The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-02-14
FREE NEGROES IN GEORGIA.
Proceedings in the Georgia Legislature, JAN Is
From the Savannah Republican.

FROM Tue savannah Republican.
The bill for the removal of free negroes was
next taken up. DIR. Phillips offered a substi
tute, recommending the propriety of assessing
them all with tax, to raise fund to be used
for the purpose of removing them.
Mr.. Jones spoke in opposition to the bill and
the substitute. The principle involved in this
measure was revolving to his nature The dig.
nifty of the Legislature should be above such
paltry, ungenerous movements, as waging war
ON the poor, defenceless, unrepresented portion
OF the community-a portion having no means
OF redress in case they are wronged, holding the
intermediate position between slaves and the
lowest class of whites. If any class needed pro-
lection, they did and if any class should be
free from persecution, they should.
The philanthropical gentlemen engaged in
the colonization scheme, animated with the
purest motives of bsnevolence and charity. af
ter having witnessed the effects of expectation
characterized it as a curse upon the free me-
groes. Every returning ship brings earnest Pc
ttons from these poor, unhappy exiles. driven
from this free country, to be brought back
again to the country of their birth and their
| friends.
MIR. Crook, OF Chattooga, in reply, said that
this was an act of selfpreservation, of DELHI
crate, prudent estimation of dire consequences
to result from presence of a dangerous people.
Other Southern States have enacted laws SINH
lar to this; the free States excluded them; and
thus, in Georgia, would gather this almost out
| cast population in sufficient numbers to warrant
the idea of danger.
Mr.. Dawson, of Greene, addressing himself
to the arguments of Mr.. Crook, said there were
statutes prohibiting the introduction of free ne.
groes. Joel Early, of Greene liberated thirty
slaves, all of whom went to Liberia-and OF
this number, one was living, the rest having
died off, one by one. He could not support the
bill. There were stringent laws to keep them
IN check, and the laws of the State forbid man
omission. He had observed those who lived in
his county to be orderly and wsIl-behaved.
Mr. Haynie. Chattooga has but ninety-three
negroes, and consequently there is no cause fol-
alarm on the part of the gentleman from thai
county.
Mr.. Jones then spoke of their low condition
fervently appealing for sympathy for the igno
rant, benighted African. He showed statistics
proving the perfect immunity from danger from
this class, exhibited the effect of colonization
DC. Mr.. Crook then replied most ably sustain
ing his positions, adducing new arguments, and
occasionally indulging in flight of eloquence
DIR. Phillips supported Mr.. Crook with great
power, and, in the course of his remarks
brought up the name of Jefferson.
Mr.. Lawton, of Chatham, said that he knew
a large number of old residents in Savannah
Shareholders, who were well acquainted with
every change that had taken place in the cir
cumstances of the blacks, and those men ap
pretended no danger. The free negroes were
orderly, hard-woEking industrious, law-respect
ing people. He differed from the gentleman
concerning the Colonization Society. He be
lieved it was a medium of much good; different
accounts had been received from Liberia, and
! they all seemed to be doing we'll there. He die