The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1867-08-29
THE NEGRO QUESTION.

is, TO have no class legislation. Let thu
constitutions and laws of each State bt
like the laws of God, the Declaration o.
Independence, and the Constitution Of
the United States. In none Of these
can be found any distinction because OF
race, color or nationality. The pro-
posed amendment to our State consti-
tuition will forever settle this question
in Ohio.
On the 5th OF January, in the year
1904, the Legislature of Ohio passed an
act entitled an act to regulate black and
mulatto persons The first section pro-
vided that on and after the first day of
June, 1904, no black or mulatto person
should be permitted to settle or reside
in Ohio, without first producing GER
tifcate from some court in the United
States, that such person was free. The.
second section provided that every such
black or muIatto person should enter
his or her name in the clerks office
and the name of his or her children Il
but this should not bar the lawful claim
of any owner to such persons. Thd
third section provided that no person
should employ any black or mulattd|
person, not having such certificate Of
freedom, under penalty of from ten to
fifty dollars, and should also be liable to
the owner of such person, in the sum
of fifty cents for each day such person
should be so employed. Subsequent
sections provided that any person Sc
creting colored person, should be fneG
from ten to fifty dollars, and command
ing judges and justices Of the peace t.
issue their writs for the surrender OF
fugitive slaves, and commanding sher-
ifs and constables to execute such writs.
On the 25th of January, 1907, an act
was passed to amend the last named
act. 1t provided that no black or mu-
latto person should be permitted to set
tie in this State, unless he should give
bond in the sum of five hundred dollars,
two freehold securities, to be approved
by the clerk of the court, that such col
ored person should be of good behavior,
and should not become a township
charge. Any person employing col
ored person who had not given such
bond, should be fined not exceeding
one hundred dollars, one-half 10 90 to tile
| mIo,mer. The 4th section Of this act
provided that no black or muIatto per-
son should be a witness in any case
whore either party was white, nor in
any criminal prosecution against white
person This left all colored persons
at the mercy of all white criminals,
where no white witness was present,
These acts, known as the Black Laws
of Ohio, remained in full force for near
ly half a century. In the year 1919,
the Wings and Democrats elected an
equal number of members to the Ohio
Legislature, There was a contest as TO
some of the members, and the decision
Of that contest would decide which par
ty should have control. There were
two aboltionists in that Legislature
Townsend and Morse, Whichever
way these men could be induced to
vote, would decide the matter The
Democrats entered into a contract with
Townsend and Morse, that if they
would vote to admit the Democratic
contestants to seats, that then the Dem
ocrats would unite with these abolition
lists and repeal the Black Laws, and also
elect Salmon =. Chase, an aboHtionist,
to the United States Senate This
agreement was carried out, some
Wings, and among them Mr., Bundy
from our county, voting for the repeal,
Great CONSERVATION was caused by
the repeal of the Black Laws. 1t was
said that now the "cussed nigger''
would rush into our State and sweep
everything before him, and would swear
away the lives OF white people, But
this silly prejudice soon subsidized, an6
negroes were used as witnesses by white
men, whenever they were needed
Neither was there any increase of mar
rages between whites and negroes.
Now it is claimed that if negroes are
permitted to vote, of course they viii
at once marry our daughters. W.
would advise our Democratic friends t,
teach their daughters higher STANDARD
of social position If they continually
keep itbeiore their daughters that ther,
is great danger of their marrying ne
groes, they may bring about the YER.
thing they so much dread
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