The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1858-02-05
Obio gmislaturt.
Remarks of Mr.. McCieary,

In Senate, January 22d, upon the Bill
10 repeal me act entitied..-To preUent
.Siaueholding and kidnapping in
Ohio.
Mr. PRESIDENT-Before the subject is
fnanlly disposed OF, desire, not to make
speech, but briefly TO give my reasons for
voting against the bll! of the gentleman from
Hamilton, now under consideration.
1t has been contended by the gentleman
from Clermont that the Constitution OF Ohio
prohibited slavery, aud therefore this law is
unnecessary and ought to be repealed. 1t
is true, the Constitution Of Ohio does de-
clare there shall be no slavery in this State,
"nor involuntary servitude. unless for the
punishmen nj OF crime.' Now, sir, il the
doctrines of this gentleman were carried out
- that because there is consti mtlonal
provision no law upon this subject is neces-
sary--we might, upon the same principle.
repeal a number OF our laws, for there Is
scsIccly n constitutional provision TO be
found, but what there is also declaratory
act, regarding it, as with the act now sought
10 he repealed. The Legislature which
framed and passed tins lew, intended, aud
rightly too, to give force and effect to tnat
grand provision oi our Cons iitutlJn which
pro eclS and guarantees 10 every citizen OF
Ohio, FRHE and unreStranel liberty Of his
person without regard 20 the color OF his
skin, or the race from which lie sprung, -
Since the present Legislature has convened,
the bogus Democracy have endorsed the ad-
miniStration Of James Buchanan, aud have
resolved that they "Still'' adhere To the
principles OF the Cincinnati Platform; yet
outstanding their party drlll,;ley failed
to incorporate into their resolutions the
principles of the Dred Scott decision, and
they dare not adopt the principles OF that
decision in legiSlating for the people OF
/ Ohio.
II is true, si!, that at the last Guberna
torial Convention, they did resolve in favor
Of that decision, and their candidate for
Governor, Mr.. Payne, proclaimed upon th c
stump tb At the triumph Of the Democracy in
Ohio, and the safety Of the Union depended
upon sustaining that decision.
Sir, Whist was the result Of Mr.. Payne S
appeali The people repudiated this new
born Southern principle, aud rejected the
candidate who embodied it, and hence we
see the Democracy begin to "wilt,' begin
TO "cave in,' and We hear nothing further
about the principles Of the Dred Scott de-
cision. Sir, we find that the Democracy, as
they are called, in some Of the Southern
States. are advocating the re.opening OF the
African slave trade; aud their allies here in
the Senate OF OHIO, by the repeal OF this and
other laws, are opening the way, and letting
down the bars by which their Southern
friends may pass with their cofled gangs,
their human ctsttels, through this land ot
liberty, and here in Ohio we may shortl,
expect TO hear the crack ofthe slave driver /:
whip upon the bach of the slave, as they are
driven through our State to be sold as"chat
tels'' in a Southern market.
The gentleman from Hamilton who intro
duced this repeating measure. has told u
that he desires the repeal Of this law, 10 en-
} able ladies aud gentlemen Of the South I,
. visit, with their servants, State fairs. an,
4 other places Of public resort, without bein
annoyed by free negroes and Ohio aboli
tioAists. Sir, have not the pleasure of
personal acquaintance with the honofabl
n Senator, but from recent demonstrations,
!. am led TO believe that he is "gallant gen
tlemani" and judging ftom tho Zeal man
Q Tested by HIM for the repeal Of this law,
It should not be surprised # we were to fin
the gentleman leaning to the aristocracy {
the South; and who like his friend, the Gel
:. ebIated Irish patriot, John Mitchell, woul
}. have no personal objection to a Souther
g plantation we'll stocked with negroes "h
and sleek" But, sir, there is another ma
10 ter to be considered of far more important
70 to the South than the msis privilege of Wis
'e ting our State fairs with their servants. TT
gsntleman from Hamilton well knows tn
], Southern sristocrats frequently visit Il
3, Queen City.and bring with them their slav
Ia for the sole aud only purpose Of ,nsultir
tine freemen Of that city, whom they demon
C, mate sbolitionists. And, sir, it very fr
ii quently happens that while these chivAlIoJ
NJ .ans of thu South are enjoying thepas siyss