The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-22
ANCIENT SLAVERY DAYS
Old District Laws Affecting COlOred
People Held in Bondage.
Efforts of n Small Band of Abolition
lists TO Have the Race Made Free.
The Snow Riots of over Sixty
Years Ago-Attacks on the National
Era and other Local Newspapers.

| Years AgO-tttacks ON the National
Era and other Local Newspapers.
Washington numbers among its popula-
| ton more intelligent. prosperous, and re-
spected colored people than any other city
of the world; yet within some of its pur-
Heus are to be found negroes that would
! not be unsuited to Darkest Africa When
! the cession was made by Maryland In 1870,
| it is quite certain that the colored popula-
! ton exceeded the white on the plantations
and farm lands that are today covered with
the magniGcence of Washington, but at the
| time when the exclusive jurisdiction OF the
| United States was extended over the city
the whites largely outnumbered the col
| ored people OF whom there were less than
900 in Washington. This number has so
| increased that the colored population of the
District which in 1870 was 40, 4O4, and grew
to be 50. $50 in 1880 and 1872 in 1890, is
now nearly if not quite, 100000 souls.
At the first establishment OF the city OF
Washington its municipal authorities were
not vested by Congress with any special
power over the colored race, but the ap-
proach of the war in 1912 was thought to
render new guards necessary, and Congress
authorized the City Council TO restrain
and prohibit the nightly and other disorder
ly meetings of slaves, free negroes and mu-
lattoes. and to punish such slaves by whip
ping, not exceeding forty stripes. or by i'm
prisonment. not exceeding six calendar
months. for any one offence; and to punish
such free negroes and mulattOes for such
offence by fixed penalties, not exceeding
$50 for any one offence and in case oil IN
ability of any such free negro or mulatto
to pay and satisfy any such penalty ana
cost thereon. to cause such free negro or
mulatto to be confined to labor for such
reasonable time. not exceeding six calen-
dar months for any one offence, as may be
deemed equivalent to such penalty and
cost; also from time to time, as often as
may be necessary. to prescribe the terms
and conditions upon which free negroes
mulattoes, and others, who can show no
visible means of support, may reside in the
city"
Rules Enforced Upon Black People.
Under this authority nearly all the dis
abilities which law and custom had fixed
upon the colored people in Maryland and
Virginia were continued in the District
of Columbia negro not a slave was re-
quired on coming into Washington to file
evidence of his freedom at the City Hall,
and to give bond that he would conduct
himself according to law and would pay
his taxes. A slave owner bringing mis-
slaves here was obliged to file at the City
Hall proof Of his ownership. All free col
ored men paid tax of $50 per annum and
the owners of slaves paid from $12 to S25
each for the males and 81 each for the fe-
males of their estates. The sale of liquor
to cOlered people after sunset, was ille-
gal. They could obtain no license from the
city except to keep horses and run vehi-
ces Of all kinds for passengers or trans
portation. No coiored man could obtain
dog license unless he was the head Of
family. and firearms were prohibited to
them Colored folks without a pass, were
not allowed to be upon the streets after
10 O'Clock at night and the testimony OF
no one Of negro blood was received against
a white man. except in case Of serious in
jury inflicted upon the cOlOred person.
This disability often prevented the true
course Of justice even in cases where
white people only were concerned
Slave owners, many Of them ladies', did
not all employ their slaves, any more than
they lived in their own houses. Leasing
or hiring out slaves was a common source
of income The principal hiring ground in
this nefghborhood was for a half century,
Cats Tavern. near Alexandria. The hire
OF an able bodied man was often as high
as Sf20 per annum. while women were
leased out at $50, and children at very
small rates.
Privileges of Free Blacks.
The culored people, although a subordi-
nate and subject class. were, as a rule.
treated with kindness, and many Of those
4 md
not only had homes Of their own, but be
came small property owners and landlords.
Education was not forbidden them, and
schools were opened by Robert Brown,
William Lee. and others. No interference
was made with their religion. In some
white churches they filed one gallery, and
Asbury, Ebenezer Bethel, and Zion Wes-
ley with other churches in Washington;
Zion and shiloh in Georgetown and South
Washington and one or two in Alexan-
dria. were centres Of religious zeal. the
only restriction being that the meetings
must close before 10 o'clock p. m Co.o-ed
Masonic and Odd Fellows lodges also ex-
listed. and several colored bands made
melody Negro fddlers were common at
white persons dancing parties and festi-
walls.
Little effort was made to modify the
hard conditions of cOlored life Their white
friends. the Abolitonists. devoted them
selves to one issue that OF securing from
Congress the abolition OF slavery in the
District OF Columbia. The members OF the
Society OF Friends were foremost in this
work
The venerable teacher Benjamin Halo
well, says in his autobiography
A benevolent society was formed in :
Alexandria about the year OF 1927, OF
which Thomas Jacobs was president and /
secretary. Benjamin Luudy was there, and
assisted In It's organization. The object OF
the association was 10 render assistance to
such persons as were slaves and willed TO
be free at a certain time in which case if
they were hired out o. the State or from
the District of Columbia. they we're at
once entitled TO their freedom on the fact
being established. Samuel VI. Janney.
George Druker Abjah Janney. Townsend
Waugh. Presley Jacobs. Thomas Preston
Daniel Gawood. John ShackeIfoId and
number of others. we're members. Edward
and William Stabler did not join. being
fearful that the object of the society might
be misunderstood.
They petitinned Congress for the aboli- /
tion of slavery. The petition Of Mr.. Hal
lowell and others asked that
An slaves born in the District of
Columbia. after the 4th day OF July. 1923, |
should be free az the age Of twenty-five
years and those laws which authorized the
selling OF supposed runaways for Jail or
prison fees may be repealed"