M.'s Government, through its consul, made a
respectful request to our legislature to that effect, I was anxious
that it should be made. It was with pleasure that I transmitted his
first communication to the last legislature. I would have made a
recommendation of its modification a special point in my first
message, but that I thought it indelicate to do so, as the matter
was already before the legislature, and committees had been
appointed to report upon it. Another reason for the neglect of this
recommendation, was the then excited state of party politics, which
might have precluded the possibility of a calm consideration of the
subject. But for the proceedings instituted in the premises, I would
even now recommend a modification of the law, so as to require
captains to confine their colored seamen to their vessels, and to
prevent their landing under heavy penalties. For while I think the
State has a perfect right to pass whatever laws on this subject it
may deem necessary for its safety, yet the spirit of the age
requires that while they should be so formed as to be adequate to
our protection, they should be at the same time as little offensive
as possible to other nations with whom we have friendly relations.
But since an attempt has been made to defy our laws, and bring us in
conflict with the Federal Government, on a subject upon which we are
so justly sensitive, our own self-respect demands that we should not
abate one jot or tittle of that law, which was enacted to protect us
from the influence of ignorant incendiaries.
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