Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1860-02-09
Free Negro Bill.

| One Of the ancicnts has said "whom tn,
gods intend to destroy they first make mad.
We think this is strictly applicable to TIN
present dominant party in the Maryland
Legislature. Not content with passing law
that come in direct contact with the charter
ed privileges of the City of Baltimore, and
, which inaugurate one Of the vilest dcspotism!
that has ever had al existence in any coun.
try or age OF the world, they proceed still
further, driven by their madened despotism
to consider bill, at the provisions of which
humanity stands appalled,. They would take
from tho free negro the small amount of lib
erty that their predecessors, actua,ed by phil
anthropic and christian motives has confer
red upon him, aud would again reduce him
to bondagc--they would take the small a.
mount of property his industry has enabled
him to accumulate, and place it in the hands
of white men, to be applied to the education
of white chidren--the churches, which at
much sacrifice to themselves, and by the will
ling gifts Of the STAKEHOLDER and other friends
they have built in which to worship COM
mon God with us, ara to he sold, and the
proceeds to be given to the white congrega-
tons where they will be expected to worship.
We cannot find terms in which to denoupce
as we would, this infamous measure, surely
no man, unless possessed Of the spirit Of a
Nero, could think of enacting so barbarors
a law We present below some of the lead
features of this monstrous nc:
1t enacts: No slave shall hereafter be man
united by verbal order, last will and tesla
mcnt, deed of emancipation or other means
No negro shall preach or conduct any assem-
blage for religious purposes, or be present at
any religious meetings of the kind for white
persons, and then only in day time. The
offender ifa slave 10 receive thirty-nne LASH
es and be returned home at the expense of
S to the master or employer, in addition to
five cents mileage to be paid to the officer
making the arrest, if free, to be sold for one
year. All churches and meeting-houses of
negroes are to he sold for the benefit Of the
white congregation to which the property so
sold belonged or was attached. In Baltimore
city, however, negroes may attend religious
meetings, conducted by white licensed or
ordained preacher, or o respectable white per-
son duly authorized by the Orphans Court
Any person owning, hircing or having the
control ola slave, who shall permit such slave
to 60 at large, rent land, bargain or hire ont,
shall be fined not more thon 800, nor less
than S25; a continuance Of the offense, after
ten days, to subject the party to prosecution
cost and fine. Hereafter no free negro shall
come into this State, ana any such leaving
shall not return, on the penalty of being sold
as Il slave for life. This prohibition, howcv-
er, is not to apply to free negroes going to
Virginia or the District of Columbia and re-
turning within three days, or when engaged
in the employment ofany citizen of this State
travelling out Of the limits Of this State No
free negro hereafter shall keep any dog, gun
or firearms of any kind, or military weapon.
or POWDER under a penalty of forfeiture of
such dog, &C., besides paying costs and re-
ceiving not over thirty-nine lashes. Slaves
to be similarly punished, except they are not
to pay costs Any slave out after night from
his masters premises, to have pass, and said
pass is not to authorize any slave to go from
any county to Baltimore city or vice versa,
except in the service Of the master. The pro-
syoes hired or bound to service. No person
shall keep school or other place of resort
for negroes, under penalty of not over 500
for the first ofsense, and fine and imprison-
ment. On the LIST of May next, the consta-
bles for the counties aud Baltimore city are
to take a census of all the free negroes, spcci-
flying age, names, by whom manumittei Or
whether born free, &c. And if itappear thai
any free negro has been manumitted after n
certain time, or be the issue of any free negro
manumitted since said date, then he or she |
shall be declared the slave of his or her form
er owner for life; if the said owner be dead, |
or out of the State, or unwilling to take said |
slave back, then the legal representatives of |
such owner may come in possession; and if |
there be 10 representatives the sheriff is TO |
sell the slave to a bona fdc citizen of the
State; provided, however, that any such ne
gro may Voluntarily select master, and the
choice Of the mother shall be that of her chill
dien under twelve years lase; all such over
twelve may also select master. Various
other provisions in regard TO such negroes
are set forth. All other free negroes, of II |
years, no. provided for in the proceeding sec
TONS and not over IS years of age, to be hir-
ed out for term of ten years, to bona fdc
resident OF the city or county, when the PRIV
ilege OF such negro to enter into voluntary
cnslarcment for life with any master he may
choose; tho issue of such negro also to be
slaves Of the person owning the parent. Any
free negro may appear before the Orphans
Court renounce freedom and elect to be a
slave for life to any white citizen OF this State
No free negro shall hereafter acquire or hold
my real estate by deed, will or otherwise, nor
Shall any real estate hereafter be devised to
any person in trust for any free negro. The
bill further provides that any free negro own-
ng real estate may sell an convey the same,
( be be over 55 years of age, at any time
within two yours from the first of March next