Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1850-10-30
cow MuNGC TAONs.
TO THOMAS j. NICHE, ESQ.

SrR;-Legislation for our Free cOoged people has al
ways taxed strongly the wisdom OF our wseSt men
The master and slave sustain relations well detned ou.
the introduction of o,cer caste in society has never aea
to create social difficulties the most dangerous ana ueiu
Our wses statesmen early contemplated Inc evil anu ue
pored what they failed to prevent or remove
legislative enactmens however, have shown careful
regard the interests of this class ot our P"puaon ana
whatever has been Judged practicable Tor her benefit has
ennd Mace ON the statute book Yet all fails TO give them
a position which can furnish the proper motives 10 enter
Prise because it does associate them with ourSeves
Thew are beow the czen without the relative privileges
secured to the Save
Srngent laws are necessary govern their movements
and define their position, which suppress he ordinary
springs Of ambiton palsy their energies and render them
desolae-cut off from the sympathies which associate and
bind together all other classes.
The free coOred man here, though under government
of laws can have share in that government lie is porn
an alien and if admitted at all to right to reside IN 'ne
State he must be admitted by favor and RENAL" oy SUI
ferance.
No free negro permitted to remain in the state longer
than year after his emancipation see 'he ne" revised
code, chap. l07, Sec ~ .,-
II is made the duty ohe Commissioner OF the revenue to
annually list of all the Tree negroes IN the County
under penalty Tor delinquency U' soU-anu he d1y OIL
the Clerk to post copy OF this list on the Court house
door and preserve the original under penalty Of SIS
(chap, l07, sec. o.
try renewed every Ave years. chap. l07, sec g.
y,
properly renewed, may be committed to iail-and on the
second commtal must be punished with stnpes(chaP.
I07, sec. l0)
1t is made the duty of the Commissioner to give nfor
nation the grand jury any free negro remains IN the
County or Cooperation against kno under penalty OF
So for every case of neglect.-(chap lO7, sec. 81
Any person employing any free negro who has not such
aested copy Of his registry, is liable to fine five dol
lars.-(chap. l07, sec. l4)
Free negroes permitted take upther residence
in ed Inv he
Count in full seSsion-which liberty the Court may grant
or refuse and afterwards whdraw-(chap. lUi sec 10
and il is made the duty of the Commonwealth Attorney
to represent the State in urging every valid reason against
such applicatou.-Ic chap. 10Y, sec.
All free negroes violating the law stated in the prece-
ding section forfeit their eedu and may be sold slaves
CHAP. l9S, sec. 26)
free negro migrate from another State into this Stale
or return after having gone into savehOldlng State,
it is made tho duty Of every officer and ofevery citizen to
appehend him aud legal cOnyiction to have nun pun
shed with strpes-and he is permitted to remain IN the
State.-( chap. l9S, sec. % and ~
If these laws in any respects 10 pear hard on the
free coored man. this has its origin in the necessities the
case There is strong sympathy in his favor Yet such
are our aws-n referring TO which, have omitted the
chapter on offences where penalties are made TO fall much
more heavily him than ON Common ohenders-and this
too from obvious ReceSslty.
The Legislature has made liberal appropriation to aid in
their emigration Liberia, the only place earth where
they enoy civil and social privileges like ourselves
This indicates the policy OF the State, and also the
duty of courts in the OF their discretionary powers
to admit petitioners to registry their respective Counties
1t proposes give them full citizenship in free Repub
lie Of their own and thereby declares the opinion that it
should not be granted in This. need not labor this point
The intelligent among the free crlOed people themselves,
reason right on it, and look with increasing favor on TIE en-
igraiion proposed.
Ifthe laws more generally understood and more
faithfully applied this opinion would be rapidly and
fully developed and this class ofour population would has
unite their fortunes the glorious desnies Of Lbe-
ria, where they strongly invited by their brethren who
have gone benre aud by their own personal interests.
BY the Census just taken, find there aren the County
$50 free people of color OftheSe. than one-lhd
are registered have complied with the laws, which give
them any right residence here, 1t is for deter
mine whether the laws which we approve shall be sustain
ed and whether the people for whose benefit these laws
were made shall be awakened by their application de-
eide and enterprise which shall secure true lib
erty, independence and honor to themselves and their chill
dren. Very respectfully,
r. w. BAILEY.