Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1865-10-11
ALARAMk on TIE EGO.


ordinance OF the Alabama C9Uveu5iou ex-
ciud!ng negro testimony from tae eJurtS
The proceedings OF the Convention through
all Its sessions have pointed to such con
cIusion. There has not been one word ut
tered showing purpose to accept cordially
or even intelhgently the altered condition
of affairs Every voice heard In the Con-
vention has been for a recognition OF elnan-
cipation as compulsory and unwelcome.
Every speaker has indicated his purpose to
make freedom mean as little as possible 70
the negro. Such convent N fifty crowns
its labors with resolution denying TO the
freedman every right except the right not
to be sold on the auction block. Ersklne,
raised TO the peerage, painted over his doors
the legend Trial by Jury, to signify his
sense OF its inestimable value to sthe free
Englishman What words would his indig
nant lips have found strong enough to de-
nounce an act that denies to the half.freed
negro not merely trial by his peers, but the
right to be heard in any cases that can arise
in any court of law. Under this Alabama
ordinance the only spot the negro has right
to occupy In the courtroom Is the prisoner
dock. When he is there, charged 1t may
be with capital crime, the word OF per-
iured white man who never saw hlln may
convict him and send him to the galiows.
though twenty blacks stand ready to prove
| his perfect innocence. Such law and such
! legislation as that is an outrage against civ
| ihzation but one degree less brutal than
| Slavery itself. 1t outstrips even the barbar
| ity of the slave code, for that permitted the
negro to testify in cases where negroes only
were parties; this excludes him in every case.
| In judging of the loyalty of Alabama and
OF her disposition to concede manhood to
the negro whom she did not emancipate,
this last ordinance controls all other testi-
mony-were there any testimony anywhere
that the State is inspired by the spirit of
Freedom instead of Slavery. This, and not
the so-caiied ordinance .. :.c"i,..o ch".:o stereo-
| types the opinion of the Convention This
is the shape which such speeches as that we
quoted from last week finally take. That
speech-Mr. " hite' might be deemed the
utterance of but one man. 1t was in fact
the opinion of the Convention. In all its
| proceedings We have not discovered one
speech pitched in truer key than that
/ The opponents Of Mr.. White talk on this
subject exactly as Mr.. White talks. In the
last report that comes to us, we find an ad-
dress by Mr.. Langdon of Mobile, in oppo-
sition to the substitute offered by Mr.. White,
making the recognition of emancipation con-
tlngent on the decision Of the SupremeCourt.
Yet the former speech was milk and water
to this Mr.. Langdon makes no sort of
concealment of the fact that the present con-
vention is to do just so much as is necessa-
ry to get back into the Union, and no more.
Therefore he deems 1t inevitable to admit
that Slavery Is abolished. He would not ad-
nit that if he could help it. Neither he
nor any other speaker parts willingly with
the institution. Most gladly exclaims
Mr.. Langdon, would | vote for ehe substi-
tute, if the institution could thereby be
saved. Of all acts looking toward eman
are all unconstitutional, illegal and atrocious.
l glory In the fact that we yielded no princi-
pie till We were compelled to- . The Proc
lamation of the President and acts of Con
gress were unmitigated inhumanities
L denounced 1t as an atrocity, and [ still
believe that the Confederate Government
dId not adopt as severe measures as it should
have DONE | say this to let men know that
| for one don't yield Slavery willingly. |
believe that setting the slaves free in these
. States will be put down as the blackest act
ever performed. " There is much more of
the same venomous outpourings
Now who believes that a convention of
which Mr.. White and Mr. Langdon are
leaders can mean to do justice to the freed
men, whose emancipation, in their eyes, is
a crime OF the blackest dye? Who believes
that the tate, left under the guidance of
such men, will allow any real freedom for
the blacks to exist within its limits? Nor
Is this feeling of evaporation against the
negro and against the authors of his free
dom the sole motive which controls the mol
ley OF the Convention. Mr.. Langdon, bit
terly hating emancipation as he does vet
tells the Convention they must admit ii for
maily-otherwise no chance of re-admisSion
and no other means toward that political s,l-
premacy which the pro-Slavery leaders ex
pect to re- establish over the North. The
gentleman is mistaken in thinking that we
are concllating the Radicals We are act
ing not only Tor ourselves, but also for our
| friends In the North, to enable them to de-
stroy the Radical party
We are obliged to Mr.. Langdon for letting
that particularly large cat out of the bag
W ords could not declare more explicitly
that the Democratic leaders at the North
have notified their allies that they must agree
to some show of emancipation to conciliate
Northern prejudice and to get back into
Congress. Once there, the two will AGAIN
strike hands, and will effectually obstruct
any Congressional Legislation looking to the
security OF the freedmen against such on
preston as this Alabama ordinance of ex-
elusion from the courts contempt tes. Mr..
Langdon, however, proposes to crack the
old plantation whip in the same lively
style as before. I'VE have not been dis.
graced, he declares, and want our Con-
gressmen when they go to Washington To 90
with bold front and high head. as honest
men and not as criminals duplicating mercy.
Is Mr.. Langdon's petition for pardon on
file? but independent, as guilty of no crime.
and to fearlessly demand our rights in the