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Re: Southern Emancipation/ Pre-Civil War

"The following are some of the statutes that had been enacted with regard to free Negroes by States lying outside of what was later the Confederacy:

Maryland, in 1846, denied Negroes, slave or free, the right to testify in cases in which any white person was concerned, though it permitted the testimony of slaves against free Negroes. The Constitution 2 of 1851 forbade the legislature to pass any law abolishing the relation of master and servant.

Delaware, in 1851, prohibited the immigration of free Negroes from any State except Maryland: moreover, it forbade them to attend camp meetings, except for religious worship under the control of white people, or political gatherings. A law of 1852 provided that no free Negroes should have the right to vote or " to enjoy any other rights of a freeman other than to hold property, or to obtain redress in law and in equity for any injury to his or her person or property."

Missouri, in 1847, forbade the immigration into the State of any free Negro; enacted that no person should keep a school for the instruction of Negroes in reading and writing; forbade any religious meetings of Negroes unless a justice of the peace, constable, or other officer was present; and declared that schools and religious meetings for free Negroes were " unlawful assemblages."

Ohio, which probably had the most notorious " Black Laws " of any free State, " required colored people to give bonds for good behavior as a condition of residence, excluded them from the schools, denied them the rights of testifying in courts of justice when a white man was party on either side, and subjected them to other unjust and degrading disabilities." 5

Indiana, in 1851, prohibited free Negroes and mulattoes from coming into the State, and fined all persons who employed or encouraged them to remain in the State between ten and five hundred dollars for each offense.7 T.he fines were to be devoted to a fund for the colonization of Negroes.8 A law, which was submitted to a special vote and passed by a majority of ninety thousand, prohibited intermarriage between the races, provided for colonization of Negroes, and made incompetent the testimony of persons having one-eighth or more Negro blood.9

Illinois, in 1853, made it a misdemeanor for a Negro to come into the State with the intention of residing there, and provided that persons violating this law should be prosecuted and fined or sold for a time to pay the fine.11

Iowa, in 1851, forbade the immigration of free Negroes,13 and provided that free colored persons should not give testimony in cases in which a white man was a party.

Oregon in 1849, forbade the entrance of Negroes 'as settlers or inhabitants, the reason being that it would be dangerous to have them associate with the Indians and incite the latter to hostility against white people

Kentucky in 1863, the legislature of Kentucky had declared that it was unlawful for any Negro or mulatto claiming to be free under the Emancipation Proclamation of January 1, 1863, or under any other proclamation by the Government of the United States, to migrate to or remain in the State. Any Negro violating this law was treated as a runaway slave.

Several States which at first allowed Negro freemen to vote later withdrew the privilege. Until the Revolution, they were allowed to vote in every State except Georgia and South Carolina. Between 1792 and 1834, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and Kentucky denied the suffrage to Negroes. As has been seen, North Carolina permitted as restricted Negro suffrage until 1835. New Jersey took the suffrage from the Negro in 1807, Connecticut in 1814, and Pennsylvania in 1838; and Tennessee, in 1834, limited the right to those Negroes who were competent as witnesses against white persons. New York, in 1821, required a very high property qualification not required of white persons. Wisconsin alone changed its law so as to allow Negroes to vote on equality with white persons. New York tried twice to do so, but failed each time."

Here's the source...

http://books.google.com/books?id=5OkrAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA36&dq=laws+free+negroes&ei=nFXfSoOpIZOENpi44bMF#v=onepage&q=laws%20free%20negroes&f=false

____________________
David Upton

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Southern Emancipation/ Pre-Civil War
Re: Southern Emancipation/ Pre-Civil War
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Re: Southern Emancipation/Pre-Civil War