The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-05-27

shall be born Ia this State siter the first day Of
January, eighteen hundred and hfty five, shall,
upon their arrival at the age Of twenty-one
years be compelled to emigrate to Liberia, IN
Africa or, upon their remaining within the
State for more than twelve months thereafter,
unless in the hands Of the Maryland State
Colonization Society,) shall, upon proof thereof
before the Circuit Court Of any county, or the
Criminal Court Of Baltimore city, be ordered
by the Judge thereof to be sold as slaves, for a
term of not less than FIVE nor more than ten
years and the proceeds thereof shall be ap-
piled to the colonization fund Of said county OF
city'n
In the House of Delegates, Virginia, MIR
Brown, from the select committee on the sub
jeet, has reported bill, the provisions Of which
are thus stated by the Petersburg Intelligen.
GER.
/" 1t provides that the county and corporation
courts, at the commencement OF their terms
on the first of January in every two years, shall
appoint persons to be called, and who shall &C
as, oyerseers Of free negroes and mulattoes
their number and districts to correspond with
that of the Commissioners Of Revenue in eacf
county and corporation; said overseers to keeI
a list of names of all free negroes, in boob
kept in the clerks Office of each county anc
corporation; said lists corrected from time Il
time the Overseers to hire out the free negroes
and mulattoes of their respective districts t
the highest bidder at public auction, Tor other
wise with the appreciation of the court) tn
money arising from the hires to be paid int
the treasury Of the State, to constitute fun
to be expended for the purpose of transporta
ton Of said free negroes and mulattoes fror
the Commonwealth; the overseers, wheneve
the fund from their respective districts be suit
cient, to cause to be transported from the Con
monwealth such free negroes and mulattoes a
they shall deem most fit to be transported
making it their object, 80 far as practicable, ;
apply the proceeds Of the hire of each fire
negro to his or her own transportation to tn
place or country of his or her own selection
and always having regard to the non-separa
ton Of families, and of these connected by tie
Of affinity and consequently, and to be deliy
cred to such persons or authorities as the count,
may appoint The bill also provides for sucl
free negroes as may have property, and give
them the privileges to hire themselves in Ger
tain cases and to take, if practicable, theil
property with them Police regulations are
also provided for carrying into effect all the
provisions of the law, and provisions and regu
lations made for children at the end Of five
years from the first of January, 1853; such free
negroes as remain in any of the districts to be
sold into slavery, to the highest bidder, under
regulations prescribed, and in certain cases to
have the privilege Of choosing their masters"
The Intsligeneer very properly speaks Of
the bill as "moustrosity of legislation, " with
out precedent, violent and cruel and not
likely to obtain dozen votes in the Virginia
House of Delegates. We hope this may be
true There are some $4,000 free colored Mary.
landers, and $4,000 free colored yirgnians
The proposition submitted by their white
neighbors is to drive them from their homes, to
Danish than to Africa, to make them pay, by
forced contributions or labor, the expenses OF
their own Punishment, and, in the event of all
this failing, to reduce them to perpetual sla-
very. The annals of the Old World record nc
a.rocity greater than this medtated wicked.
ness
We have word now for the Colonization
Societies. They claim to be the true friends
Of the colored race. They seek the confidence
Of the free people of color, and reproach them
with their hostility. What can they expect 2
When have they ever condemned these cruel
projects Of cOercive colonization Protesting
that their object was, the " colonization of the
free people Of color ruth their Oacn consent" it
was especially incumbent upon them to set
their faces as flint against all oppressive and
coercive measures. They have not done SO ;
their members and supporters have been prom
nent in instigating oppressive legislation ;
their organs have appealed to it as the strong
est argument for the removal of the colored
people while not a resolution has been passed
by them in condemnation of it, And yet they
affect wonder that the colored man should dis
trust their friendship and reject their scheme !,
Let them abandon this Cain-like policy. Let
them erect the standard against injustice. Let
them openly condemn and earnestly struggle
against all Legislation calculated to degrade or
coerce coored people int Punishment. Let
them encourage ali judicious efforts for their
education and Improvement Let them de-
mand the repeal of all proscriptive legislation
against them. Then will they have demon
strated their claim to be true friends of the
colored race, and their scheme of Colonization
could no longer be denounced as part of sys.
tenn of measures looking to the forcible expul
sion of'half a million Of native-born Amer.
cans-whatever else might lie said of it.