The Cecil Whig

Selling White Men.

Our readers will recollect the outcry raised against Gen. Harrison, who, it was said, was in favor of selling poor white men for debt. The slander arose as well as we recollect, from his having signed some act, similar to our law, on the subject of vagrants. The whole affair was cleared up to the satisfaction of every person, except those who were determined not to believe.

What will the reader say to the following?

"AN ACT, for the punishment of idle and disorderly persons."

Section 1. Be it enacted by the Governor and Judges of the territory of Michigan, that any Justice of the Peace on conviction may sentence any vagrant, lewd, idle, or disorderly person, stubborn servants, common drunkards, common nightwalkers, pilferers, or any persons wanton or licentious in speech, indecent behaviour, common railers brawlers, such as neglect their calling and employment, mispend what they earn and do not provide for themselves and families to be whipped not exceeding ten stripes, or to be delivered over to any constable, to be employed in labor not exceeding three months, by such constables to be hired out the best wages that can be procured; the proceeds of which to be applied to the use of the poor of the county.

Made, adopted and published at Detroit the 27th day of July, 1827.

LEWIS CASS.
Governor of the Territory of Michigan
A. B. WOODWARD,
Presiding Judge of the Territory of Michigan
J. WITHERELL)
J. GRIFFIN.
Judges of the Territory of Michigan

What will, what can those Demagogues; who harangued so lustily upon Gen. Harrison's delinquency, say to this? What will Gen. McKay, that man so full of virtuous indignation against Gen. Harrison, for signing a law to sell, as he alleged, "poor neighbor white men into bondage," that he gave vent to it in a pamphlet, say now? Is his indignation all exhausted?-Has he none for this act of the Democratic candidate? Is that which was wrong in Harrison, right in Cass. Should not that which is sauce for the goose, be sauce for the gander likewise? Or does Locofocoism more ample than charity, hide (not merely a multitude) but every possible sin? Gen. Cass may have been right for signing this bill. We know nothing of the circumstances which governed his conduct. But how contemptible does it make the revilers of Harrison, the miserable demagogues who seize upon everything, no matter how low, to attain an unhallowed end, appear!