The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1863-02-19

4 - '" 'S"N WV W. s"'' "'NSNi W 6N w
uon-slavehOldiug State and return, he
shall be proceeded against, and If under
81 may,instead Of being then expelled, be
bound outby overSeers Of the poor I'LL
e." Such, at length, are our existing
laws relative to free negroes.
Are they "repugnant" TO the ConSti.
sutton Of West virginia. To be repug'
nant, they must be plainly nconSislent
with tho plain reading of that COnstitu.
lion--so that both cannot possibly stand
together.
1 The new State Constitution says moth j..
ing about free negroes remaining here
How then can any regulations concern.
ing their remaining or removal, be in
consistent or "repugnant?" If the
Constitution said "free negroes shall
never be prevented from immigraIing in
to West Virginia" then, indeed, our
present statutes must fall, because, they
in that case, would plainly be "repug.
nanl" to the Constitution. The Consti.
tuition being silent, these laws continue
TO speak. 1t is impossible for one thing
to be "repugnan!" to something not in
existence.
But, Overland above all this, the gene.
raj principles Of law that each State he's
the absolute and exclusive right to leg.
islate upon these malters-"to make all
its police laws and regulations" carries
this power to govern and fix the status Of
all persons within its Limits. If the PEG.
pie through the Conventiop, have rot
tied their hands in thismaitcr, then, they
may legislato as they think cxpedient, and
amend and make still more stringent our.
laws concerning free negroes. Consl.
iuIions are checks upon legislation; and
as our new one has not prescribed boun-
dares 10 legislative action, in regard to
our fee negroes, we are restrained only,
by the general laws Of christianity and
humanity.
This Constitution excludes slaves, and
our statutes excludes free negroes, CON.
ing into this State; then, it is impossible
for the number of the aggregate to aug
ment except by natural increase, and !, as
BY law those now free, can only remain
by re-regisration and producing "satis.
factory proof, of being of good character,
sober, pencenble, orderly and industri-
ous." there really don't appear much
probability of being "overrun' with ne
groes, either free or slave.
Besides, for four years after our ad.
mission, no adult slave car become free,
and, in the absence Of any further legis-
latiOn upon the subject, after the -four
years and day. those then becoming
free,iu order 10 remain in West Virginia,
mustbe Registered" obtain "attested
copy" aud furnish proof Of above quail,
ties, sober" &C., and in default Of any
oil these prerequisites, must leave the
State. If no white man interposcs
in behalf of "free niggers," BY why
OF proof as to character, &C., the hun.
Idreds now here, are by our laws, COM
IIpeIed to leave the State, and the dread.
els, 900" that during the next 81 years,
Twill, (if our laws and Constitution, 70
main unaltered, become year after year
free, without like interposition Of white
men, must also leave the State. The
law now provides for binding out all
minors above tho age of 70 years till 81;
as fast as these apprenticed free negroes
become Of age, they toO,must leave; those
under . now free and all that may be
thorn free hereafter, the law is silent
concerning, aud therefore twill deyoIye
upon our new Legislature, to provide for
Ispprenticing them as the others are APP
preticed.
Let US disabusa the minds of those
who unaccountabg, have been seized
with the thought that, Immediately upon
our ratityng ov acw Constitution, the
State will be overrun with "frec mig.
gers" as in fact, not one adult negro be-
comes free for the first four years, and
no minors,excopt those born during those
i -, ,nor, Suraly Ihnea Il frna niprnrb