Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Iowa) 1861-1864, 1862-02-13
The General Assembly.

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: lowed to settle in this State without
bringing satisfactory certificate Of
his freedom, and filing with the Board
of Supervisors bond of $500 dollars
for good behavior; that any negro or
mulatto failing to comply with such
regulation shall be hired out to the
highest bidder for the benefit of the
county; that any citizen harboring
such person shall be subject to heavy
fine; and that Shareholders shall have
the right of transit across the State
for their Slaves.
We quote from the report in the
Register:
Mr.. Curtiss considered the bill an
insult to the race to which we belong
He moved its indefinite postponement
3 Mr.. Eaton moved to amend by in.
{ sorting "scccssionist," after the word
"black."
Mr.. Lake did not wish the bill post
poned. He wished the yeas and nays
0 on it, He desired to know how many
. men we have in this Assembly who
, are in favor of making this State
practically slave State how many
arc willing to deprive a portion of our
citizens Of their just rights. Let the
yeas and nays be called on this bill,
and let them be published in every
newspaper in the State.
Mr.. Flint said this bill was in sub
stance the same as the old law of
this State mp to 1850. 1t did not pro-
vide for Slavery in this State. He
would oppose such provision as mnch
as any one. His reason for introduce
ing this bill was to prevent the settle.
ment of this class of people in our
State. Indiana has a more stringent
law than this. He was prciudiced
against slavery and also against asso.
ciating with that class of people. A
large number of these people are now
escaping from the slave States and
will seek q settlement with us. His
object was toprcvent such settlement.
He was quite willing to 60 upon the
record on that bill.
Mr.. Van Anda hoped the motion to
indefinitely postpone would prevail
This may have been the old law Of the
State but this is progressive age.
The party then in power, is not now
in power. The bill was an insult to
the age. to this House and TO this State.
4 Mr.. Young hoped every lover of hu.
manity would treat this bill with the
contempt it deserves. Let it be post
poned and never heard of more.
Mr.. Martin thought the bill would
, place too great an obstruction upon
the underground Railroad. This road
was too practical an affair at present
to have any obstruction thrown in it's
0 way.
Mr.. Thompson did not like the bill,
. but he favored some provision Of the
kind.
Mr., Kellogg moved lay on the Ia
!. ble.
# Mr.. Gibson would 60 further. He
would entirely exclude this class of
> people from the State. He had pre-
scented report in favor Of confiscating
:. the slaves of rebels, but he would not
: he understood as favoring the settle
mcnt OF such in Iowa. He was op-
posed to having this class of people
in our midst. He thought no gentle
man ought to try to keep this under
ground railroad open.
Mr. Converse moved to refer the bill
to the gentleman from Wapelo, with
instructions to report to the King of
Dahomey on the 4th of July next.
Mr. Bowdoin read from the census
+ returns to show that there were only
1923 colored people in the State, and
argued that we need not feel any
alarm about being ovcrrun with these
!, people.
e Mr.. McLennan argued that the evil
, effects of this class is very apparent
, in places where they arc numerous.
,, He alluded to Ohio where he had for.
! mcrly lived.
Mr.. Pendleton said he had been un-
! willing to occupy the time of this
House in explaining his vote. Now,
however. he wished to explain. He
did not favor the bill at all, but some
!. provision which should meet with the
4 appreciation of the colored people he
h would favor. He did not believe the
9 two races were ever designed to live
together. He was opposed to slavery
L aud equally opposed to mingling the
J, two races in any way. But this bill
J. was 80 repulsive in every feature that
it could not meet with his approba-
ton, and he should vote against it.
= 1t these gentlemen would bring for
:, ward bill which should provide for
the voluntary removal of these people
d he would vote for it.
!. MIR. Williams rose to express his in.
! dignation. II raised his ire to have a
bill OF this nature presented to this
Honse.
Mr.. Lakin spoke with some earnest.
ness in refutation of the statement ci
Mr.. McLennan in reference to the free
4 negroes of Ohio.
; Mr. Kellogg asked if the bill could
q not be amended SO as to meet the
views Of certain gentlemen.
Mr.. Lane said If he had the power
he would so postpone this bill that
d henceforward and forever it should not
come up before any Legislative body.
but at present he should vote against
O postponemcnt. He wished the bill
. printed, and all the members placed
upon record. He would not exclude
= any class Of people. lie had never
/ found 1t difficult to exclude himself
O from the society Of those people whom
he did not like and who were not con.
genial to him.
: Mr.. Mitchell, of Polk, should vote
;. against its postponement. He want
I ed it printed. lie had not examined
it sufficiently. Let the people see
Q what it ia.
Mr.. Stewart believed the the bill
should be printed and If it needed