The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1862-04-18
6antofk 9tfTtrsouian
Local and Miscellaneous
should Ohio pass a Law excluding the
Negro.


plying so large place in tho public mind
and so many are asking TOT such . law. thai
with your consent I wish to state some OBJ.
jections.
1 think no such restriction should be put
upon immigration because IL would be both
wrong and impolitic. Wrong because, ist
II would be o needless restriction upon nat
ursl right. The black man has q natural
right to choose home among our citizens II
he can find one. and to enjoy all the natu.
raj advantages Of the place he chooses.-
This right should not be interfered with un-
less its enjoyment would be destructive OF,
or at least highly injurious to our morals,
our Institutions, or onr social we'll being
II we deny the right upon doubtful grounds.
or from prejudice, we are guilty OF a
wrong. We however hear no argument in
favor OF exclusion, except such as are found
ed on falsehood or prejudice. We are
told "they will marry among the whites"
The objector forgets that we have law
which forbids such marriages. No lover in
Ohio need fear that some O,hello will take
his Desdemona from his arms. But il we
let them come 1--WE have no stopping place
short Of the equality Of the races" says the
objector. This objection strikes upon our
worst prinedices, but has otherwise no
weight. Men are equal in their natural
rights aud obligations, and the legislator
has nothing to do with natural endowments
such as strength Of intellect &C. The oh.
lection is in fact an absurlity, for itassumes
an inequality and yet intimates that the leg.
isloture has power TO restore the equality
Doesthe author mean that the Ohio legisla-
ture can give man inherent rights, or en-
dow him with intellect IT so, il could find
work for some time on its own members. -
Probably the author means that we must
give the colored race equal political privi-
leges. In this view the objection will
scarcely bear notice. No one now proposes
to give the black men more than their nstu.
raj rights which our "Bill of Rights" de-
clsres to belong to all men. II the women
can be satisfied with their natural rights.
can not the negro bel And IL we can ad.
init women among us without letting them
vote, can we not do the same by the negro7
Our state is no more bound.to give the negro
q right to vote, than a masonic lodge is
bound to admit me to its peculiar privileges;
neither has our State any more authority to
take away from the negro his natural rights.
than the some lodge has to take my money
for benevolent purposes.
But we are told "God has not intended
the races 10 live together. or he would not
have put an insup' rable barrier between
them." II the objector really believed this
he would not ask for legislative "bar
rier." Being so we'll acquainted with the
councils OF God, he must know thai all men
are "of one blood.' aud he feels kind Of
fear that his beloved predjudices will all be
killed, il once the negro is allowed equal
advantages with himself. For my part pre-
fer letting the Lord speak for himself. he
could ss EARLY pronounce the separation, as
he has pronounced the Unity, Of our race
But "white men made Ohio what II is."-
That is we wrested Ohio from the Indians
and improved IL. snd therefore, the negroes
should be excluded. This is no doubt good
logic TO q mind al! prejudice, but to me II
i. utterly opaque. II seems to me that the
libernllty we have claimed from the Indian
should be conceded to the Airican.
But "lf We admit the negro under th,
golden rule, we should be bound on the
same principle to receive foreign paupers''
This objection seems to imply that when th'
.oIa., ,uie ,.o..;.-a hard thing, II shoult
be mex elected. America has not only yrece'v
ell the foreign poor, but she has sent food b.
the ship load to supply them at home. II
this respect Ohio need claim no exemption
! from the golden'Vule. She has done ler du
iy. Our State and nation has made profit
able use Of some Of Europe's paupers, ap'
to. day their sons are among our best ci,l
zens. do not think that we are bound 4
receive paupers Who may be sent to us, "
have a right TO return them Of the eKpens
OF the sender; but the southern negro so 70
from being a pauper, or needing supper
from Others, is the support Of his master.
But "Ohio will be flooded with them."--
To this objection will only reply tha, tn
negro will not come TO our State unless !,
con get employment, and this may fairly b
left, and in right should be left to the peopl
) themselves. Our climate and our predju
dices will also tend 10 keep him away fro
;. US.
This natural right then, stands unshahe'
i ! And it would be wrong. I'd, beeuse itwou'
be violation Of political faith. A liber
!. construction Of the U. S. constitution Art.
Sec. 2 forbids the restriction, and all instr
ments should be literally construed in 4
q voI Of natural right. II in this secti'
"citiIen" means voter, II wonld requi
the admission Of black votes OF other State
while lift means a voter only, we have
y right to reject white women. A liberal CO
y stIuction in conformity with the usage
: our fathers, who freed the slaves in
?, Northern States. and never passed arcstti'
i've law. Our State constitution also sec
says; "Ali men are by nature free and ind
!, pendent and have certain inalienabie righ
among which are those Of enjoying and
tending life aud liberty, acquiring, profe
ing, and protecting property. and seeki
D. and obtaining happiness and safety"
When then, the black man can net find HI
piness OF safety elsewhere. he has an !"
alienable right TO seek il in Ohio
=, has such right to seek 1t everyw here,