The Placer herald., 1857-02-14
at the Tolerance of
Louisiana.

The New Orleans Bulletin, has an interest
ing and suggestive article on the subject,
from which we make the following extract:
It is worthy Of remark and furnishes food
for reelection, that this class of population
free colored persons, should be differently
regarded in louisiana from any other of the
Southern States. The tendency and effect
OF the laws OF emancipation in this State by
simplifying and facilitating the process, are
to increase and encourage the free colored
population. In all of the other Slave States
the laws regulating emancipating slaves are
either rigidly restrictive or absolutely pro-
hbtory. Taking, by way Of example, the
two States before mentioned, Virginia and
Georgia, we find in the former that the laws
prohibit any emancipated slaves from re-
naming in the Commonwealth for longer
period than twelve months. In Georgia it is
impossible, either by law or by an act of the
Legislature as one of special grace, to eman-
cipate slave without immediate deportation;
and, as we have seen, the Legislature has
just passed a law providing for the removal
of those who are living in free condition in
that State, which they have acquired by
birth or otherwise. On the other hand the
process of emancipation in Louisiana is the
simplest thing in the world. "The article in
the code says: "The master who wishes to
emancipate his slave is bound to make de-
claration Of his intention to the Judge of
the parish where he resides the Judge must
order notice of it to be published during
forty days by advertisement posted at the
door of the Court House; and if at the exp-
ration of this delay no opposition be made,
he shall authorize the master to pass the
act of emancipation"
The condition of the freed man in Virginia,
Georgia and Louisiana after emancipation is
as different as possible. In the two former
States the only effect of emancipation is to
secure him his personal liberty and the en-
ioyment of the fruits of his labor while, in
Louisiana, with the exception of voting and
holding office, he enjoys all the legal rights
OF any other citizen. His testimony in a
Court of Justice is good against white man;
he can purchase, sell and hold property, both
real and personal, in his own name and he
can sign and execute any notarial act, deed,
bill, or other legal instrument. Louisiana is
more tolerant and indulgeut of this class of
population than any other State in the Union
A few facts which we gather from the cen
sus are curious enongh for the general reader.
They will serve to show how particularly in
terested the citizens of New Orleans are on
this subject.
The entire population of this city in 1850
including Lafayette, was 1885, $50, divided as
follows: lO3,743 whites; 10000 free colored,
and l9,GO7 slaves--showing that the free
colored was more than half as large as the
entire slave population. The relative pro-
portion OF the free colored population and
the slaves in some of our Southern cities is
deserving Of attention and reflection. In
Richmond, the free coIored stand to the slaves
as l to 4 10; In Norfolk at to 5; in Char
lesion as l to 5; in Savannah as l to 0; in
Mobile as to 0; while here in New Orleans
it is more than to 2.