The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1859-02-11
toMMUNIcATED.
p u BLIC M EETIN
Nf,tT w ~ Abba,

at a meeting of many citizens ofths commu.
nifty, convened mt Mt. Pleasant Church, on ath
January lS5?-Gcn. p. IL. EralIcy WAS called
| to the chair and Jas. II. WiLrlnan requested to
act rs Secretary.
The Chairman briefly stated the object of the
meeting to be, to take into consideration, the
better government Of our slave population
the correction Of evils incident to the neglect
| and disregard Of sulsis,ent laws,-and the
Importance ofa more active and efficient dis
! charge OF Patrol duty.
| }. w. Hearst submitted the following pream.
bic and resolutions which on motion of W. T..
! Sullivan, were taken up; considered Scriutia,
and IL, anim"uslv adopted:
We the unIcrs iyncd citizens o Abbcvi lille Dis.
lrct, desirous to put down the illicit ira tfic Of
white persons with negroes to arrest all i'm
moral practices, hostile to our slave interests
and to secure that quietudc and harmony in
their government, most conducive to their hap
piness, and our welfare, do adopt the following
resolutions. and pledge ourselves individually
| to their faithful execution.
| Resolra, lst.-That one or more Nigi!ant
Committees be appointed. whose duty it shall
be- to ferret ont all Illicit traffic between
| "''''S SiSoho hhi htStocS- VI uHS oLucI HllSue
| rncanor occurring in their ncighborhood, and
to report the same to subsequent meeting. to
| be called on notice given to tie chairman -
unless from sufficient and sal isfuctory reasons,
| the offender against the peace aud COOL order
of this community. requires Immediate prose
cution then. and in that case the Chairman
"fSuch committee shall be prosecuted forthwith
" MS the law ditrccts -
2nI.-That we vii! insist on the Captain o
this Beat Company, fully discharrng his duty
rs Captain Of Police first. in dividing hi:
Beat into patrol sections or districts, and see
ond i'll enrolling ALL who are liable to do pa
troll duty, in each section, and in chasing til,
same into patrol squads. rs to keep All eff
cent police, always and constantly on active
| duty.
3rd.-That We will require al negroes from
ncighhoring farms visiting our negro quarters
, to report themselves and cX, ibit their pass, t,
the owner ovcrscers. before entering tht
| quartcr,-and that W i'll in no instance, Civ,
permit or pass to one of our negroes, withou
distinctly stating, where H.: has permission /,
go. and how long TO be absent.
ith.-lhat Ill paying our negroes for the
crops of corn and cotton, any other pro
ducls of their labor, such as brooms-baskcts-
collars. &c,-we will in every instance, accom-
pany the money with written order. to trade
to that amount and no more, and with a re.
quest to the merchant, to return a bill of til,
goods SD purchased 10y sail slave.
5th.-That the trading with our negroc.
without a written order either for cash or OF
credit, is contrary to law, and tho good nnt
wholesome government of our slaves. and W.
will prosecute in each and any instance, u vio-
laiiun Of this law.
And whcreas, the free negroes of this com
munIty,-and who, wa believe to be fair sam
pie Of the free negroes ofthe S:ate-as q class
are indolent thriftless and thicvish portion O
our population-of little or no benefit to til.
commonwealth. but great injury to US, and a
growing evil to our slaves
Therefore ReSolved, That the Chairman o.
this meeting, prepare Petition to be sent r
to tho Legislature nt its next session, settinu
forth the character of our free negro population
with the I'M jury which, us slave community,
We sustain from their residence III our midst
and the evils to slaves, from their inter
course and contact with said free negroes -
aud praying the Legislature to take such actor
i'll the premises as will correct the evils CON-
planned Of, aud which al incident to a mike,
population Of free negroes and slaves.
2nd.-That in the opinion Of this meeting
the only certain and sure remedy for the ev
complained of, will be, either tile removal o
said free negroes by Legislative enactment, be
yond the limits Of tho State. or the selling o
them into slavery
Srd.--That as tho purpose and aim Of thi.
meeting, ia to accomplish great possible good
by the correction and removal OF evils, whicl,
nre not local nor confined exclusively to thlt
community, we invite other sections of the
District and State. 10 take similar or like ac-
ton and to unite with US IN a common cause.
On motion, ordered that the proceedings Of
this meeting be published in our District pa
pers. "a
On motion, adjourned to meet on 4th Satur.
day in February next at, 9 O'Clock p. NJ
p. II. BRADLEY, Chairman.
| j. II. WIDENAN. Sec'ry
|