The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-03-24
Liponia, Mieh., March 6, 1853.
vpvp coroREp POPULATION OF VIRGINIA

The Examiner, of Richmond, Virginia, is in
dicpant at the weakness of the Legislators of
that State. For several years, it says, they
have come down to Richmond, fully determin-
ed to adopt measures for the expulsion of the
free negroes but g their propositions have all
ended in the committee rooms" 1t adds
.aThe Northern influences of the place-the
howlings of Northern newspapers unheard at
home-and, more than all, the real want of a
desire to do general good-the lack of public
spirit of something to lift them above gam
bling in local roads and above the fears of in
dyidual abuse and unpleasant notoriety-these
causes have efectually undermined their con-
yctions, their observations, and their delber-
ate determination"
The Examiner does not seem to recognise any
such thing as justice or humanity among these
legislators. In its judgment they are controlled
by the lowest consderations-they would be
cruel and oppressive, if they were not selfish
and cOwardly.
Now, we suppose that they are unable to
find sufficient reason for tearing from their
native soil some ffty-three thousand helpless
human beings and banishing them to Africa,
for no crime but that of being free! They
revolt at such an act of diabolism, and choose
rather to suffer little inconvenience than out
rage all right and all humanity. We cannot
but think their own conscience has something
to do with their forbearance.
This clamor against the free people of color
Of Virginia is absolutely irrational Few OF
them are great criminals--many of them are
laborers and in some sections labor is not 80
abundant that they can easily be dispensed
yith-and their numerical force is 30 small
that their presence can excite no real alarm
In 1890 they numbered about 10 900 in 1900
10000; in 1910, 10000; in 1920, $4,000; in
IS4O 10000 in 1850, only SO, OOO-an increase
of but three thousand in ten years; and yet
from the tone of the Examiner, one would infer
that of late years their expulsion had become
absolutely necessary to the safety Of the State
But in urging this measure, the Examine,
breaches an idea which implies something lk'
progress.
I'VE speak, it says, "of the real free negro
the free negro of fact, as distinguished from
the classification of the law The great diff
Guilty of this subject, the only difficulty of this
question, arises from the circumstance that the
law treats and ranks with negroes o large
number Of persons who are not negroes at all
The industry and comparative responsibility Of
many persons who are half whites, or more, il
alleged as conclusive answer to all the truths
which the public voice utters concerning the
free negro population. Il has ever been Our
opinion that the negro laws of Virginia should
be made to meet the circumstances Of these
people. IL does not do 30 now A half white
a man of only one-f0urth Of his blood derived
from the negro origin-is no more negro than
he is white. The legal fiction which treats
him as negro is absurd 1t has no founda.
ton in fact. Hence it is an eternal obstacle in
the way of all salutary arrangement of this
bad subject; and 1t can only be gotten rid Of
by recognising the Interchangeable fact that the
negro and the mulattO are different creatures
The codes of many Southern States already do
80, and our own free negro legislation must
conform to the truth, or continue to be imbe-
Gle. The half negro and the three-fourths
white are much more intelligent and energetic
has tastes, prejudices, and ideas and habits
altogether different from those of bis black pro.
gentOrs He makes q worse slave but better
FREEDMAN, and about towns and cities frequent
earns respectable livelihood. But no de-
eactiOns drawn from such sources are applica-
Ole to the case Of the genuine free negroes"
If We understand this theory, the mulattoes,
and those three-fourths white, are capable OF
exercising the rights of freemen, capable Of
FOgress-therefore kindred with whites, and
the laws should recognise this fact Should
the theory be carried out provision would be
made for their ultimate investiture with all the
rights Of freemen
bot the Examiner insists that the Law
Vusht to recognise the Interchangeable fact
'na' the negroes and mulattoes are differen,
creatures The law cannot recognise such a
TACT as Interchangeable" for the plain reason
mat 1t is not Interchangeable. The negro, By
imagination, is continually passing into th,
class Of mixed blacks, and in process of time
may entirely disappear in the mulAtto, who
according to the Examiner, should be placed
90 the road to enfranchisement. Is this opin
Ion of the Examiner becoming prevalent? Il
80, does not the fact throw some light upon thl
views OF Southern men as to the final solution