Educational Laws of Virginia: The Personal Narrative of Mrs. Margaret Douglass, a Southern Woman, who was Imprisoned for One Month in the Common Jail of Norfolk, Under the Laws of Virginia, for the Crime of Teaching Free Colored Children to Read ...John P. Jewett & Company, 1854 - 65 pages |
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Abolitionist allowed attend believe benevolent Bible called cause charity child children to read Christ's Church Sunday-school circumstances city of Norfolk code of Virginia colored race Commonwealth Commonwealth of Virginia crime daughter decision disgraceful duty endeavored engaged feelings free colored children gentlemen guilty hands happy HOLY BIBLE Honor human ignorance imprisonment inquired John Williams Judge Baker judgment jury justice knew lady law in question LAWS OF VIRGINIA lawyers little girls little scholars lived Margaret Douglass matter Mayor Stubbs moral and religious narrative negro children never Northern offence officers old Commonwealth peace and dignity persecutions persons present Prosecuting Attorney punishment read or write readers received religious and moral replied resided respect RICHARD H seat sentence sick six months slave population slavery South Southern slave Southern woman suffer Sunday sympathy taught tion unlawful assembly verdict viola visited whole witnesses
Popular passages
Page 46 - Society sets forth many valuable and important truths upon the condition of the Southern slaves, and the utility of moral and religious instruction, apart from a knowledge of books. I recommend the careful perusal of it to all whose opinions concur with your own. It shows that a system of catechetical instruction, with a clear and simple exposition of Scripture, has been employed with gratifying success; that the slave population of the South are peculiarly susceptible of good religious influences....
Page 22 - Goodman, contrary to the form of the act of the General Assembly in such case made and provided, and against the peace and dignity of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Page 63 - This, and this only, causes the vast extent of ignorance, degradation and crime, that lies like a black cloud over the whole South. And the practice is more general than even the Southerners are willing to allow. " Neither is it to be found only in the lower order of the white population. It pervades the entire society. Its followers are to be found among all ranks, occupations and professions. The white mothers and daughters of the South...
Page 11 - We attended strictly to their moral and religious instruction, and, when they were sick, we promptly visited them, and administered to their wants, and, I am indeed happy to say, although I was afterwards cruelly cast into prison and otherwise unjustly dealt with, I have the satisfaction of knowing that I suffered in a good and righteous cause. I was totally ignorant of any existing law prohibiting the instruction of free colored children, but, at the same time, I was careful to have no slaves among...
Page 45 - At the time the jury came in and rendered their verdict you were not in court, and the Court being about to adjourn for the purpose of attending to other official duties in a distant part of the State, it was necessary and proper, under the law, to award a capias against you, returnable to the present adjourned term, so that the judgment and sentence of the law may be fulfilled. The Court is not called on to vindicate the policy of the law in question, for so long as it remains upon the statute book,...
Page 46 - ... influence of civilization and Christianity. Occasional instances of cruelty and oppression, it is true, may sometimes occur, and probably will ever continue to take place under any system of laws : but this is not confined to wrongs committed upon the negro ; wrongs are committed and cruelly practiced in a like degree by the lawless white man upon his own color ; and while the negroes of our town and State are known to be surrounded by most of the substantial comforts of life, and invited both...
Page 39 - It did not appear from the evidence of any of the gentlemen called upon by Mrs. Douglas, that they had actually seen negroes taught from books in any of the Sunday schools of the city, but the fact, as stated by them, that nearly all the negroes attending the Sunday schools could read, gave rise to a violent suspicion that many of the ladies and gentlemen of our city, moving in the highest circles of society, had been guilty of as flagrant a violation of the law as could be imputed to Mrs. Douglas...
Page 15 - 'It makes no difference, madam,' replied he; 'it is a violation of the law to teach any person of color to read or write, slave or free; and an act punishable by imprisonment in the penitentiary.' " 'Very well,' I replied, 'if they send me to the penitentiary, it will be in a good cause, and not a disgraceful one.
Page 35 - ... treasonable. Think you, gentlemen, that there is not misery and distress among these people? Yes, indeed, misery enough, and frequently starvation. Even those that are called free are heavily taxed, and their privileges greatly limited ; and when they are sick, or in want, on whom does the duty devolve to seek them out and administer to their necessities? Does it fall upon you, gentlemen ? Oh no. it is not expected that gentlemen will take the trouble to seek out a negro hut for the purpose of...
Page 47 - ... Southern slave state in our country, as a measure of self-preservation and protection, has deemed it wise and just to adopt laws with similar provisions. There might have been no occasion for such enactments in Virginia, or elsewhere, on the subject of negro education, but as a matter of self-defense against the schemes of Northern incendiaries, and the outcry against holding our slaves in bondage. Many now living well remember how, and when, and why the anti-slavery fury began, and by what means...