The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-05-07

ton of the United States, and the legislation and cons-
Sir, originally negroes were not citizens in this
try The Judicial tribunals o my State have settled iaat
point for ourselves, and as how far the judicial bu-
particular investigation Indeed. now speaking
more under the impulse of the moment than IRON any
preparation repeat, negroes originally were not eau
they brought here under British regulations, they
came. not as citizens, but property Now, when TINS
idea OF negro citizenship commenced in the dillerent
as negroes are citizens OF State depends the sauto
~ constitutional legislation OF the States. have not
examined the matter with the view to ascertain the times
when some OF the States may have made the negroes Or
portion Of them within their limits citizens; but certain
II is they were not citizens in the beginning. As they
not citizens In the beginning, becomes the duty
meaning Of the constitution Of the United States 70 all
nents and purposes. to show how and when the federal
constitution and the constitution OF the several States at
tached to them to make them such This has not
yet been satisfactorily done BY any member on this foor
deny that negroes were regarded in the light Of ct
by the States at the time the constitution Of the
United States formed and deny that the mtepreta-
ton OF that instrument is TO be varied according 70 the
changing subsequent legislation of the States My friend
refers to the articles q confederation to sustain his posi-
ton on this point Sir, there are two clauses IN those
articles which to have some relation 10 this matter
When these articles framed, the very object our an
cesors had above all others, was the successful prose-
cuton OF the in which were then engaged against
Great Britain, and the 5th section OF the 9th article Oh
these articles OF confederation expressly declares that the
army shall be raised by requsons upon the States based
upon what citizenship embracing negroes and those not
negroes! No, sir but based on the white Inhabitants
There is the rule the articles OF confederation. The
States to contribute soldiers in forming the army Of
the revolution III proportion TO the number OF ,ctite IN
habitan in each State. Now, If the st section OF the
4h article Of the confederation is to receive the ntepe
tation which my friend has put upon y; II to make
the free negro popslaon in the country In TITS citizens
all ntens and purposes, in the name OF common sense
ask Why when they were providing for the raising OF
an most % sv m.ks ss
the basis instead of citizens embracing Tree negroes ana
all,
4th article upon which my friend rests his argument TO
Justify this wholesale denuncation OF the southern
States and their legislation
The better to secure and perpetuate mutual friendship
as hs ss Of
pauper vagabonds, and ugves from justice excepted
caens in The States and the people Of each State
shall have free ngress and egess 70 and from any other
State shall enjoy therein all the privileges OF trade and
commerce. subject duties imposi,ions and
scons. the inhabitants thereof respectively provided
ossr sss Of Which, The owner IS an inhaban provided
Of Of them. aes l'N' : - -
Now, sir free negro of Connecticut under these ar
ces OF confederation going into the States OF North or
South Carolina, will be subject, in the very language OF
the section to the "impositions and restrictions I'M
posed by State legislation upon the inhabitants OF those
States In other words under this clause OF The fourh
article Of confederation, free negro from one OF the
northern States going into southern State would be
placed in no better condition than that OF the free negroes
in the State to which he might 60 those States have
severe patrol regulations, il is their legitimate right to
adopt whatever rules their safety under existing crcum
stances, may require. And ask the gentleman whether
the regulations Of which he complains are ay more
than severe patrol regulations do not say they may
be too severc but think they do not deserve the
unqualified condemnation which my friend has thought
proper to bestow on them What DO they spring from
he ,f
and their object to the people, endangered by
the introduction OF class who from sympathy with the
slave may be disposed 70 excite hm to insurrecnon we
all know that caste and its attendant sympathes have
always and will ever induce individuals OF the same
color the same nation, and the same condition in
life to associate with and give 70 each other and and
the introduction OF free negroes from the North, I'M
bued with extreme abolition ideas. The South, there
fore BY precautionary legislation guard; agains, not
more than patrol sanitary legislation Why, cir. what
is the practice OF every civilized community in regard
commercial people of the North why. SIR you actually
take away a mans liberty from him, merely on the
ground OF apprehension that he may introduce an infec-
ious diseasel You quarantine man for forty days,
and make him siave for that length Of time. You do
no, put him to hard labor, Il 10 ue but you take away
his liberty What is this but an exemplihcauon OF the
and taking care OF itself and must judge for itself as 10
the appropriate means Yet we hear not word Of CON-
plant about the deprivation Of mans liberty through
tnese quarantine laWsj uut Wheu tne .vu aheo ~"
negro's liberty for brief period, with view TO the
prevention OF results the most awful which can be i'm
agined, and which need not be named, II IS here de.
nounced as most terrible outrage and crime Sir II
but the exercise OF OF those patrol regulations OF
ciey, absolutely essential to its protection and existence
Gentlemen should be liberal in their views They
ought look the great operations OF society and the
existence OF those causes growing out OF the very nature
and structure OF man. which justify communities in the
adoption OF suitable regulations for their protection and
preservation Gentlemen may talk as they please about
IT, but no society did, can, ever will exist
without exercising this power in all cases where theil
self-preservaon is at stake. They may 90 too far and
abuse the power, but its exercise is an indispensable
right belonging TO human government
But are these patrol laws confined IN their operations
solely against negroesi Not at all. What is done in
this city, and in every city in America and all over the
world Let person present himself in suspicious at
tude at night, and the watch will arrest him and take
him 10 the caaboose common la and keep him there
until the matter is investigated II the circumstances
at all suspicious yoa may require OF him bond and secur
~ for his good behavior and he does not comply you
may commit him TO Jail for twenty thirty, or sixty days
or Tor years. as the wisdom OF the legislative power
the country shall direct Thus 1t is in regard to mere
suspicious persons but how Is II in reference to free white
vagrants You arrest them, investigate their conduct
and OF the States actually sell them into slavery
and whip them like negroes when they dsobey their mas
ters These regulations which exist, to some extent
everywhere; and yet from the speeches delivered on th
floor, stranger from another planet would be induced
think that all the nhuman oppression all the grinding des
black Sir, il is not so. II you win only consult thu
books, you will find that every where society ha
made such regulations TO operate upon individuals ans
classes Of individuals as the general welfare seemed Z
require.