Washington telegraph., 1850-08-21
Ohio Expelling her Free Negroes.

Anu every
~0ooo~0o~O~~
Ohio ExpeIling her Free Negroes.
We have before us, taken from Gin
,cinnati paper, petition, numerously sigh
ed by citizens of Hamilton courty, adj
dressed to the Convention called for alter
ing the Constitution Of Ohio, praying that
provision may be made in that instrument
for the removal from the State of all per-
sons Of negro or OF part negro blood,
and prohibiting their future entrance into
II.
This is certainly most striking docu-
ment, when we recollect that Ohio is the
great free-soil State of the Union. Her
Legislature and her press are ultra in
their doctrines and views on the negro
question, and the State Itself is the grand
refuge and home of fugitive slaves from
every querser of the South, and where
they have heretofore been so strongly
encouraged, assisted and projected. Yet,
with all this pretended philanthropy and
sympathy for the blacks, measure of
severity and harshness is proposed against
them, which has never been adopted IN
q slaUe STATE, and which, if it were at
tempted in the latter. would raise wild
cry of bitter denunciaton from the whole
of the abolition party of the Union, in
Guiding these philanthropists of this very
State of Ohio
The memorial depicts, in strong but
truthful language, the dangers and evils
to be apprehended from the continued
residence and increase of the free colored
population, but if such are the facts as
regards Ohio, how much stronger are the
reasons for adopting similar proceeding
in the Southern States? II the free States
coutinae the course they have been pur-
suing, as regards the slaves Of the South,
there is no doubt but that the latter, as
a matter of self-preservation, will be COM
PEELED TO expel all their free negroes. If.
then, Ohio, and we have no doubt the
other free States also, fad the present
limited number of free blacks TO highly
Objectionable and injurious, what will
they say or think when the South shall
suddenly pour out upon them GOO. 900
more of the same races
The example of Illinois, which already
has adopted a Constitutional pfoUiSaon.
prohibiting free negroes from residing in
the State is no doubt the cause Of the
present movement in Ohio, and every
additional State which adopts the plan,
will render it more necessary for the other
free States to follow the example, or to
have all the free negroes Of the Union
concentrated upon them.
We intended only to have given some
extracts from this petition, but i'll looking
it over for the purpose, we found it would
not bear mutlatioE without greatly in
juring its force, aud we therefore give il
entire. and would recommend it to the
attentive perusal of our readers.
~ O. Bulletin.
To the Convention called to c1aange the
Constitution Of Ohao.
GENTLEMEN: The undersigned respect
fully petition your honorable body, and
pray that provisions may be made in the
Constitution, (Which you are now framing)
for the removal of all persons of negro,
or of part negro blood, from the State of
Ohio.
In presenting this petition we are fnly
impressed with the Importance of the
subject which it involves, and with the
fact that the measure, if adopted, will
operate for a time to the Inconvenience
and probable injury of our colored In.
habirants But the evils which will he
avoided by it, and the permanent good
which will result from it, both to the
present and to future generations, are, we
think, ample reasons 10 justify its adop-
ton.
The geographical position of our State,
situated upon the Ohio river, and lying
as it were at the door of the Southern
plantations, makes it suitable point tor
the collection of fugitive and manumlt-
ting negro slaves; the consequence has
been very rapid increase of our negro
population-an increase which has much
exceeded that of any other free State In
the Union.
In the year 1900 there were but 500
negroes in the States of Ohio. Indiana and
Illinois; but in the year lS4S they were
estimated at 10000 in the State OF Ohio
alone. This shows that our colored pop
ulation has been doubling itself once IN
every eight years, ratio OF increase
which, if continued for fifty years longer,
will give us colored population oil over
two millions of negroes and mixed bloods.
These facts alone, we think, present mat
ter of much moment for your consldera-
ton, and call for some prompt and decld'
ed action.
Formerly the emigration of white peo-
pie to this State was of equal ratio to