The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-10-05
The Equality Of Freedmen before the
Law

Law.
From an address orpfovis;onal Governor
Marvin, delivered 81 Quincy, Florida, on
the 5th ult., we extract the following peril
nent remarks on a subject Of universal in
terest.
As citizens, before the law, the freedmen
must be in an respects our equals. ] do
ma mean that as o race they are or can DO
made during many genera IONS our equals
] Do not mean that a. q race they are or can
be made during many geuerntions, II ever,
the cquais FTEsoNALLr uf the Caucasian
race, OF can enjoy the same social or poliii-
cal position. but that Is no reason WHY con-
stitu ion or Jaw should discriminate against
thsia. The righl OF suflag, does not nee
cssariiy follow, for that is not a natural but
O. poltical right, which may be granted or
withheld, a. sound policy may direct.
But, that the Government may be con-
WINGED that We are acting On good faith in
framing constitution, the convention must
in my opinion, Incorporate into that d0cu-
iueut the ameudmtnt OF the Constitution Of
she United States, which prohibits slavery
or Involuntary srrvitude, except when the
perry has been duly convicted Of crime, by
,iue PROCESS OF law, aud which also accords
she Omitted States the power 10 enforce this
provisi "a. IL We are in earne in recog-
uisiug the complete freedom Of the blacks,
aud in pefpvtpaiing that freedom, we shall
have no objection 20 the adoption Of that
amendment. Against such action I have
heard two objections urged. he frs. is, it
would be asserting 70 sbolition, AMI we pre-
fer having e forced upon US Very well, il
Be- forced upon you by the Government, and
by accomplished facts. and you must con-
sent 30 &c OF you are a belligercnt. Your
consent must be put o. record in the most
formal. solemn and binding manner, as a
condition precedent 10 peace and q restora-
tion oi Stats rights. The second objection
b.. Eve are unwilling 90 impose abolition
upon others." You do no such thinC. Con-
rrcss demsuas this al the late iusurgent
states. Sax OF them have already complied
with the demand. ga 90 doing, they acted
SIMPLY tor themselves Let florida frame
q trrc constitution. adopt ths amendment.
aud you give evidence 60 the world that v, u
ere takiug cps which neither you nor your
postoiiiy eau re'rsce, and you prepare the
way ior admission into he great sisterhood
oi States.
tairilierinoFe. tha Csils iitution must de-
are that persons of color shall be admitted
or witnesses ga sll our courts OF civil iutis-
prud nee. The Jaw, ln this respect, must
kuow 49, distinction.
au va q that this is hsrd doctrine 20
many, bm % j. not, nor never wss such TO
me- Some think the negro constitutionailv
liar-that ialsshoDd is marrow IN his
bones. and that d eirulstes IN his b.ood.
Auw thai BE- not true, in whole or in part
and The siatcmen- is SANDER upon both
God and man. An experience Of thirty
wears iu the South he satisfied me that the
slavc hns often told the truth. while the
master has lied. an classes Of witnesses
stated before conft AID the jury upon their
q N.H.ra
aud jury, Is tukeu ior what ID IS worth
They would no doabt often periuro them
selves, but who does nos know that
everF court room is the theatre OF more or
les false swearing But We owe ID 10 the
bounty of a wise Providence that Justice Is
seldom perverted by false witnesses. Per
Jury Be- such mCnsicr-has So many and
such horrid hcads-thst the hitsinrs Of their
tongues mskes Ger. OF Babel Of the wit
ncsses' siaud, warning with each ether aud
with reason, ana with Thousand circum-
stances which surround, reveal aud guard
the truth.
For some yesrs occupied the Bench, snd
mauy ere the instances ia VII Oh have
known guilty parties 20 60 unwhippcd Of
Justice because colorcd people ecu a not
come into the Court aud testify. The adj
Iais-inn ol such witnesses would have given
she staie pr,son or che callows us due, and
relieved s.ciety of had aud dan ge~ous char
actors havc much feeling on this subject,
because tbe Impressive and painful lessons
ol wears crowd iu upon my memory. You
know tLat the mcuiel classes Of all nations
are prrmiucd 90 appear in Couu snG testify,
lld that 10 some Instances Lords and mobiles
have been sent 10 thc galiows 20 the evi
drncc OF house servAuts. Our 60 fored popu-
lation arc % We D qualified 10 testify as Them.
You keep abe negro cut Of Court, and What
chaUce has De ioT jusiioeg Ju { none al al.
The Cove nmcut and the world ara aware Of
this; and Z Go not think Congress viii regard
the q, institution you may frame as repuhli-
can iu form, OF calculated 20 secure the ends
of justice o. al citizens, unless the negro Is
permitted % come into c1uri as q witness ]
nsy De mistaken, bat should that wrong be
perpcirate5, aud your Constitution reiec ed
on THAI accOunt, Scr oee I shall acquiesce IN
she lusiioe of she decisi IA. The feet Is, we
have no other course leit los 10 make = clean
breast of this whole business. do iuil Justice
o. the negro, thr ugh he Is Of an inferior
race, and remove the whole subject growing
Gus oi bic slavery, emancipation ana status,
iIam the theatre ol politics.
Fellow citizens, during The past two years /
] have resided cd the North. and think /
know the tone al Public sentiment there.
J assure you thsi whilst no unkindly feeling 4
prevails Hmong any class a stern. ,ietermi-
nation ezists everywhere that slavery. IA all /
forms and phases, shsll be buried - eie n
ally deep, tha il viii know no resurreciien.
10 BE- still further Their Determination thai
the elements which enter into the fouuda-
tl1l VI uur Government shall BE- Of universsi
Application, making " 8 happy and power
81 people !