New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-04-01

INV slxys set
ysd of any dwer ghouse he shsi be puni'hea ny ""P
pin not exceeding thhy-nihe suipe"
DO Senators believe that there can be found III th'
laws and ordinances Of any Christian Dation on tn'
globe acts so brutal, degrading' inhu'u"n n ono
time these bloody statutes for lashinR men hn .
,vonsn sbonld be obliierated from the laws ana oru
papces of tie capital city of the Republic. =,
The acts of Congress Of March 1893, and Marcr
3 1909 confirmed to the corporation OF George'o"i
all the rights, powers, and privileges thereIoioIt
granted TO The corporation by the Geherai "
of MARYLAND among which WAS the power 10 pass
make and ordan all laws necessary to take up, me
imprison. or punsh any and all Migrants, loose and
dsorderly persons, free negroes, aud persons nav
no visible means Of support" Under this au1nor y
of Congress tie corporation OF Georgetown enac,1I
that every free black or mulatto peron who fhouio
come 70 Georgetown to reside should exmbi. 10 .ne
MAYOR satisfactory evidence OF freedom ana ep..'
into bonds for good conduct. On the I'D OF August
JSi5 the corporation Of Georgetown passed ah OF
diDance prohibiting under the penaliy OF thlrly-hn
Iashes for slaves, and thirty days imprisonment ior
free coored persons all assembsges by day or night
of black or coored persons, except religious meet
inps conducted by white men and terminated before
half past nine o'clock at night. From 1871 10 1919
while Slavery was in the zenith OF its power, me
corporation Of the City of Georgetown parsed many
ordinances hardly les brutal degrading, and indie
cent than the statutes Of the metropolis OF the Re'
public.
These colonial statutes OF Maryland, reatirmedsby
Congress in IsOl--these ordinances of Warrington
and Georgetown, sanctioned in advance by the au-
thorty Of the Federal Govesnment-stand TINS day
unreIealed. Such laws and ordinances should not
be Permitted longer to insult the reason, peryert the
moral sense or offend the taste OF the people OF
America ANY people mindful Of the decencies OF me-
would not longer permit such enactmets TO Niger ne
fore the eye Of civilized man. Slavery is the prohhc
mother of Thee monstrous enactments. BID slavery
disappear from the District OF Columbia, and II VIII
take along with il this whole brood of brutal vulgar
and indecent statutes In spIte Of these oppressive
and cruel eIBctments which have pressed with mer-
cilers force upon the black race, bond and iree'
Slavery, for more than half century, has grown
weaker aud the free colored stronger, at every De.
cade Within the last half century, the free-coored
population of the District Of Columbia has increased
from 600 TO 1000 In spite OF the degranipg in,
fuences OF oppressive statutes, ana q per'el'eu
public sentiment, this free colored population as IL
has increased ia numbers has increased also IN prop
erty in churches schools, and all the means oil So
oiaI intellectual and moral development. This de-
sused race upon which We are wont 10 look down
with emotions of pity # not of contempt OF OF nate,
are industrious and law-abidiDg-loyal to the Gov
eminent al d its institutions. To-day, the Tree col
ored men of the Distric of Columbia possess humid
reds Of thousands of dollars Of property, the fruits
of years Of honest toil-they have twelve
churches, costing some $1,000, and eight schools
for the instruction Of their children. They
are even compelled 10 pay Tor the support
children, from which their own children are ex-
oluded by law, cur,om, und public opinion. Some
OF thee cOOred men are distinguished for in,ei-
ligence, business capacity, and the virtues that
grace and adorn man OF every race. Some OF these
ren have in possession considerable property, real
and personal. IL Senators will 60 10 the once oil
this city where deeds are recorded, they VIII Ind
there mortgage deed dated the 3Oth OF January,
1888 in favor OF Alfred Lee colored man Of this
District 10 secure debt of 1000, signed by TWO
Senators Of the United States and their wives One
of those Senator'S signing mortgage deed to secure
10 coored man Of this District loan Of $4,000,
is member OF the Senate to-day; the other sleeps
on the shores OF Lake Michigan in the city OF his
adoption and the State that honored him.
This bill propotss 10 strike the chains from the
limbs OF 5000 bondmen in the District OF Columbia,
10 erase tho word slave from their foreheads, to
convert them from personal chattes into free men, to
I'm them from the degradation OF personal serviiude
10 the dignity and responsibilities Of manhood, TO
place them IN the ranks of free coored men, 10 per-
form will them the duties and bear with them The
responsibilities OF life. This bill If II ebali become
law will simply take 5000 men from huu.il-
rating and degrading .erviiude and add
them TO the 1900 free cOloIed men " tins
District 10 be AFFORDED in that OF industrious
snd law-abiding men lie passage OF tins bill by
tue Congress Of the United States viii not, can not,
disturb for = moment the peace the order, the So
curty Of tOeiety. It's passagc Will excite In the
boscias OF the enfaDchired not wrath, hatred, nor
revenge but love 10Y, ana gratitude. These enfran-
chisod bondmen will be welcomed by the Tree
colored population with bounding hearts, throbbing
with gratitude to God for inspiring tie milton with
the urce aud the courage To strike the chains from
the limbs Of their neighborr, friends, relstiVes,
brothers, and lifting from their own shoulders the
hurdons imposed upon them by the Dcces,ities, the
uassiop. and the pride Of slayeholding society.
! Ihi- bill TO give liberty 10 the bondnsn, deals
iustIy. ave, generously, by the matter. The
American people, whose moral sense hss been
outraged by Slavery and the black codes enacted IN
the interests Of Slavery In the District Of Columbia
whose fame has been soled and dinmed by the deeds
of cruelty perpctrated in their national capital,
would stand ustlfed IN the forum OF nations if they
shoui snite the fetter from the bOndman regardless
Of the desires and interests Of the master NIB gen.
erou, magnnnimity, this bill tenders compensation TO
the matter ont OF the earnings Of the toiIng ireeen
of America In the present condition oil the country,
the protosed compensation IL full ample equitable.
81, the Senator from Kentucky Mr.. DAVIS raises
bis warning voice against the passage OF this mess
ure OF Justice and benehcence lie assumes to speak
ike one having authority. lie positive, dognauc,
emphatic, and prophetic. He repeatedly assured the
Senate that he gave utterance 20 what he knew /;
that Lis warnings and predictions were inihlible
propheces The Senator predicted in excited, # not
angry oues, that the passage Of this bill, giving
| freedom 10 three thousand bondmen viii bring into
this District beggary and crime, tina. the liberated
negroes will become a sore burden, and charge
If nj they will be criminals that they will
become paupers;' that they will be- engaged
in crimes and petty misdemeanors," that "tLey VIII
become a charge, y pest and blight upon this soci-
! ety. Inc Senator emplstcally declared, - know
whst talk about" " 1 speak from what know p
Assured, confident defiant bitter the Senator asserts
that "a negros idea of freedom ia freedom from
work, that after they acquire their freedom they
become lazy indolent, thriftless, " worth
lees" " Inefficient" "yIcous," "vagabonds.' The
! senator from Keatucky, who speaks with so much
assurance may have the hight TO speak III these terms
Of omancipated slaves in Kentucky, but he has no
au horty 70 TO speak OF the 1900 free colored
of the District OF Columbia. Ono-sxth part Of The
population OF this Dstfct are free persona of color
/ H. a.. o,d