Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-09-16

posed the passage of the proposed addition
to the "black laws" The bill was passed,
however, in spite of his opposition, and
duly took its place on the statute books OF
the State
The next year, at special session of the
Assembly, he fought the repeal of the Mis-
souri, compromise on two sets of resolutions
and in the succeeding campaign, the Ne
braska question being the party issue, ne
refused to accept denomination by his
party, and this break separated him from
the Democratic ranks for nearly two dec
ades.
PALMER's WAR RECORD.
General Palmer's part in the Civil War
is too we'll known to need recounting here.
During his service he was severely
wounded and was carefully and tenderly
nursed by colored man, an escaped slave,
who had succeeded in crossing into the
Union lines When sufficiently GONZALES
cent, attended by his faithful nurse, be-
tween whom and himself there had grown
up a strong attachment, he returned to his
home in Carlinville, Macoupin county, Ill,
foreman until he had recovered his full
strength.
of the United States Army, he was well
sions engendered by the war were strong,
and Jealous or malicious enemies of Cen
eral Palmer chose most unique way to
demonstrate their hatred of him. They re-
membered that the "black laws" of the
State were still in existence, although they
had long been in 'innocuous desuetude, ]"
and under the very provision of the law
which he had so strongly resisted in the
Legislature of 1858 they had him indicted
by the grand jury of Macoupin county for
bringing a colored man into the State of
Illinois.
IN HIS OWN DEFENSE.
The case was one of intense interest. The
General disregarded the saw that only fool
is his own doctor or lawyer. He appeared
in his own defense and his treatment of the
case proved that he was passing wise In hav-
ing done so. In his address to the jury he
said in substance: "You have charged me
with violating law of the Commonwealth.
You have made the charge, but you have
not proved it. To do SO you must have
witnesses of its truth. There are only two
persons in the world who have absolute
knowledge of its truth and falsity. One of
these persons is myself, the prisoner at the
bar The other is in this courtroom in your
presence, asked to come here by me.
'sHe is man with a black skin, but he
has a noble heart and truthful tongue,
and he would tell the truth if he were per-
mitted to do so; but you dare notput him
on the witness stand. He is here as dumb
as though nature had deprived him of the
organs of speech, because your law makes
him incompetent as q witness. He might
convict me if he dared speak, but your
hatred of his race has closed his mouth.
ACQUITTED BY THE JURY.
The force of the language was felt by the
Jury, and it rendered verdict of acquittal
without leaving the box. The circumstance
attracted the attention of the public to the
'black laws" which had been dead letter
for many years until resuscitated in this
notable instance, and they were formally
repealed by the General Assembly of the
State in 1866.
The Republican party of illinois made
General Palmer Governor in 1858. He had,
however, never been Republican, except
upon the question of slavery, and during
his incumbepcy of the Gubernatorial office
his Democratic proclivities, as evidenced
by his administration of public affairs iu
many important particulars, gave great
offense to the dominal party in the State
He was Liberal Republican in the Greeley
of 1872, and since that time has
been In full sympathy with the Democratic
of Illineis.