New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-02-17
DRspICABLR DIA8OLrsm IN THE
DISTRICT. t

landed at the Navy-Yard in Washington, where
they were hoporably discharged. Wishing TO return
home after their long absence in the service OF the
United States, they repaired to the railroad depot
at Washington to take the cars for Philadelphia,
when they were met BY aregulation which requires
all colIed persons ere they can obtain tickets, to
file a bond to indemnify the railroad company
against loss in case they shall be claimed as slaves.
Having 10 friends or acquaintance in Washington,
Of course they could furnish no sureties for'such
bond and 30 had to abandon the idea Of going to
Philadelphia for the present; and dpaly, they
obtained employment as servants at the Avenue
House, a hotel in Washington.
But the slave-fend would not let these innocent
Young men alone. About ten days since, being still
at work at the Avenue House, they were arrested
under municipal regulation or ordinance, as non
resident negroes; this ordinance requiring that per-
sons of African descent coming into Washington
shall have their names registered and pay fifty
dollars or be liable to fine Of ten dollars for every
five days that they remain in the city without COM
plying with the ordinance.
These young men, discharged at the Federal
Capital from on board Uni,ed States vessel, on
which they had performed faithful service, when
met with this rsscslIy Federal ordinance, knew
nothing about the requsiton to registration, and
they had no City dollars to pay for license for re-
naming in Washington. In fact, they did not wish
to stay there at ALL but doing their best to 90
10 their homes 10 Philadelphia when they encoun'
tered this oppressive railroad regulation, which
compelled them to remain and seek employment
on the spot, for doing which they subjected them
selves TO other penalties.
The TACT of the arrest became known to Mr..
Potter Member of Congress from Wisconsin, and
Mr.. Coyode, Member from Pennsylvania, who
board at the Avenue House, and upon whom these
colored men were in the habit of waiting. They
nterfered to save them from these oppressive fines.
In so doing, they explained the case to the Mayor
of Washington. He admitted the law TO be hard
one and suggested that, as these young men were
servants at the hotel of Messrs. Potter aud Covode,
they might properly claim that they 1.-THE colored
persous) be exempted from the operation of the
ordinance as their servants; and that, in this way,
and this way only, could they be saved from the
payment Of the $50 each, and fine of $40 each
for every FIVE days during which they had neglected
to register their names. Under these circum-
stances, and at the suggestion Of the Mayor Messrs
Potter and Covode, having meanwhile employed
these colored men, addressed notes 10 the Mayor
claiming them as their servants; and thereupOn
they we're discharged.
In return for their humane interference in behalf
of these deenseless boys, the press of Washington,
and especially The Consultation, the organ of Mr..
buchanan, pouis out its fouest abuse upon Messrs.
Potter and Coyode perverting the facts, represent
ing them rs having been purchasing negroes, rs try
ing TO evade the municipal laws of Washington, and
more of the same sort. Their netes to the Mayor
are published, accom- panied by characteristic com
uenis Through whose intsrpositiOn this turn has
been given to the affair, whether by that Of the
Democratic Mayor or the officer to whom one
third of the fines was payable, we know not, nor
do we care. We aim at higher game than vulgar
tpstaffs and brawling newspaper organs, 10 our
comments upon these scandalous transactions.
We do not 80 much blame the officer as the law,
nor The Constitution newspaper, as the system it
boring in their appropriate vocation. The former
picks up precarious living BY enforcing code
that would be- secuted out Of the Feejee Islands.
The latter coins money By argungits adaptation to
to the state of society which exists In Washington.
Turn we, then, to the remedy. This oppres-
sive railroad regulation, and these Infamous ordi-
nances exist by the special permssion-nay, more,
BY virtue of the positive enactmente-of Congress.
We INSIST, therefore, that these rules, regulations
ordinances or whatever name they bear, together
with the system Of viii 81 they are necessary and
homogeneous part, instantly cease at the Federal
Capital. Aud if the denizens of the District de-
mand that this despicable diabosm shall continue
in force, then let the Capital be removed to some
community where civilization and Christianity are
not contrabaDd commodities.
It must not be forgotten that these outrages that
make the blood of freemen turbulent in their veins
are not perperated in Slave State; that they are
not the legitimate offspring Of the peculiar institu
tons of Virginia, Georgia, and Louisiana, with
which the North has no rght 70 interfere; but are
committed right under the eye and by the special
permission of Congress, and for which the people
Of New.York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio, are rs d.
rectly responsible if perpetrated under codes en-
acted at Albany, Harrisburg, and Columbus.
We repeat, then, that these wrongs together
with Slavery and the slave-trsde, the fountain
crime whence they aow, shall cease, or the Capital
be removed. We are quite in earnest in enforcing
this alternative upon the consideration Of Congress.
The leaders Of public opinion in Washington haze
no claim upon their rulers for forbearsnoe. A
bully assalls Senator, with bloody intent, for