New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-03-20

Attempts were made the past W inter IN the
Legislatures of almost all the slavehOdpg States to
pass acts for the vexaiiOn and hsrassment of the
free colored Inhabitants Of those States, with the
obj.c. Of driving them off. We had OCCASION, come
tine sgo to poin. out the difficulty of getting such
eDsctmepts passed. Helpless and defensele.s as
the free coored pc jple are, they ye. found too
convenient to be readily dispensed with This is
equally true of the best and the worst OF them.
The useful virtues Of the one clsss, and the con-
versnt and accommodating vices of the other, give
TO both classes quite teDa ;ious hold upon the to-
ersion, if not upon the affections or the justice Of
their white neighbors. Accordingly, all these az
temp.s at persecutiDg legislation faxed of efiec',
excerpt only in Florida, where an act was passed.
depri7rg the free cOlored people Of the power to
manage their own pecuniary affairs, and forbdting
any person TO buy Of them, or sell TO them, eIcep'
with the written consent of white guardian 70 be
appointed for them. But no sooner are the effects
Of this act felt than il begins TO be complained OF as
burder and its repeal TO be ag.ated. The follow
ing article upon the subjec. appears in T& Vest
Florida Times, published in Pensacola:
eve regret that the Assembly should have marred
the general propney and wisdom OF IFS yisation a.
the late sestion, by the passage OF the set Cnneces
.siIy oppressive ID lis provisions particularly as re-
psIds the cocred people of this community, who have
BEEN smoDg the most sober industrious ADD LA"
absrg Of citizens the workings OF the ect must
pres,at strong balance Of evil rather thsn OF good
Msy % our colored people are persops Of property,
and no. having the privilege of appointing Their own
agents their substance may be sced at the mercy of
opborest ana designing parties their previously sc any
privileges are yet further limited and they are scarcely
allow I'd The feeling CT votiOn, not TO speak Of indie
pepdepce OF sction, In the smallest sftrs OF business
sequence Of such stringent enactnents lie the ex
pst,istng Of large number OF coiored persons, me-
chaDics etc, whom the toxn can III Afford to lose
they have determined upon chaterrg vessel Ia the
Spring and emigrating in body beyond the Confines
OF the United States, Tsmpico b7ing their immediate
d,ttir alton We hope they will be cissuaird from
csrr,r into effect plsn that will exile them from me
locality where with scarcely exception, they were
born aid bave parsed their whole lives. Though q
question TO the consutunonafy can scarcely Do
rai.ed think Attic ugh We have neard such couee
suggested by seversl can hold out well grounded
hope that The mex, Assembly will 81 modify existing
.atutes to render the position OF the tree coored
more besrable.
Pensacola, after ,l, canno. get along without free
negroes Now that they are abou! moving of 10 .
BODY, It is discovered that they are % auoog the
:. most sober, industrious and law-ab ding of the
citizep,, and that their departure will BE- very
serious loss to the place As these Peusacola peO-
pie Of color were by themselves or Their ancestors
anopg those subjects OF Spain whose rights are
guaranteed by the Florida treaty, respect f,r the
fsilh Of that document ght have made the Florida
Leg stature hesitate before pa,sBg tie set above re-
i,red TO- But when We find Judges at Washing.
ton proclsming from the bench Of the Sqpretne
CouIt that negroes have no rights which white msu
are bouLd 70 respect, what can We Anticipate FROM
the Legislature Of back 40, ds and semi bsroarous
community 1t lie hard thing to abandon the
lsnd Of their birth; but the coored people of Pen
.scols having mace up their MINDS to it, vii DO
bee. to persevere. In all that rel,tes to the negro
pcJu'stion, bond or FREE the Southern L-gis.,ures
| s,s IS. casting a 81 reserve and al deceocy