Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1856-07-25

thing that could not be ,defepded on
reasons moral o. political.
In the same connection he speaks
Of the people Of this State as "fhs sons
Of Aose men pho reared The proud fab-
ric Of american Independents, phoss
rich hsritogs Is The fertile valley qfthe
Aississippi. and 'cho are the guardians
efhs sacred temple Of FREEDoM."
Now. while his partisans arc slang
whsngine over the country about mig
gers. and wool. charging abolition SEN
liments on all who oppose the extern
sion Of Slavery. and declaring that the
Republicans love niggers better Than
they do whites--let us see how Mr.,
Reid valued the darkies In 1850. fIe
avows:
1--WE do not consider II Unnecessary to
enter into any argument TO Ishow that
the Negro. Mulatto. and Indian are
men. AMI as such entitled TO all Of their
natural and civil rights, in asfull pow
err as any citizen Of Indiana. The
history Of the world allows them this
character, and has assigned TO each
his proper place in the rank Of man
kind. But were this denied. there are
Of themselves self evident proofs. de-
veloped in their physical formation,
their mental abilities, the inherent
principles Of their nature. and the &C.
knowledged admission Of the civilized
world"
The report proceeds to examine the
laws by which negroes were rendered
incompetent as witnesses, when white
men were parties; by which all blacks
coming into the State were required
to give security for good behavior.
and against pauperism, or be seized
and sold for six months to the highest
bidder. &c. Over these enactments,
Notwithstanding by constitutional
provision the people Of this State have
since excluded negroes altogether from
settling amongst us--Mr. Reid wastes
as much lachrymose rhetoric as you
could expect from Gerrit Smith o.
Theodore Parker. He bewails the
terrible lot Of the negro whose family
dwelling may be invaded by the spoil
ers the earnings Of years. the virtue o
Ais children. the peace Of his home de
s.royed-even lie itself taken, yet thu
colored man, so far as he is concerned
is powerless in the hands OF his op
pressor. He asserts that it is the dut]
Of the State Of Indiana TO protect then
as FREE men, and not as SLAVES.
The Judge goes abroad for author
lily. 3 he
Europe" he says. "has long sine
repudiated the doctrine Of the incom
potency OF the colored race. and no,
in England, France, Prussia. and Ger
many. the testimony Of this class Q
persons goes to the Court and jury
allowing them to judge Of its trut
and credibility, sustaining or rejectin|
it on the character and reputation Q
the man. But here in FREE and In
LraHrENED INDIANA. on the soil cover
ed by the famed ordinance Of i787.-
here, where Freedom hath built be
altar. and when the talent and intelll
} gence Of the age are fast Fastening
here in this beautiful country the csir'
of Slavery still rests. blighting an
blasting the hopes and rights Of tn
colored population. and treating thel
as if they still were slaves"
The committee also reported a bill
providing for certain changes in tn
law. and urged its adoption becau'
; the spirit and intelligence Of the ae
demand 1t; because three thousand al
, olitionists petition for it; because Il
great charter Of American freemen an
the GREArER DECLARATION or DryIs
AUTHORITY in the HoLr BIBLE. ups
whose God our fathers trusted, q
raise their voices and cry, soften Il
rigor Of your laws and lsi mypeopte
free. .i .sn.-
: Now we inquire. was Judge Reid
{ negro worshipper in 1850? II s.
: when did he wash himself clean fro
the odor Of Africa. and shave OF II
;. crop Of political wool With which
{ was 'adoned? and how came he to tut
: out q shangeIingY What could ha'
1 induced so devoted friend Of the y
0 gro. SO ardent q champion Of the o
9 dinsnce Of 1887, so stout an advoca
|. for freedom. and the higher lar, al
9 so bitter an enemy Of slavery. to gro
Z into the modern form and proportion
q Of . 6llibustering, old line, buccanie
Can any body tel US? Or is it diff
: cult to guess that party inauenc
: and love Of Office corrupt the judiciar
and turn abolitionists into old liner
d We do not quote this from his r
e port to condemn it's doctrines but
+ show how great istheinhuence Of par
= upon the opinions Of men who Sc
|. themselves to do its behests. II
e remedy is for the people to rise abo'
d party. and select agood and true mi
. because Of his moral worth. and leg
: attainments. and not because
) squares himself to the ever changir
u platforms Of demagogues. We mi
!. allude to this subject Of the Judicial
= again, when the people have time
= consider it. And we may. as a strol
d anti-old line speech. quote the enti
of the Judges able report. before Il