Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-08-13
AsoLITIoN AND FREE NEGROES.

D..
After the passage of the Missouri act of 1920,
Missouri proceeded to frame constitution, and
made application for admission into the Union
under the law. The abolitionists and free
sellers of that day opposed the application be-
cause the constitution adopted by Missouri for
babe the introduction or immigration of free
negroes. Their opposition was SO powerful
and so resolute that compromise was forced
in 1921, by the terms Of which, Missouri was
prohibited from denying to free negroes the
right of immigration, Of settlement, as condi-
ton precedent to its admission into the Union.
Since that time, several non-slaveholding
States have passed laws forbidding free negroes
to come within their borders, and the abolition
lists and freesoilers have not uttered word of
complaint. They were willing to prevent the
admission of Missouri into the Union rather
than permit her to exclude manumitted slaves;
but they look on with an approving smile whilst
non.slaveholding States exercise that right.
This fact proves the selfshness and hypocrisy
of the anti-slavery leaders, and the dishonest
foundation of abolition and f;eesoil sentiments.
We have been led to make these remarks by
the fast that, some time ago, a southern gen.
tleman, by his will, manumitted large num-
Der of slaves, and provided them the means OF
settlement in either of the States Of Indiana or
Illinois. IT seems to be doubtful whether the
terms of the will have the effect of manumitting
the slaves unless they are permitted to settle in
the States mentioned whilst the laws of both
Of those States forbid the introduction of such
persons within their borders. This case has
been made public for some time. The abol
tionists and freesoilers are fully informed of
it, vet none of them have uttered COM
plant or taken any action to show their sym
patfy for the slaves conditionaly manumitted
in Georgia. If those slaves had been manu-
mitted on condition that they should settle in
Virginia or North Carolina, and those two
States had refused them admission, every free
soiler and abolitionist would have become
furious and frantic. They care nothing for the
slave. They hate the saye-owner and the
States which recognize slavery. When they
strive to procure the freedom of a slave, they
are not actuated by humanity or philanthro-
py-they are actuated by the mean desire to
iniure the owner of the slave, and the wicked
purpose of fomenting discord and strife. When
southern gentleman manumits his slaves,
then they cannot injure him; and the slaves
may be pitched into the sea for aught they
care.
We do not mean to censure the laws of In
diana or Illinois relative to free negroes. II
we we're citizens of either Of these States we
would sustain and uphold them, for we believe
them to be eminently wise and proper. The
African race is an inferior race, and slavery
is its only salvation when it comes in contact
with the Caucasian. The free negro is the
most wretched creature on the continent; and
a free negro population is the most worth
less, degraded, and troublesome that can
aflict people Every State owes it to
itself either to forbid slavery or to require
that every negro within its borders shall have
a master, and all laws permitting manumission
should require as condition precedent that
means be furnished along with the deed Of
manumission to carry the manumitted slave
out of the country within specified time. Il
the negro should be found in the country after
the expiration of that time the deed of manu-
mission should be void. People may have Q
right to set their negroes free, but they have nc
right to afiict their neighbors with pestilen
tial population.