Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1861-02-06
Renarls OF Hon., Thomas J Der, In senate,
January SItt, 1861, on Honse Bill No. 40, 20
prevent the anRlggnation Of the African
with the Waite nace, An Ohio.

III Nh Nes,3 -. h4. ~ ~ Sha
Mr. Dan said: Mr.. President: have
already had much discussion upon this blll,'and
| now proposet TO submit a few remarks upon the
same subject. would not now have one word
TO say, but for the ungentlemanly taunp ana
sneers hurled at the Democratic members by gen.
tlemen on the other side OF the Hall. Wehave
beeli charged, sir, that this bill was introduced
Tor base political purposes; that Is desisred to
entrap the innocent and nnsnspecting members
of the Republican party, and place them In q
false position before the people of tho State.
Sir, no charge could be farther from the truth,
Democrats have taken no part In the diseusaion
Of this BILL. Il comes here from the other
branch Of this General Assembly, having a
large majority Of Republicans, and endorsed by
the votes Of the more honest and manly mem
bers of that party. How then, can't be fairly
charged that this is Democratic bill, designed
to place Republicans In false position. True,
Ice author Ia Democrat, a friend Of many
years standing, but to pass this or any other
measure, requires majority Of members OF
both branches, In each Of which my political
friends are In fearful minority. Gentlemen
find fault with the language of this bill. IL ID
NOT only indecorous but absolutely indecent. II
isnot scented to suit their particular nncy. They
BY this time they should have become perfectly
familiarized. The negro has been the theme
Of their constant admiration ever since the orig
In Of the Republican party. They have scent
ed his odor on every breeze, and his praises
hayc been hcralded to the uttermost ends ofthe
earth. BY this time. sir, It seems to me, they
should know better than to affect to dis
pise this worthy subject OF their regard.
The impntation that the provisions of this
bill are unehaste, Is unjust to It's advocates upon
this floor and to co ordinate branch Of this
General Assembly, who by education and habit
are as well qualified to judge of the purity and
propriety of language, as any of the fault find.
ing diguitaries upon this floor. Its provisions
are few AID plain, and If gentlemen do not wish
to vote for it, let them vote against il, and SET
tie the matter with their constituents % best
they may. But we are told that such law as
this would disgrace the people Of our State
How, sir! To cay to our citizens that the distinc
tion 90 broadly made by the hand of nature,
shall be carried out in the shape Of legal en-
actment To prevent the intermarriage of the
white and African races! Will this disgrace usi
We are told, further, sir, that II will be diso-
beyed. Shall we, then, be deferred from doing
our duty to our race, our State, and our coun
try, by such unfounded assertions7 But Il gives
too much power to the Judges Of your Probate
Courts; they are unqualified to discharge du-
ty Of 80 high a character. Mr.. President,
have more exalted opinion Of the qualifica.
tions of our Probate Judges. The crisis Is up
on Us, and we may as well meet 1t now as al
any other time. II has no terrors to me to tell
me that this law cannot be enforced the same
individuals who would prevent the enforcement
Of this, are the very ones who have resisted the
enforcement of others of far more Importance
to the welfare of the nation than this, however
important this may be, .3
Mr.. President, can readily perceive how
and why Abolitioniats should oppose this meas
ure. They believe in the equality of the races,
and bill of this kind interieres most seriously
with their Ere conceived opinions upon this sub.
ject, and strikes fatal blow at their short cut
mode of making abolition votes. The Senator
from Erie undoubtedly feels badly upon ihis
subject, as also do bis numerous under ground
railroad friends. am fold that he has felt
the effects of intermeddling with the property Of
the South, in his own person, to the amount Of
several thousands Of dollars. But why Repub
licans, who deny the "softimpeachmear' of be
ing abolisionists, should spit their venom upor
the heads ofdemocrats, while bitterly denounc
ing this bill, usuing every effort and resortine
to every insidious and ignorabe device to de-
feat it, surpssses my comprehension. five be
permitted TO judge from the huttering on that
side of the chamber, We can reasonably come Z
no other conclusion than, that the republican,
and abolitionists, are identically the same in al
the essential elements, that form the republican
party of this country. How could this wonder
ful concurrence exist, unless the bond of uniol
and sympathy be the same upon which With
few honorable exceptions, the members alike O
the republican party and the abolition, so cor
daily unite.
Mr. President, the Democrats Of Ohio and OF
the whole Union, are identified with different
policy. They have enblazoned upon their stan.
dard the belief that 0hio-this Union was de.
signed for the home Of the white man, and him
only. To carry out their convictions, and Il
impress them as reality upon the minds o.
even the most obtuse Of our abolition friends
measures have been brought before this Gen.
eral Assembly, as well as previous ones, to pre-
vent the migration hither of negroes. and Il
prevent them from voting at the polls. Bu
how have these efforts been met by Republican,
and abolitionists7 With majorities obtained IN
either branch, by the dissemination of the doc
trine of negro equality, they have set their
faces like steel against every proposition which
races. They have invoked the aid Of the Su-
preme Court In their behalf, and II has become
the handmaid 10 bind the people to the infam,
Of this nefarious party, and its more infamous
creed Il is this spirit sir, that has led to viola
glorious Union to the verge Of destruction. l
isl this demoniacal dispcsition that has led 1,
many Of our Northern brethren 10 forget th
duties they owe 10 the Union, established b7 sh,
unequalled purity and wisdom of our revolution
AIRY fathers. / charge, sir, that the present diff
ficuIties are but the necessary and natural re.
suits that how from violence and dlsobedienc,
70 the laws Of the country, BY the dissemination
and teachings Of the present dominant party o
this Republic. have charged, sir, and let M
here reassert It, that the legitimate tendency
Republicanism, as taughtby the gentlemen from
Portage, Erie and Marion, Is the amalgamatioI
Of the white and black races. They Mish to max
the black man equal TO the white man, and 4
give him ell the rights and privileges Of citi
Sens. Do this, and the inevitable result woul
be- the intermarriage Of the two races. Il wer
needless for me to say that, have no sympa
Inv with those doctrines, and feel proud, as
Democrat, that my party 10 utterly opposed I
all these Abolition teachings. If, In certain 10
oaIities In the Northern portions of this State
the negro 10 permitted to associate freely wit
the white man, as bis equal, to eat with him a
the same table, sit side by side with him In on
schools Of learning and sleep with them In th
came bed, 90 be it. envy not the choice.
am glad to say that the judgment and selE-re
speot Of every true Democrat reyolts &C thi
eaualization, Of the negro with the white mar
But II our Republican friends on the j" Reserve
have no more self-fespect than thus to associ
ate, on terms Of perfect equality, with the ne
gro race, or II they desire In this mode to In
proSe their Saxonblood, then, cir, | am In fave
Of curbing their waywardness by severe pena
enactmenis. lam, therefore, in favor OF thi
hill n for no other reason than to etay the ter