ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd fˈɪfti ˈeɪt, hiː ænd ˈʌðɚɹ ɐmˈɛɹɪkən blˈæks wɜːɹ ˈæŋɡɚd wɛn ðə kˌælɪfˈoːɹniə stˈeɪt lˈɛdʒɪslətʃɚ pˈæst dɪskɹˈɪmɪnətˌoːɹi lˈɔːz ɪntˈɛndᵻd tə dɪskˈɜːɹɪdʒ blˈæks fɹʌm ˈɛntɚɹɪŋ ɔːɹ stˈeɪɪŋ ɪnðə stˈeɪt: ðeɪ wɜː dᵻpɹˈaɪvd ʌvðə ɹˈaɪt tʊ ˈoʊn pɹˈɑːpɚɾi ænd wɜː dɪskwˈɑːlᵻfˌaɪd fɹʌm ɡˈɪvɪŋ ˈɛvɪdəns ɐɡˈɛnst ɐ wˈaɪt pˈɜːsən ɪn kˈoːɹt.
In 1858, he and other American blacks were angered when the California State Legislature passed discriminatory laws intended to discourage blacks from entering or staying in the state: they were deprived of the right to own property and were disqualified from giving evidence against a white person in court.