Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1857-03-28
a LEGISLATIVE BLUNDER.

In accordance with the whole spirit of Slavery,
the Legislature of Florida at it's last session passed
m &C, depriuing tho free colored people OF that
Stwe Of tne privilege Of managing their own
business affairs and prohibiting any white person
from buying of them, except with the written con.
sent of a white guardian appointed for them by
the government. The class of people thus out
ragged in their rights Of person and property, have
resolved in self defence to e~migrate in considerable
numbers to some region outside IF the United
States government; and it seems have cha tered
a vessel for that purpose. Liberia seems not to be
especially attractive TO these emigrants, as they
propose going to Tampico. This resolution Of the
colored people, seems to be a result not auticipat-
ed by the legislature and people of Florida and
when it comes to the point Of separation, they arc
unwilling to part with this class of vilifed citizens,
whom we have been tau ht by the putriarchs, as
q nuisance aud n curse to every community. They
suddenly discover that they are possessed of IN.
common virtues-especially those of '~sobriety and
industry" Virtues as we have reason to believe
exceedingly rare among the slaveholding whites.
I..will indeed be II sad affair for the eociety OF
FLORIDA if these sober, industrious, law-abiding
and wealthy citizens" persist in their purpose OF
emigration. That society much needs the influence
of so good an example, though we are not pr,
pared 20 recommend tn ese colored people to re
main as missionaries among a class Of such hope
less sinners as the Florida Shareholders, The
Pest Florida Times, published in Pensacola ex-
presses it's views of tho case as follows:
ave regret that the Assembly should have
marred the general propriety and wisdom of it's
Legislation at the late session, by the passage OF
the act. Unnecessarily oppressive in it's prUvis.
ions, particularly as regards the cUlOred people of
this community, who have ever been among the
most sober, industrious and law-abiding OF our
citizens. the workings of the act must present n
strong balance of evil rather than of good. Many
of our eolored people are persons of property and,
not having the privilege Of appointing their own
agents, their substance may be placed at the
mercy of dishonest and designing PARTIES; their
previously scanty privileges are yet further limit
ed, and they are scarcely allowed the feeling Of
%UoHtion, not TO speak of independence OF action
IN the smallest affairs OF business. A consequence
of such stringent e~nactmen!s is the expatriating
of a large number Of cnlored persons, mechanics,
etc, whom the t09n can i'll afurd to lose they
have determined upon chartering II vessel in the
Spring, and emigrating in a body beyond the con
zines of the United States. Tampico being their
immediate destination. We hope they will De dis,
euaded from carrying into effect n plan that will
exile them from the locality where, with scarcely
an exception. they were born and have passed
t~heirAwhoie lives. Though a question as to the
.coAstitutionality can scarcely be raised. We think,
although We have heard such course suggested by
several, we can hold out a well-grounded hope that
the next Assembly will SO modify existing statutes
as to render the position of the free colored people
more bearsbls."