American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1866-02-21
to embarr1ss tlfcnl as freemen.

and OF It's nepplc, sha have now de.
vylyed upon item The duties uf obedience
to tho government and the discharge
Of many pnblic anl private obligations,
to which they have herotol1rc been stran-
gers, aad yet have not, under ex isting laws
Of the State, the rights Of either citizens
or aliens
The President of tho United States.
under these circumstances, has attempt
! cd to discharge toward the State Oi Ken.
tucky, Tor the benefit Of such oi it, peo
pie as are not yet embraced within It's
&c eral system ofprofec'iye laws, the con
-ttutional duty oflroyiding for them a
governmcnt, duty which does not or
/ lginate in any law enacted by Congress,
/ bat from the Constitution itself.
am aware of the fact, though do
not pretend to speak by authority that it
is the opinion Of the authorities at
| Washington the duty Of giyi-g protec
ton and law to all inhabitants OF the
State Of Kentucky properly dcvolves upon
/ The authorities of the state, aud that Fel
era interference fjr that purpose results
entirely from constitutional duty AMI
necessity.
It i, certainly the r;aht as well as the
/ duty Of the Safes within certain limits
to regulate their own internal affairs
| This right is not denied, and it will BE-
| observed that the representatives the
1 General government Ia this State. under
| he Freedmen's Baroau. where its pow
crs have been rightly un !ersL,ol. do not
aa, adversely To the nlthorities of the
,ttc. or inie grere With any affair wh.clf
the State has 50 lar attempted 20 regulate
/ Tne ri .ht Of ali the Inhabitants to lb.r Y
/ il secure bcyoul the power Of the State
to ahri.lgc or restrict il.
Itls the duty of the general govern
ment. with or without the concurrence Of
the State. to protect the liberty Of the
people, and in case Of uon -acsion on the
State authorities, to provide them with a
government which shall be adeqratc to
the ends for which governments are or
dainei amongst men
As, then the State has so far altogeth
er neglected. to provide a special system
Of laws for its freed people. or to include
them within the provisions of lis general
laws which define and protect the rights
Of all other inhabitants of the State, upon
what grounds do any OF her people com
plain Oi "the interference OF the nation
al government ! assert, with as much
earneslness aud with az high regard for
the honor OF the people Of my native
State as any one possesses, that the gen
eral treatment OF slaves in kentuky was
humane and kind, and that the people
Senefa''y recoSnlIo tho TACT that slavery
hl' coiseu Dut ''aV many outraSeS nave
peeh coih,nittou I upon negroes IN many
parts OF thG otate Is true oeyond an dooot
ana a,ter inc mo't eaFela. inquiries l
nave peeh unaoie 10 near Oh slnSiG IN
stance III "n'eh' 'he ciVii aut'loFi''e' nave
PunlShcu 'he 'EresSots'
Nor are the authorities OF the law Who'll
" 10 oia'iie ioF 'l'S iaiIure OF Ju'tce, lof
l nave no" III 'ny possession the most
SATISFACTORY PROF. " 'ho s'o'F'''eh's 1oa
coio,e" pe'aonS WHO, ! am assufei, are Oh
Eool c"sr'cter, ,, OF 'le MURDER oi TWO
neS'oo' Vy m'''te ."ei' VINO are oeyoau
Vhe ,e'ch Vt cr''l',na' JuSt!ce because OF
Tue s'7%l incoupe'ency Vi colorsi per
sons u oe "'tueSseS III tue courts
ln aud'''on 20 ou'rases OF that klno'
combinations oil ,a"'es' men exist 10 many
places 10 unVe the co'ofed people from
the state ana 10 prevent them from OBJ
'aihluS employment 'tooi rom inc
most reSpect'oie source mas peeh laln oe'
.ore me o' 'he'o i"c's' sun none are PAN
ished.
Such acts, gladly confess, are con
demued by the great mass of the citiz ems
but none demand their punishment
White men naturally desire TO escape the
iil-will of those SeIi.styled Regulators, "
and negroes, however much they may be
outraged and injured in person or proper.
ty, will not be heard by the courts or ju.
ries.
Does not this "internal aG,ir" If allow.
ing It's courts to listen (not believe. un
less con nviuced) to the complaints of men
and women who suffer or are witnesses
of WRONGS inflicted ,upon others demand
s.reoulatinr" ana can lust government
discharge its duties of protecting n still
peonle without affnrding. under such cir.
nun,ct,nco. s,tvathin,, bl-o raJrog.2