The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-10-07
OPPRESSIVE.

We copy the following paragraph from the
Washington Union:
Free Negroes.-The legislation in regard
to this class of our population has been so in
efficient hitherto, that the subject has at length
attracted the attention of the Board of Alder
men. The provisions now in existence are
scattered over large number of acts, passed
at various times, and some of them conflicting
with each other; and, moreover, they have very
nearly become dead letter, few knowing what
the present regulations really are. There are
great many free negroes and mulattoes re-
siding in this city who pay no taxes whatever !;
and yet large portion of the expense of ad-
ministering justice is caused by this class whose
names figure extensively in our watch returns
and criminal court records. Alderman Smith
has recently introduced bill repeating all the
existing acts in relation to free negroes, and re.
curing them to register their names, and de-
posite with the register the sum of FIVE dollars
each, which will entitle them to receive certi6-
Gates of permission to reside in the city for
year. Every free black or mulatto person above
the age of twelve years who shall fail or neg.
lect to comply with the provisions of this act
shall forfeit the sum of ten dollars, and be COM
mitted to the workhouse for ninety days in de-
fault of payment, or until such fine shall be
with in ten days after such release and pay
ment of fine, they shall be liable to rearrest
and the same penalty, and so on for each sub
sequent ten days, until said provision shall be
complied with"
The free colored people are neither better nor
worse than other people would be, under SINH
lar laws and usages. The legislation in the
District in relation to them, as everybody knows,
is shamefully oppressive, and is excused only
on the plea that it is necessary to protect the
city against the effects of the legislation of
Maryland and Virginia in regard to this class
of persons-so oppressive, indeed, that much
of it is rendered dead letter by Public Opin-
ion, the people being more humane than their
laws.
The new bill before the Board of Aldermen
is most discreditable. 1t is assumed that
great many free negroes residing in the District
"pay no tax whatever, and yet large proper
ticn of the expenses of administering justice is
caused by this class, whose names figure ex-
tensively in our watch returns and criminal
court records"
Not very largely in our criminal records"
The free colored people are by no means a
dangerous class. 1t was not against them, but
against portion of our free and enlightened
Anglo.Saxon race, that it became necessary to
provide costly police-and yet we are not
aware that these free and enlightened rowdes
are generally tax payers. Suppose you tax them
five dollars head, to pay the expense of keep
ing them in order Granted that the names
of these people figure extensively in "our watch
returns have we forgotten the regulation
that subjects every free colored person out at
night after ten, without pass, to arrest and
confinement in the watch-house2 This is a
special reason why they figure so largely in
"our watch returns but for this administra-
ton of justice, or rather injustice, they bear
the expenses. 1t is hardly decent to tax them
g. 3~ll~-. L~~l-:-~Il:-:-- "a - -
But, will you punish a whole class, because
some of them are disorderly-tax all free ne.
groes, FIVE dollars head every year, because
some free negroes are taken up at night, for be-
ing out later than ten o'clock, or are convicted of
petit larceny? And will you tax all free negroes
five dollars head, when large portion of them,
being property holders, are already taxed at the
same rate as other people Finally, what right
have you to infict an unjust, invidious, and
oppressive tax on free colored man, born in
the District, always resident here, and prop
erty holder, for the purpose of keeping cut
colored emigrant from Virginia.
The whole proposition is absurd, wicked,
and cruel.