The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1873-11-28
Correspondence.
Indiana Laws and the Constitution
of the United States

lSDIANAPoI.ls, IND, nov. ID. IS.3.
EpIroR REPrBLIcaS-1h loyal and patriotic
men of Indiana thought after the several anrnl-
ments to the constitution of the United States,
and the passage by Congress of the ti'ii iughs
bill, that the rights and privileges Of the colorcd
race of our citizens were guaranteed beyond amy
question or cavil whatever; but it seems that
such is not the fuct. We have Il Ia" !ct re-
manning upon our statutes in Indiana, winch
has never been repealed, which IKE. II aiti-
ouy for any ''person, having 0nc-eighth part or
more Of negro blood, to marry. a white woman.
To the violation of such law, i added impr!son-
m-nt in the states Prison for Il certain term oi
wears. About one year n.o i neSr" ihin Mi>
TIED and convicted in the Criminal Court, oil Nj
rion county, in this State, for a violation ni lnis
law, and Is now serving out his sentence for tin
''crime,'' in the Northern State Irisbh' u
Michigan City; and up to this time, so Tar raj
am cognizant OF, no effort has been iiiais III W.
nal to test the constitutionality or the Nalluit! OF
law under which he WAS sentenced. - ne r.
mains in the States Prison, To my ininn, un'l"f
n very unjust and illegal sentence, ami o,iShi!
nov TO have his freedom, Tor he has committed
no crime. Ii has ever been my opinion thi', ny
tine fourteenth and fifteenth amenhrn Iit' I" i.i'
Constitution of the United States, and the enact
mcnt of ths civil rights bill, that n negro VIZ
guaranteed all the rights, privileges AMI lmmi-
mites enjoyed by amy white citiz"n; AMI ny,
virtue of such amendments ami law he has aiesai
right TO marry II white person a we'll ~ toeN-
crcisc the right of suffrage NJ The polls, an!
State law To the contrary notw ltii,taiiulnE lh!
law of aSiate in direct conflict with the Con-
.tjtution of the United States, which il the SUI
prrme law Ofthe land, is null and VOID; AM. any.
violation ofits provisions l. no tran-=rr:-ion "i
law, and no person can he held aincnabic {" IL.
One law of the state, under which the negro now
suffers imprisonment for vl0lating, IL IN conhIcl
with the Constitution of tn" United States, a.
now amended, and should not be enforced. ih'
negro, To-day, Is being falsely imprisoned Tor an
aci done by him., which was not unlLwful; ami
our present tiorernor Of Indiana, a Deni ,cra: oi
the most strict school As he il, by rcprie'ing HIM
would do an act that would fOreNcr'nu ar nun 10
a large majority of the people fins S;a'c. i.ut
such a thing can never be expected Of u III an like
Governor Hendricks, for he is too strongly we'd
det to his own party'S principles &" content !"
do Il thing so antlgoniStic 10 the creed and doc
| trincs ofitc Democratic party. II l. The "piniGn
of Il great many Of the people Of this country,
| that 10 allow the in,crnIarriaSc of III White an !
roiored races. will nec-I>ita.r an elevation of The
negro To thu social standard, In every particular,
of the white msn; and, ~ Il practical result;
II general practical negro cluiii'E WIZ
follow, with all its ''concouitant evils sgch
an idea can only b. entertained by one "hp~r
mimi is more or less .drluird win many OF
the other solihIsm. Of the day. such Il STATE ~
that is impossible, from the natural disposition
of the two races, and never can be. y charac-
teristic of the several different naiIpihltiic- al
people rs well as races of the world, IL that Ga II
are inclined TO be cla.,nish. liicy have only an
inclination to associate with thns- al their own
nationality or race. with no seeming II iiurai Ic-
sire whatever TO extend their Intercourse any
IatIucr ililu lneIf bNH Iai''hi'A nfhNi',
can see il cNeinplilied Ia u great degree IN TIE
cities Of this country. The INTERN ,rritse 81
these of our own nation with the white porti"l
of our foreign population has never been hr!
general, much less will it ever he among rae
Of so different and distinct color. Tiers VIII
now ami then occur u case OF the klIri, ' Il To-
lated ones only: and then tirE WIN u c"hhu,'i
alone to those, Of both rares, Of tn lowest ami
mDst degraded persons ofeiiher race. Tht pucS-
:. ton of negro equality, which has - long mad
II theme in the minds OF our people i"s c"n'f'-
~. - tntt =. mara. fancy al fbs llglIt and a. ~
4, have none other than HI abstract existence.
| IT. agitation has only been IN order t" attain
part, ends: entertain no fear Whatever "i ID.
''much talked Of negro equality; Yet allow
IN. to say, that if the negro In tliis e Inn:ry ca.
by his own industry, and nm n>siduai- appllca-
ton 10 the requirement. of know i'Sr, gntiii!
, himself for any OF the responsible positions 81
life, I AMI willing for him 10 eNerci>" them I" the
fullest extent. | believe that all men arr rrra-
ted upon equality, and should ever he - r.,
gartlcd, without distinction III race at color: uAl
that that equality only c"a:..- 10y ihrir own in
diyilu1l actions, anil that they only have Ia
power TO chang. il By their conduct ~ i%ndiNtiu-
ais. No law should have In.s binding effect VIA
ever, that REGULATES AN! I1ia'- -iliu ari'ns ii-
fellows aside from hi own cpn'inri. b. hr "iliI !
white or blabk; YET ihtt /, NJ rSi.'a why u
social equality should CNi-' lIupag all clt,--- 81
p.oplc, because m NJ general NIiiu-- Hrd ar-
lions can only rrndcr them III for u hi-irr ar
lower grade ol -uririN ~ llir. Inc" III IT.
dom OF III, negro from the hnul- Of slavery {" ia
state of n freeman III hl-.. AT hi G.n 'ri Icl lirc-
mcnt'. exceeded The anticipation oi The ~ ~
sanguiu. believer in his hnal success. hope h
Will -till continue on the ascending -r'i'' 10
wealth and know irtlg until hr lrc"nr- IL"
| peer Of the white man III all that Viii rnn'iiiu'v
HIM his equal: and hi, rae. "NvntuIll. iI~ tlsir'l
10 receive a prominence among the people - Tie
earth. gained only by n. ruly WORTHY. tn
duty OF the white mIn ! conceive &" b. inI'rr'-
tive Ia and the negro Ia 'TsTT honorable Iirruti.
and help 10 clcNIt" ham /, = higher >riIr II -
ing. The education and the proper rditiid'i -
OF the mind- or thu cVlnrrd race ia iii., CIun'rH
should not he overlooked or neglected. Nr;"il'
| would il be OF great benefit 10 tn n's-n. tu'
| would rebound To the good of III" viIi'r mNI.
Ign ,rancr among thu masses Of an: Tac @! = go
pie but augmrut- ani increases The crint- of ANY
country. 10 educate any nation nr ir"ilr =.
but strengthening I!I"ir bearers against tn e III
mission Of the many crIiu'~ OF ~" dlA. -.
then. that our I,ruplr, the negro ~ we'll AS itr
white man, may he iiliug honorable ia "n- ~
liir as good! citizen, instead OF our iIIl' nnl
prison. they should b. c'lar tied. Tli- i'r"l'"r
diffusion of knowledge AMI learning To al! I~'-
| pie, il hut promoting their haypin-s- ~ a ui-
| ton. The general ignorance I'll tn wrrl Ia ~.
! pa-t, has been the cause oil mach -iirri.IS AT
pain, while education add 10 IN, GLORY aai
general prosperity nj all. Yours. truly, ~.
". ii. LAMASIE.