Maryland free press., 1867-06-06
adtHAGE7sToyyN,. ma, MI
Negro Testimony,

10 EYrThe State convention have devoted
d GOA deal Of time. during the plst wax
4. in considering the propriety of the alnis-
4 zion nfnegrq testimony in QUE courts on
1.-THE ssuno footing -as the testi,n my OF
Whites Geq5 l@s. aoso l.#a '..5 #",a !
l"g Uodn ttiis subject tie mon,lberrs Of the
eonyention. in favor of negro testi,a my
Scemel to be divided into three .olasses,
3 ffst those who believe that provision ad-
hitting negro testimony should be inserted
( in the Bin Of Rights; second, those who
prefer suci provision to be inserted in
the article Of the constitution on the legis
latiVe departm mt; aa | thir,lly; those who
while acknowledging the right are oppos-
ed to making any provisio!l in regard to
''t'iis matter in the, constitution at ALL
: On Friday Last the senss of the ,nven-
tion was takenoin regarl to the propriety
rof admitting nagr, testimony upon thA
following ordsr su1nistel BY Mr. Pleas
ants .,... a...;
yfOr+Ated. Tint it IS the sense Of this
convention that the question Of rem wing
the disability Heretofore impose on =
isroes to testify in courts Of justice ought
TO be settle by, this c,nvention. anl that
the constitution nov, hsing framed oaght
ytnreontain arproVision rem wing such disa-
bihtB.9Ga ,s'aoi a. I ."l%
1.-THE orter vas alopto by vote of 60
Yeas to Al nays. II being absent Or no vo-
ting lbeing a clear m tiority o tn, waolc ron
vention, Aall.the delegates from this c'uil-
5ibcing present except Mr.. Cunning an
ana voting IN tbs aG:mativc.. It va af
terwards On m3tion decl ,rel t, be the sense
Of thaQonF4fntipn, that the prov sion for
the a hhissinh of negro tcstim'ly b. in
sertedliin th4 article OF the constitution on
the isgiis aatiToo department. -. 4 ~ .r.
We We meyer ES Ff;ip & pIla Illas9q see any sufi'isnt rea
sons ag,lnstthe admission ofnegr' testi-
mony,i Same of the members Of the cna-
Eenti:,n7 opposed this provision because
theyiasserted it wasssth 9 first step yielded
t'Tadical @clm2r. and WIS the cnterin ;
wedge Thich would BE- SON followed by
admitting thenegro- to the jury box and
tothcIrigat Of voting, and of holding Of
fee,
We cott.ss That we c,nnot soc the force
cf this. objeetion, for, as WAS WILL said by
Mr.7Ion&af Somerset, the right to testl-
fyiwas aacivil right, the others are poIiti-
calFights. /" Women. chillren and aliens
have been always allowed to testify in our
courts, but they hive n,yery4t baca al
luitted7to the political rights of voting,
holding efiss; orsitting rs Jurors. - - -
Others are opposecl.to negro testimony
en-, ths ground of.,injustice to the white
man, but this objection we think quite as
futile as the former. The Jurors are in all
cssea The Judges of tile credibility of
witness, and as long as we have intelligent
white men composing our jurcs, there is
no danger to he apprehended from the al-
mission Of negroes as competaat witnesses.
The competency Of a witness is, a very
different thing from his credibility, anil
as bng as white men are. the julges! of
ihe latter wefnfed apprehend no danger
from the fGrtner1. Besides, we al know
black mon who are both more competent
ami credible, than many white men of our
acquaintance, and whom with all our pre-
judices we would infinitely sooner be-
leve.n g bed 25id'i .Tetf .1ol .s}
We havs'always Looked. upon the law
which excluded In negroes ftqm Itessifying
where white menwere alone concarnel. ;. and
at theisane time admitted their testimony
in oaHesmaHfe blachlms1 were ca,ica-uHEl.
even though such testf.r eny mfcbt be, IN
oct'conftadictioh to that Of wTliiite men, men
in the same cause, as ,' inconsistent and ab-
surd-e If.a nHgrafar exsmple.owas. trtel
f,r the murder of swhite man, N negroes
were always Just ias aeompetento y witnesses
IS #hitsqhan either FOR for or against against the ac-
cused. AM their evidence was in. all such
rasfgS gft tasfih Or the same footing as that off
white, mon nd Andrwbg tshauld.it not DE
so .ot The negro, lalthouga lie inay be fg-
norane eah,l utdea aacated!e does not as gen.
etaFaiit6g possess tss BAD @ pr mplisieas sAaari, !
he woEshiiEps Ittbbiesssfm Ittbbie same God Lopesfs the
ssme, ,Heayep, aad areals theo.same Hell
as the white man. aud we would infinitely I
rather trastl ltt9lh his rs hqResty,:his rhamanitg
or bis truth. than to hope for 5tb,s. same |.
yirtass,ina good dP{y5 " Ytite i5 men ipI this
aaaf 81 zEna Agg1 Il .si2eb 35
EEsA cafres R8nIepfg Of TIE z MuLlf