Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1860-04-12
O EO. LANDUN,
JEREMIAH SCHINDEL
KENNEDY L. BLOOD.
Report of Select Committee.

nGpUIL VI D6lGCL OOululILG6t
The Committee to whom was referred sun
dry petitions asking law to prohibit the i'm
migration of free negroes into this Common
wealth, or in lieu thereof a slave code, make
the following report:
The petitioners ask that laws be enacted by
this Legislature prohibiting forever the mgra-
tion of free negroes into this State; but If
that request cannot be granted, that they
pray for a law by which they may be reduced
to q condition of slaves. Believing that the
requests are necessarily commingled, aud that
the former is but auxiliary 10 the latter, your
Committee propose to examine them connect
edly, at this time.
The history of Pennsylvania shows her to
have early adopted policy of the widest lib.
erty and philanthropy to all classes of persons.
Her treatment cf the Indians and Negroes
has given her name which has become a
household word among the lovers of liberty
and humanity Aud to grant the request of
the petitioners would lily comport with all we
have ever known Of her history. and would be
foul blot on her fair fame aud character
In the year 1880, finding herself in common
with most of the States of the coufederacy,
cursed with slavery, and foTseeing that the in,
s.itution would work almost irreparable injury
to the black race, that it was degrading and
demoralizing the whites, aud corrupting and
blighting all the moral, social and Industrial
interests Of the Commonwealth, set the exam
pie to the world of extingushing every vestige
of slavery within her borders. Ia setting
forth the reasons which governed them, ,aud the
feelings which prompted so humane an act
| II. Il, F,lI, l.
Impressed with these ideas We conceive
that it is our duty, and We rejoice that it is in
our power TO extend portion of that freedom
to others which hath been extended to US, and
release from that state of thraldom TO which
We were tyranically doomed, aud from which
we have now every prospect of being deliver
ed. We esteem it
peculiar blessing granted to Us, that We are
enabled this day 10 add one more step 10 uni
versal civilization, by removing as much as
possible the sorrows Of those who have lived
10 undeserved bondage
Ia 1919, when the people of the State were
unanimously protesting against a proposed
wrong on the part Of the general government,
their representatives again said
Nor can such protest be entered by any
State with greater propriety than by Pennsyl-
yauia. This Commonwealth has as Sacredly
respected the rights of other States as has
been careful of its own it has been the uni
verSal aim of the people Of Pennsylvania to
extend to the universe by her example, the
unadulterated blessings of civil and religious
freedom, aud it is their pride that they have
been AZ all times the practical advocates OF
those improvements and charities among men
IL ,To-,l, IL,
answer the purpose Of their Creator; aud
above all they may boast that they were fore
most iu removing the pollution Of slavery from
among them"
Again, in lS4T, the people of Pennsylvania,
through their Legislature, protested against
the purchase OF any territory by the general
government unless those principles of universal
freedom were guaranteed as condition prece-
dent 10 such purchase
Thus through period of more than three
quarters of century did the people of this
Commonwealth in the most solemn aud signif-
cant manner, reiterate their hostility TO every
thing tending to degrade, brutalize and enslave
any portion of the human race ; and during
that time-n no man dare raise his voice in oDpo-
Stiou to them and the doctrines so significant
IL expressed Bat in these latter davs OF DO
loticaI degeReracy, when great monied sris-
tocracy has taken possession of the National
Government and many Of the State Govern.
mentS, and when that power prescribes the
| condition on which It's political patrimony is
TO be distributed aud enjoyed, men can be
found even in Pennsylvania to repudiate the
doctrines of their fathers and pay the price Of
its political fayorS
This Southern aristocracy has for years been
preparing the way for reducing to slavery the
few free blacks among them. They ind every
/ thing which is fres dangerous to the tenure by
which they hold their slave property; and,
besides, they have long coveted the great
amount Of money they seein those men, which
accotiing TO their own moderate estimate
! amounts to one hundred millions of dollars
Public sentiment has heretofore 70 great ex
tent restrained them, and the process Of en-
slavement has been slow bat sure, and steady
10 the accomplishment Of its work They
have repeatedly aud publicly declared ,ha
! slavery is the natural 5ce4tion ef Ae blsc!