviction that the only opera
'''h " ''"' tt''' 49, ~ prevent lNullC dHh
private justice. This is the section which
prohibits the testimony Of black or mulattu
persons In any cause, either civil or criminal,
where either party is a white person.
la a state where slavery exists. there may
be some prelence Of reason why the enslaved
race should be prohibited from testifying in
controversies between those who enslave
them. But in a state whose constitution de-
clares all equally free, and where all are en-.
titled to the same protection Of life, liberty
and property, and where all have the same
personal. though notthe same political rights,
it seems absurd that the competency of a wit
ness should be tested, or the truth excluded
from our courts Of justice by the color of the
skin. The oppression and injustice to the
co'Ored people are rot the only reasons which
call for the repeal Of this section, hut it may
be urged as a measure Of justice to The white
population as well as to the State itself. In
stances are not unfrequent where white men
have been deprived Of their rights by its OPP
Grafton, and examples are not waiting where
the murderer has escaped punishment because
the commission of The crime could be proved
by the testimony of colored persons only.