The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1859-04-08

utters the same generous sentiments toward
the free oolored population that the Republic
cans Of Iowa have always entertained. And
it il ! fact, which w commend to the atten-
tion'of respsctablelgentlsmen from the South,
resident in our State, that the free colored
population Of Louisiana enjoy the same rights
and privileges in that State that We concede
to them in the State Of Iowa. But we would
commend more especially to the doughfacs
and officiating Northern Democracy the fol-
lowing extracts from the editorial of the New
Orleans True Delta:
Every session Of the Legislature gives oc-
casion for q new batch OF statutes for the
regulation of our free colored population,
their control. Already this session several
bills have been reported, and judging of their
character by the msagre outlines we have
seen Of them in the papers, they would con-
firm An opinion We have long entertained,
namely that the enactment or rather agita-
ton OF such penal laws prove q placer of
wealth to some speculative representatives
in the Assembly. Recently we saw state
ment, in Baton Rouge paper, We think,
which represented that q bill had been pro-
posed to compel oil free persons Of color to
choose master, and another to disable such
persons from testifytng in court OF Law, al.
though the fact is notorious that very many
| Of our free colored persons arc as creditable
| in courts Of law AZ the most conscientious
white person, and are, besides, valuable, or
DERBY and decent members OF society. To
| accumulate against such population police
regulations Of degrading and humiliating
character is not more censurable for its cru
city than it ID revolving to justice, and to ag-
itate the Legislature annually with the In
tention either Of prosecuting this unhappy
portion of our fellow creatures, or to ext0rt
bride money from their fears, is, in our opin-
ion, equally ungenerous, unjust and iniquit-
Gus. A very large population OF free color
ed persons here are not surpassed in the in
offsnsiveness Of their lives, by any equal
number Of persons in any place North or
| South; it is then in the last degree barba-
| rous, ungenerous and cruel to be constantly
alarming the fears Of such residents and ex-
posing them to the insults and outrages of
the unthinking or the brutal.
| The necessity which exists to exercise Wig
ilance and repression towards the alien free
| colored element which may be found here,
furnishes no excuse for legislating against q
harmless and we'll behaved body OF people
and, however heavily the current Of unpopu-
larity may be setting here and elsewhere in
| the slave States agsinst free cclored resi-
dent population 81 this time, no rule Of right
or great principle OF justice should be sacri-
| 6ced to promote it. We have never been ad
mirers Of manumission; We have always
thought the we'll meaning and tender con-
science man who sets his slaves free by his
last will Ind testament 10 neither an enlight.
ened or humane man, or good citizen, for
in almost every instance that has come to our
knowledge the emancipsted have become
slothful, indolent and corrupt nevertheless
90 We have OF free persons OF color large
native resident population, correct in their
general department, honorable in their inter-
course with society, and free from reproach
! so far as the laws are concerned, it is for
them we especially set up plea, and in their
behalf protest against cruel, arbitrary or nn-
usual legislation. We would not encourage
an increase of their numbers; on the contrary,
! We would throw every proper impeachment in
the way OF their multiplication but neither
would we take from them any indulgence of
which they may be at present recipients, nor
aggravate the sense of inferiority they are
made to feel by the general policy and special
legislation of the State and the irreversible
usages Of society. Above all would We frown
upon those who, with view to extort money
or to crafty vindictive feelings, annually set
on foot some new scheme to keep them unea-
sy or to abridge still more the restricted lib
erty they are now permitted to enjoy.
l