Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1875-08-07
INCARCERATION IN INDIANA.
Che COIOFed People Demand the Right
10 carry with HhiteE-EHects Of
the Fourteenth Amendment.


indianapolis Sentinel, July d
The colored men OF the city, to the
number of one hundred or more, met
last night at the Vermont street church,
to consider the recent arrests under the
"blGCk-laws," and the meeting was
called to order by Dr.. Ssatou. DR. Revels
was chosen president and Moses Broyles
vice-president, Mr.. M'Cary secretary
and Mr.. Osborne assistant secretary.
DIR. Revels stated that the meeting was
called to take iutO consideration certain
grievances under which they supposed
themselves to be lsbOring, that Of the
arrest of certain CCioTCG men for marTv-
ing white women, and Of certain minis
ters who had performed the ceremony.
He thought that under the fourteenth
amendment to the United States con-
stitutiOn COlOred men were citizens in
the full sense Of the word. He thought
that that amendment sbTogated all the
sC-CAiled "black-laWs" of the State.
The meeting had been called to see
what relief could be obtained
from this condition Of things. On
motion OF DR.. Ebert a committee ofsev-
en- was appointed on resolutions Mr..
J. 5. Hinton was called upon for a
speech, snd stated it was the opinion
among the cOlOred men that the late
amendment to the United states con.
stituuon had made them citizens before
the law, with all the rights and privileges
sccTuing to white men. it was not that
they loved white women any more than
these OiCOlOT, but they hated the spirit
III which the "Olack iaWsn had been
made. He thought that il a colored man
and white woman loved each other thew
would enjoy each others society either
with or without the sanction of the law,
and il were better to have it with such
sanction than without, He was IN ia d.
vOr OF carrying the case now in court to
the supreme court of the United States,
il necessary, to see whether or not the
law was just one. DR.. BrOyles spoke
next in the sane strain as that of the
previous speaker. Had Shirley, the
man under arrest, associated with the
woman without marriage, he would
have been fined fifteen dollars or more;
instead OF this he married her in the or
binary form, and the penalty under the
law was imprisonment n the penitenti-
airy for term OF years The commit
tee on resolutions reported as follows:
WHEREAS, The laws OF the State of
Indiana now make il 8 felony for man
of the African race to marry a white
woman and Vjce UsrSd, or for any person
70 sOlemnize such marriage, or aid, as
sI5t or abet The same; and whereas sew
e~aI pers0ns stand indicted in the NJ
ron criminRI court for such felony; and
whereas such question embraced IL these
indictments involve the equal rights
ADD dignity Of the whole African race
with the white race; an1 whereas the
persons indicted are pecuniauiy unable
to provide fer themselves means tor an
adequate defense; therefore, be It
ReSOlUea That we, the cOlOrod people
Of indianapolis, in msss-meeti = assem-
bled, do think hist the black laws OF
the State Of Indiana are q disgs ace to
the people Of all classes Of the State
Resolved, That we are, ana ever will
be, opposed 20 class legislation, and that
We viii fight It in whatever WAY it may
come.
Resolved. We think that the law Of
the State CT Indiana regulating mar
riRgeisi In contradiction to the fourteenth
amendment 10 the constitution Of the
United States, which says:
SECTION 1. AL persons born or natu-
rallied in the United States, and subject
to The Jurisdiction thereof, are citizens
of the United STATES and of the State in
which they reside. To State shall make
Or enforce shy Laws which shall abridge
the privileges or immuuitieS Of citizens
OF the United States.
Resolved, We consider that in the ar
rest of these persons the rights, privileges
and immunities Of citizens have been
denied them, and that the arrests were
Illegal and maliCiOusly made.
heSOlyed, That we will stand firm and
undauEted, and defend the prosecuted
to the bitter end.
Resolved, That we, the undersigned, in
order to provide q thorough defense of
every person so indicted in the said court,
as we'll therein as in all appeals from the
decision thereof to any other tribunal to
which the several cases may be carried,
do hereby agree to pay the sums oppO-
site TO our names and subscribed 10 by
Us
ReSOlUsd, That W deem it necessary to |
call convention 81 lhe colOred people |
Of the Stale, to assemble in Indianapo- |
lis on or about the nineteenth OF August,
to further arrangements for defending
the cases.
DR.. Ebert, DR.. Broyles and others
5tateu lIaL lney were lOL assisting Lhe5e |
persons now under arrest because they |
themselves were at all anxious to marry |
white women, but because they OF jected |
to class legislation il any form, Sub |
were called for, and one hun
bred and twenty-three dollars and fifty |
cents was raised. The finance commit |
tee was empowered to appoint agents
throughout the State to assist in the |
work, and the meeting adjourned.