The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-05-27
INDIANA'S BLACK LAWS.
A Statute thatIs Repugnaut to the COnstitu-
tion, and that Encourages Infamous Crime.

Said gentleman to Journal reporter:
"When see an item like this in an Indianapolis
newspaper the fact is driven in upon me that the
that Indiana still has on her statute books laws
which tell Of her former subservience to the
STAKEHOLDER, and her indisposition to grant to all
her citizens equal privileges as to life, liberty,
and the pursuit of happiness"
The item read as follows
Rev. Mr. Raynor. charged with violating the law in
marrying Henry Patton, colored to white woman.
has been granted a continuance until Wednesday OF
next week. Saturday evening Mrs. Patton placed
under arrest for holding illicit relations with Patton
and it is said that affidavit will be filed against the
attorney who aided Patton in securing marriage
license.
That law" continued the gentleman, is not in
consonance with the amended Constitution of
the United States. 1t is no longer in harmony
with progress and liberty. Marriage is purely a
matter Of taste. 1t is a partnership in which
the contracting parties, if of lawful age and un-
derstandng should not be interfered with. How
much have we in Indiana progressed beyond
South Carolina, as she was before the warl We
imprison black man for marrying a white
woman. In that State they hanged white man
for marrying slave.
Parker Pillsbury, in his book, Acts of the
Anti Slavery Apostles, tells the story: A young
man in South Carolina was seen walking with
young woman, slave, to whom it was known he
was tenderly attached, and who it was further
shown he married and aided to escape from
slavery. That was his crime. He was arrested,
tried and found guilty. Sentence of death was
pronounced upon him by Judge j. b. ONeale.
This sentence was most remark ole in word and
spirit. John L. Brown said this judge, it is
my duty to announce to you the consequences of
the conviction which you heard at Winnsboro.
and of the opinion you have heard
read refusing your twofold motion In
arrest of Judgment and for a
new trial You are to die an ignominous death
upon the gallows. This announcement is to
you know, most appalling. Little did you
dream of it when you stepped into the bar with
an air as if you thought it was fine frolc; but
the consequences of crime are just such as you
prepare for the great change just before you.
The strange woman shared you. She hattered
you with her words, and you became her victim.
Led on by desire to serve her, you committed
part her masters service. Reflect on your
past life, and make the only useful division of
your remaining days in preparing for death.
Religion" continued the gentleman, made
up large part of the charge of this canting
hypocritical Judge" To the prisoner he said:
Remember now thy Creator in the days Of
thy youth is the language of inspired
wisdom. This comes home properly to you IN
this trying moment. If you had remembered
your Creator in your past days you would not
now be in a felon's pace to receive felons
judgment. Still, it is not too late to remember
your Creator'-and so, on ad nauseam Well,
they hanged that young man; but
if he had kept the young woman as
his concubne he would have gone
unscathed, as would this negro man here in In
diana who married this white woman. But that
South Carolina hanging raised cry of indigna-
ton among all the civilized people of the world
Of course. that did not include the people of In
diana and the shareholders of the South
Brougham and Denham, in the House OF Lords,
gave it pathetic and powerful recital. John g.
Whittier voiced the anti-slavery feeling
of the day in his famous poem on the sentence
of John L. Brown and the legal murder
of that young man added fuel to the wrath
against the peculiar institution.
'Indana's black laws cannot stand in the way
of equal rights. They are cruel absurdity
after the Emancipation Proclamation after the
constitutional amendments, and must be ex-
plunged. Nobody will be compelled to marry
off color but those who desire to do should be
allowed that privilege No harm will result to
society. Even the Democratic maidens with
their cry of white husbands or none, would be
safe,n