Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1855-03-24
SENATOR GILLETTE ON PERSONAL FREE.
DOM AT WASHINGTON.

The following letter from tho Hon. Francis Gil.
latte was addressed to Mr.. Basset., q colored gen.
tleman in New-llaven:
WASHINGTON, Dec. 80, 1854.
Mr.. BAssETT-Dear Sir: In answer to your in.
quiry whether, in my opinion, it would be safe for
II free culoIed man Of the North 10 visit Washing.
toni am under the sad necessity Of saying,
that free persons Of color coming into the Nation.
al District are presumed by the laws to be abscond.
ing slaves, and are liable to be arre.ed, and il
unable to prove their freedom. to be sold into
Slavery for life to pay their Jail fees. by the law,
if a man Of color is apprehended rs a runaway
slave, lie is subjected to all the fees and rewards
given for experimenting runaways, and upon fail
ure to make such payment, lie liable to DO sold as
q slave and to crown the villainy, the United
States Marshall is constituted the Judge, into
whose pocket goes the price of blood. Instances
are numerous in which uncloimed persons have
been sold, under this law. into lifelong Slavery
and their price has been received by the Marshal.
under the specious pretext of paying their expss.
ces. while in prison.
In relation to your second ~inquiry-whether, IL
not utterly hazardous for a free colored man Of the
North to venture into the Capital, what precautions
should be used-l would advice him to take . iet-
ter from some prominent citizen of the State from
which he might come, setting forth his name. char.
acter, and object or objects in visiting the national
metropolis. and commencing him to the kidness Of
tuO udu iCoiuiIk HuIC, NHtp Jul ~ Aeh tno
the clutches Of the slave-hunting kidnapper and
pirate, woul i~nterpose for his recue.
Whether a colorc1 gentleman would be permit
ted to attend upon the debates and discussions in
tho Capitol, | can only say. there is no rule In
either house of Congress excluding such persons.
The galleries are free and unguarded by door.keep-
ers, and | presume a colored spectator would not
be rudely thrust out, though he might be annoyed
and inSulted by
" The oppaessor's wrong, the proud mans con-
timely"
will add in conclusion, that the free native col
ored population in this District amount to several
thousand, and are, as | understand. to a consider
able extent, the owners of property. which 10 taxed
TO support the city schools, and for other munich
pal purposes, while they are s%ummarily excluded
from any participation in tho benefit Of those
schools, and necessita ted to support other schools
for educating their children. Still. notwithstand-
ing all the injustice and outrage which arc heaped
upon them, they seem to bear up heroically under
their wrongs and demean themselves more virts-
ously than their oppressors for. while ! have been
panied to see. during my short residence here,
scores of drunken white men. in all the intermedi-
ate conditions, from the hackney-coach to the gutter,
| never have vet seen a drunken colored man, nor
any apparently sunken TO so lew an abys OF deg
relation and sha ne, as a numerous class OF white
proAigates and debauchees. These obeervatiohs
that we are trampling upon Of the best branches
of the human family.
In the hope that the nation may turn aud ezpf
ate its great wickedness, before II shall be ovsr-
whelmed BY the divine judgment.
Iremain truly yoor friend.
FRANCIS GILLETTE.