The daily gazette., 1875-08-06
MisceSenatIou la Iu diana.

CoJoRFD PEOPLE DEMAND THE RIGHT TO
MARRY wIru WHITES THE FoURrE EaI II
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT,
From the Indianapolis Sentinel, July 2s.
The colored men Of the city, to the
number of 100 or more, met last night at
the Vermont Street Church, TO consider
the.recest arrests under the"black laws
DR.. Revels was chosen President, and
stated that the meeting was called to
take into consideration certain grievan-
ces nnder which they supposed themsel-
ces 10 be laboring, that Of the arrest OF
certain cniored men for marrying white
women, and Of certain ministers who
had prrformed the marriage ceremony.
He thought that under the fourteenth
amendment to the Uuited States Consii-
tuition c0lored aen We're citizens in the
full sense of the word. He thought that
that amendment aLrogated all the
so-called "black laws" of the State. The
lnaetinu had been called to see what
relief could be obtained from this cou-
d,tion ofthings Mr., is. Hinton stated
that it was the opinion amcng the
colored men that the late amendments
TO the United States Constitution
had made them citizens before
the law, with all the rights and privii-
ges accruing to white men. 1t was not
that they loved white women more than
those of color, but they hated the spirit
in which the "black laws had been made.
He thought that if colored man and
white woman loved each other they
would enjoy each others society either
with or without the sanction of the law.
and it were better to have it with such
sanction than without. He was in favor
OF carrying the case now in court to the
Supreme Court of the United States, if
necessary, TO see whether or not the law
was just one. DIR. Broils spoke next
in the same strain as that of the rrevi-
der arrest, associated with the woman
without marriage, he would have been
fined some SIS or more instead of this
he married her in the ordinary form, and
the penalty under the law was imprison-
ment in the Penitentiary for term of
years. The Committee on Resolutions
report ed as follows
IVhtredS, The laws Of the State Of In
diana now make it felony for a man of
the African race to marry white woman,
and vice versa, or for any person to
solemnize such marriage, or aid, assist or
abet the same; and whereas several per-
sons stand indicted in the Marion Crimi-
nal Court for such felony and whereas
the questions embraced in these indict-
ments involve the equal rights and dig
nifty of the whole African race with the
white race and whereas the persons in
dicted are pecuniarlly unable to provide
for themselves means for an adequate de-
fense; therefore be it
ResoIred, l, That we, the colored peo-
pie of indianapolis. in mass meeting as
sembled, do think that the black laws of
the State of Indiada are disgrace to
the people Of all classes Of the State.
:, That we are, and ever will be, op-
posed to class legislation, and that we
will fight it in whatever way it may
come.
>, We think that the law of the State
of Indiana regulating marriage is in con-
tradiction to the fourteenth amendment
to the Constitution of the nited States
which says
Section |. All persons born or natural
ized in the United States and subject to
the jurisdiction thereof arc citizens ci
the United States and of the State in
which they reside No State shall make
or enforce any laws which shall abridgs
the privileges or immunities OF citizens
| of the United States.
4, We considts that in the arrest 0
these persons the rights, privileges ano
lLlihdlilltS III cillIt llo nave been ue
MED tica and that the arrests wer,
illegal and malirioualy made.
| 5, That we will stand firm and un
dsuntad apd defend the prosecuted I,
tho bitter end.
6, That We, the undersigned, in orde
to provide thorough defense OF ever,
person ndici I'D in the said court, as wei
therein as in all appeals from the de
cls ION thereof TO any other tribunal t,
{, /, which the several cases may be carrie
do hereby AoveraiIy agree To pay In
sums opposite to our names and cub
aeribed to by us.
Z, That wo deem it necessary to call
convention OF the colored people OF tn
State, 10 assemble in Indianapolis on Q
about the 18th OF August, to furthe
arrangements for defending the cases
Dir. Elbert, DR.. Broyles, and other
stated that they were not assisting thos
person now under arrest because the
, themselves were at all anxious to MARI
white women, but because they obiecte
' | To class legislation in any form. Sui
| srrptions were called for, and $12s-5
was raised. Tho Finance Committe
O was empowered to appoint agent
. throughout the State 10 assist in tia
work and the meeting adjourned.