The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1861-04-17
Speech Of DR.. Stout.

2
We find among the proceedings of the
Legislature, the following speech, by Dr.
Stout, in favor of his bill prohibiting ne.
groes and mulattoes from immigration
Iin'e this State:
Dir. Speaker. l do not propose to at
tempt on argument in opposition to the
Recommendation of the majority of the
judiciary committee. The vast am cunt
of business yet to be transacted. and the
lateness of the session, admonish me that
Ishould not take up the time of the
House by lengthy speech. The impor-
tance, however, of the proposition con-
tnined in the bill before the House is so
great that cannot permit the report of
the committee to be agreed to, and the
bill indefinitely postponed, without ex-
! planning the provisions of the BILL l
Every man upon this floor is aware that
our State is this day being filed up by
the lcolsred people from the various States
of this Union. Southern States have
passed laws compelling the free negroes
so leave those States, and many of the
Northern States have upon their statute
books laws prohibiting the immigration
and settlements of negroes in their respec.
| tive States. While this is the fact, Ohio
has, byrher legislative acts and her judi.
cial decisions. thrown wide open the
ga'es, and invited the refuse blacks of the
whole earth to flock to and settle in the
State, wi b the hope that at no very dis
tnnt day they would have the right oil
suffrage bestowed upon them; and they
have come down upon us in swarms, as
did the frogs and lice upon the devoted
people of ancient days.
This bill, as its title indicates, is in.
tended to protect the interest of the me-
chanio and laborer. Every man upon
this floor is fully aware that our State i,
being filled to the full with the refuse
blacks from other States, and when here
they will do, as they have already done
work for ten cents day and white beans
and the white man's labor is brought In
competition with the labor of the black
man, with corresponding reduction o.
wages in his case. Petition after petition
have poured in upon rs from all sections
of the State for the passage of this bill
Shall We turn q deaf ear to the earnes
prayer of those we pretend to represents
and refuse to pass this billi
Mr.. Speaker, it is out of no spirit O
hostility 10 the colored people of thi
State, that I introduced and urge tht
passage of this bill. The colored inhab
itants ask its passage, as measure calcu
lated to protect them from being rur
over by the surplus negroes of othe
States. ,'
Sir, in the city of GAINESVILLE, wher,
there is large colered population, (and
as general thing. a respectable. hones
and moral people, the colored people ar
very anxious for the passage of this bill
But, sir, men Of all political parties, o
all conditions in life, have Joined in send
ing up, from the east and from the west
from the north and south, their unite,
prayers for tho passage of this bill, ant
shall we refuse to hearken to their en-
treaties, and sparn the desire of the peo
1plei Sir, there are many deep and last
ing reasons why the Recommendation o
the majority Of the committee should no
be agreed to, and the bill, as it is, pas
and become the law of the State; bu
time will not permit NE to enlarge upol
1.-The subject, and must content myself b
dem lndiug the !eas and nays. as