Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-01-20
NUMBER 174.
The Civil Neutrality-suspicious.
from Hon. George HI. RendIetOps


a'naBoICCINcINNATH December 28y 1851
Nathaniel b Meadel Esqbo Wtnchesses y Yia-ssqs
MY DEAR SIR-Your letter has just come,
to hand. have been~absent from the city
good deal 1atelyy and this may aeeOnnU
for the delaViina partr7the mails must an
'"sr regret agr t that have not coSSpiiaSORof
the laws of Indiana and Illinois 70 send
you. am not familiar with their iproviaoi
Ions In relation stQnnegrpess resident in,
those States, but ] have an, impression,
they are more strlngept than those or
Indeed, in this State the negro enjoys
practically all civil rights He nay aeqpirei
and hold property, make contracts, sue and
be sued, and give testimony la an courts
and in all cases. In some parts Of the State5d
public schools for thei educati0noOt eQlpreda
children are established under the authority
of law; and are supported by the taxes
levied on the property OF all the people or
the State, and appoftionedl pFoFatz accOrd.d
ing tOthe enumeration ofwbjte aud col0pedb
children. The lave which created ,disabilitT:v
ties on the part of negroes in, respect OF
l948, after an obstinate contest quite men1-
orable in the history of the State TheiEi
repeal was looked upon with great disfaY9r,
by a large portion Of the people as q danger
Gus innovation upon just and wen IIlsettledr
policy, andia'vote in that direction consign-l
ed many members Of the Legislature 10 theil
repose of private life. But am, not aware
that any evil results justified these appre-
tensions, or that any effort was ever made
toimpose the disabilities. On the contrary, 3
the new policy, If may call it so, has beenJ
found so consistent with justice TO the ne
groes and the interests Of the whites, that
no oone-certainly no party Lin Ohio, would
be willing to abandon ito g2i-y,n8Y9: bHg
My observation of the effect Of such a
policy has been limited to Ohio. am well,
aware that a policy well suited to State
where the negroes are few-in number and
generally of good character. might be dis7q
astrous In State where the negroes are
very numerous and generally, very igno-
rant and degraded. am also fully aware
that a condition of society which has ex-i
listed tor centuries leaves deep impressions
on the habits, modes of thought and char
acter of people, and that it is always ur-
pleasant and frequently unsafe to disregard
them! y History teaches in every page that
sudden and radical changes. which at once
shock deeply rooted prejudices and go too
far, even in right direction, are followed
by reaction which leaves the latter state
worse than the first. The wisdom and sbe-1
nefcence of any change depend upon It's
gree, to the condition of the people upon
whom it operates. iv7'tai l0r .g 9tI 1Moo
The questions relating to the status Of Its
Inhabitants belong solely TO. each state,
They lie within the domain of reserved
rights upon which neither the Federal
Government nor the other Statescan law
fully enter. '"@s feta'' -
These considerations constrain me to
speak with diffidence of the proper course
Ao nj fhio tinna W tho .SOnthprn
States in relation to their freedmen. That
it ought to be humane, and in conformity
with their changed condition, and Scalcu-L
lated tog give free scope to whatever eapae-
itN for improvements they may possess
do not doubt. Whatever may have been
expedient or necessary in a society where
the condition of slavery existssit does seem
to me that justice and good policy alike reT
quire that ample protection should be as
sured to the person and property Of the ne
gro wherever he Is recognized as a.free-1
man; 1 mean that protection, and that sense
of protection, which just laws, impartially,
administered, give to the person and prop,
erty of the white man. The condition OF
freedom deprives the negro OF that care and
protection which the affection and interest
of his master assured to him, and impose
upon him the duty to support himself and
his family. The full enjoyment Of the fruits
vi Ills lduOE-OuO W AoAN
property, to make and enforce reontracts-7,
is essential to the performance Of this duty,
The society which imposes the duty should,
guarantee the protection. This is simple
justice to the negro. believe that It will
at the same time promote the peace and
good order of society, and the pleasant and
profitable connection of the two races IN
their new relation to each other tl
notice what you say in reference to the
proposition to permit negroes to testify
Many judicious persons agree with the
opinion you express, but my observation
and experience have Convinced me that the
true rule is to permit all persons TO testifyst
leaving to the judge, or the jury the quesr
ton of their credibility. Such, with very
inconslderable exceptions, has been the law
of Ohio for ten years, and it has been at!
tended with good results. 4o9q HtshIuoS 5dj
3fif lam, very respectfully, b1ruoi hsial I
goIIs "a, Your obedient servant r,..,...,, :,