Thomas Bayne (Sam Nixon)

**Thomas Bayne** (c. 1824 – July 5, 1888) (dem sanso know as "Sam Nixon") na he be an African American Republican politician. Born a slave, he cam be a dental assistant den Underground Railroad conductor insyd Norfolk, Virginia, before he escape to New Bedford, Massachusetts, wer na he change ein name to Thomas Bayne.

Returning to Norfolk after de American Civil War, na Bayne work as a dentist wey na he sanso preach; he cam be a leader insyd de African American community. Na dem elect am a delegate to de Virginia Constitutional Convention of 1868 as a Republican, buh na dem never san elect am to anoda office.

## Early den family life

Na Bayne say dem born am enslaved insyd North Carolina as Samuel Nixon.Na he escape insyd 1844 18h na dem recapture am after a year, then dem sell am to Charles F. Martin, a dentist insyd Norfolk, Virginia. Na Dr Martin appreciate ein intelligence wey he train am as ein assistant, eventually he allow am make he keep de practices ein books as well as make house calls to clients.

Na Nixon marry a woman dem name Edna insyd Norfolk, wey give birth to a daughter. Using ein freedom to move around de port city, na Nixon cam turn a conductor on de Underground Railroad. Eventually, after serving de dentist for about ten years, na Nixon cam be fearful say na dem go catch am. Na he take passage on a northbound ship, wey he lef ein wifey den kiddie behind.

## Escape den Massachusetts

Na Nixon disembark at Salem, New Jersey, a rural port town across de Delaware River near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Na he receive shelter from Quaker conductor Abigail Goodwin, wey wrep to ein Philadelphia contacts say na Nixon be bright buh sanso be a braggart. While na she suspect he fi be a spy rada dan a legitimate escapee, na she nonetheless outfit am wey she notify Benjamin Lundy den ein oda Philadelphia contacts, wey na Nixon soon contact wey na she send am further north.

Although na dem advise am make he travel to Canada, Nixon determine make he settle insyd New Bedford, Massachusetts, wer na he arrive by 1856. Der, na he change ein name to Thomas Bayne wey he soon get a thriving dental practice insyd de Northern port city. Insyd 1860, na dem elect Bayne to New Bedford ein city council, plus de support of local Republicans den temperance advocates.

## Postwar years insyd Virginia

By May, 1865, na Bayne return to Norfolk wey he locate ein daughter, whom na he send to Massachusetts. De month wey dey follow, na he make a speech wey dey extol equal suffrage insyd Norfolk. However, unlike Frederick Douglass, na Bayne oppose women dema suffrage, wey dey preach say women dema basic right be make dem raise den bear kiddies.

Insyd January 1866, na Bayne attend de Colored National Convention insyd Washington, D.C., wey he serve as vice president of de convention wich lobby Congress make dem no readmit de former Confederate states before assuring dat de rights of African Americans go be honored. On February 3, 1866, na Bayne testify before a subcommittee of de Congressional Joint Committee on Reconstruction about de harsh conditions insyd postwar Virginia. Na de Radical Republicans insyd Congress soon impose Congressional Reconstruction, wey dey include military rule, on Virginia.

On January 7, 1867, na Presido Andrew Johnson veto de District of Columbia Negro suffrage bill, wey dey prompt Radical Republicans wey dey include James M. Ashley of Ohio to begin impeachment investigations. Three months later, on April 17, 1867, na Union Republicans meet insyd Richmond wey na dem elect Bayne as dema convention ein vice pee, as na dem plan for de upcoming Virginia Constitutional Convention, since na  Congress condition readmission of Virginia den oda Confederate states upon adopting new constitutions wich na e no dey permit slavery den wich permit African Americans make dem vote.

On October 22, 1867, na Norfolk voters elect Bayne den Unionist Democrat Henry M. Bowden (1819–1871) make dem represent dema city insyd de upcoming state constitutional convention.

Na de Virginia Constitutional Convention of 1868 first meet on December 3, 1867 (de same day de 40th U.S. Congress convene), wey na dem assign Bayne to de Committee on Rules and Regulations den de Committee on de Executive Department of Government. However, na de delegates soon adjourn til January.

Na Conservative Virginians begin meeting insyd Richmond on December 11, wey Alexander H. H. Stuart of Staunton lead make dem select candidates opposed to whatever na de convention go produce; na sam be particularly offended by de presence of African-American delegates, though na dema numbers be small, wey na sam white voters deliberately no vote insyd de October elections make dem elect constitutional convention delegates. By December 13, na de *Richmond Enquirer* dey lampoon de convention ein African Americans.
 
Na de Constitutional Convention reconven on January 2, 1868, wey na Bayne be perhaps de most powerful anaa outspoken African-American. Na he want make he disenfranchise Confederates, as well as limit poll taxes in favor of high land taxes wey fi break up large estates, wey na he sanso dey among de minority wey want make dem integrate public schools (na public schools be an innovation insyd de constitution). Na Bayne sanso support a resolution make he continue de Freedmen's Bureau insyd Virginia, although seemingly outsyd de convention ein mandate. On March 24, na a fellow delegate offer a resolution wey dey limit Bayne to five speeches per day. On April 17, 1868, na de convention adjourn after passing a proposed constitution (den a controversial confederate disenfranchisement clause) by a vote of 51 to 36. Originally, na de convention begin plus 105 members, of whom na 72 be Radicals (wey dey include 25 African Americans), den 33 Conservatives.

On July 6, 1869, na de Radical Republicans nominate Bayne as dema candidate to Congress from de Second Congressional District. Na he lost to James H. Platt, Jr., whom na Petersburg ein voters send to de Constitutional Convention as dema delegate. Na Bayne appeal to Congress, buh na no-one want to enforce de new constitution ein rejected clause wich go disenfranchised Confederates den dema sympathizers.

However, na Bayne continue insyd Norfolk. Na de censuses of 1870 den 1880 show am as he dey live alone, plus ein status as widower dem note on de latter.

## Death den legacy

Insyd July 1887, na Bayne wrep a will, wey he lef ein property to ein daughter den ein kiddies. De following May, na dem admit am to de Central State Lunatic Asylum, insyd Petersburg. On July 7, na de Norfolk *Public Ledger* publish a postcard from de asylum ein superintendent, wey dey indicate de dentist "Dr." Thomas Bayne, formerly politically prominent "plus ein race", na he die two days before. However, na Virginia maintain no record of ein death, as Bain, Bayne anaa Nixon.

Na dem now mention am on Norfolk ein Underground Railroad walking tour, as well as de city ein self-guided tour. Pennsylvania sanso dey mention am wey dey concern de Underground Railroad insyd Philadelphia.
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