Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1863-02-15
Ohio 6tatesnratr
SPEECH OF
HON, MARTIN GRAIN
OF scIoTo COUNTY,

II ON, III A RTIN Ora N
OF soIoTo COUNTY,
Delivered in the Ohio House Of Rtpresentatiues
January 81, 1863, upon HE bill TO pyohibi
the further immigration Of Negroes and Mulat
toes into his State.
TConcludsd.l
Now, Mr.. Speaker, this Is all of the bill.
do not claim that IL is perfect and could not bt
amended 80 as to improve il, but l do claim
that it 10 the most practicable one that has vel
been introduced either in the House or Senate,
and chat it should be passed without hesitation.
But / am willing to accept any amendment
that will be an improvement TO IL, or any
amendment that will make the bill suit
the capricious and wayward views of chose
who oppose it, so the amendment does not to-
tally destroy the object of the bill.
There are but two propositions that arise In
the consideration of this bill, as follows:
let. Will the passage of such bill add to
the safety, morality and happiness of the citi-
zens of this Slater ~
I'd. Has the Legislature of this State the
Constitutional power to pass such bill2
In regard to the frat proposition, We have the
strongest kind of proof that the passage of the
bill will add to the safety, morality, and hap
pness Of the people, and that proofis, the unsn.
imops voice of the people demanding the pass
age of such law for their protection. What
ever the people say in their powerful voice is
necessary, is, beyond doubt, necessary, and
such voice should be needed and not disre
garded by legislators. The people of the State
of Ohio have sent to US petition after petition
demanding of US the passage of this bill, or q
similar one, and we have disregarded their re.
quest, and still refuse to do their bidding They
say the law must be passed-thSt they know
best what lie for their interest,snd that they will
be obeyed. Will we listen to the voice of the
people2 Will we obey their honest demands
say we muet obey them If we are honest men
we dare not refuse.
There has already been too much of this re.
sisting the requests and sacred rights of the
people, by Legislators and other officials In pow
or. If the peoples representatives had honest.
ly obeyed their just and honest requests, we
would not to-day be engaged in this unnatural
Charleston and Baltimore had acted In accord
ance with the desires Of the people of the South,
there would not have been q split In the Dem
ocratic party-a Democratic President would
have been elected, this war would not have &C.
CURED, the Union would still be unbr ,snd in
stead of misery, death and despair overspreading
our whole land peace and happiness would prev all
aud all would be comfort and joy II the Con-
gr eesmen and others In power in the Northern
States had obeyed the earnest voice of the pso-
pie, aud adopted the Crittenden Compromise,
there would be no war to-day because the
Border States would have Joined the North in
putting down the rebellion in the extreme South,
and /. would have been all over long before this
time; and instead Of wars fearful tumults,
SORROWS and commissions, love, peace and har
mony would prevail, and mothers, wives, and
sisters, who are to-day shedding tears of sor-
row and bitterness over the memory of lost
loved ones, would be happy and contented and
singing songs of gladness the good old Union
would have been restored, and the stars and
stripes would be waving over O reunited and
joyful people, and thousands whose bones are
bleaching on Southern soil, would to-day be at
home with their families content and happy.
Yes, the refusal of those in power TO obey the
people, has caused all this trouble, and when
the day of final settlement shall come-when
they shall meet their accusers at the Bar of
God-When they shall meet face to face the
poor bleeding and mouldered soldiers, and their
starved children and broken hearted widowe,
then political lodges will be of no avail, and
even the allpotent Chicago Platform must
yield to the justice Of the Higher Law.
Then let us be warned by the evils that are
now upon us, and not 60 contrary to our honest
convictions as have done those that have gone
before us. The people must be obeyed. Their
demands must be needed. They demand the
passage of law by this Legislature for their
protection against being degraded and overrun
BY ignorant and demoralized negroes. A law
must be made for this purpose, it is beyond all
doubt absolutely necessary. Why isit necessary I
Because this war has necessarily made a
great many negroes absolutely free, and it fur
nishes facilities for great numbers that are not
free, to run away, and rush into the free States.
Ohio is we'll eituated to catch great many Of
these negroes, and does In fact receive the most
of them, and they are now annoying the people.
Will the immigration of these negroes into our
State injure US? There Ia no doubt In regard
to the matter. No reasonable person will deny
the proportion. Therefore should we not i'm
mediately take steps to prevent the evl2 II
we delay the matter, IL may soon be too late -
But suppose some of the honorable members
will claim that We have not the constitutional
power to pass this law. | say we have the
power. Any people have the power to pass any
law that is necessary for their happiness and
preservation as race. 1t is power given to
w,
Mr.. Speaker, have no hard feelings toward
this unfortunate race of people, nor have any
sympathy with those who desire to eternally
ensave them. But l am interested for the
white race-a superior people, created by God
for higher and nobler purposes; and my reason
teaches me that this white race should be pre-
served in its purity, though the whole of the
African race perish. l am not In favor of
slavery, nor otherwise depressing the African
people; but, If 1t is necessary for the preserva-
tiOn and happiness OF my people that they be
enslaved, say without hesitation, let them re-
main in bondage; but If had the power, and
could do 80, wilhout interfering with the rights
and happiness of my own race, would abolish
slavery to- day, and say to all that are oppressed
and 10 slavery, be free, be happy. And there
are thousand other evils that exist on earth
and Cypress and degrade the human family,
that | would have abolished If / had the
power. But We can't have every ything as we
desire in this world-the negro must remain in
his present condition. He must remain where
he properly belongs. We have no time to at
tend to him now. We have misery enough
among our own race to attend to without hav.
ing an additional quantity sent us, which will
demoralize and degrade our own people.
That the extensive immigration of negroes
into our State will produce a bad effect, none
can deny; and think that We have the power
to legislate to prevent the evil is equally clear
and cannot be denied.
We have the power, under the Constitution
of the United States and the State of Ohio, to
pass law to prevent any person who is not
citizen Of the United States from immigrating
A. 0koAA .l.Af.