Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1862-03-15

l..
The first constitution adopted by this
State, in l777, prescribed no qualifications
on the ground of color for exercising the
franchise or serving on juries. An act Of
1871 provided for emAncipating such slaves
as should serve in the Federal armies
Some other acts were passed about the
same time, having an indirect bearing on
the condition of the servile class, as the
act of 1888, which enacted that the chill
dren of negroes should follow the condi.
tion of the mother; and imposed penalty
of fl0O on any person who should sell q
slave brought into the state after lT85. In
this case the person sold became free.-
Some rules were also laid down for manu-
mission by owners.
The law for gradually abolishing slavery
IN New York was passed in 1899. It's
main feature was that ,'any child born of
a slave within this State, after the fourth
day of July next, shall be deemed and ad-
judged to be born free,n males, however,
being SERVANTS until the age oftwenty-eight,
and females until the age of twenty-five
years, unless owners shall see fit TO aban-
don their rights.
By an act passed two years afterwards,
| the provisions of the emancipation law
were re-affirmed; and aProhibition was i'm
posed on the sale of negroes out of the
States Non. residents might still travel in
| the Stnte with their slaves, and citizens
might take them to other States, If going
on visit, bringing themaback on return
ing. By acts passed ut various dates sub
sequently, these privileges were further re-
stricted: In 1917, the law OF 1893 was re-
affirmed, and all the statutes on this sub
ject reduced -to-.a-u uniform system. The
same again took place,in 1928, when the
law took effect. Oneof Its sections reads !:
Every person born within this State,
! whether white or colored, Is free; every
person who shall be hereafter born into
this State, shall be free; and every person
drought within this State as slave, ex-
cept as authorized, shall be Free" At va
rIous dates since then amendments have
been passed carrying out the intention of
that most salptary statute. 81 80 q ~ ,'.. ..s.,
FtF NEW JERSEY. iif
The first constitution of New Jersey,
adopted in I776, while it contains no pro-
vision defining natural rights as inaliena-
Bile, did not restrict the right of suffrage
to the white population. During the Reyo-
luton law was passed prohibiting the en-
to Individual manumission was given by
l an act passed in 1886; at tue same time
1.-THE importation Of slaves was forbidden.
This was followed up, in 1898, by generl
al law on the subject. 1t contained no
clause looking toward general cmancipa-
tion but imposed fines for the cruel'treat-
ment of the slave, and obliged his owner
to have him taught to read. LHs5
This act was probably designed to pre-.
pare the way for the "act for the gradual
abolition of slavery" passed in 1904. Its
lmain provisions were that children born of
slaves after the fourth Of July in that year
should be free 2but remain servants, males
until reaching twenty-five and females an
til ltwenty-one years of sge.l The law was
re4enacted in ls20. By, various supple-
Iiments slaves could not be removed out of
the State except by their own consent or
THAT of their parents but slaves might be
Thought into New Jersey from other States
for temporary residence. The act Of 1920
restricted the suffrage TO free white male
citizens; and a like provisioa was inserted
lip the constitution adopted in 1874. Two
years subsequently was passed tan act to
abolish slavery" providing that every
person who is now holden In slavery by
the laws thereof New Jerseyl be aud
\ hereby is made free" Children were 70
be Absolutely discharged from all manner
of service whatever from the time of their
birth. except as bound apprentices for a