The daily clarion., 1865-12-09


The order of General Howard to Col
Thomas commanding him to disregard
the first section of the act of our Legise
lature "To confer civil rights upon
Freedmen" shows very clearly the course
the Government intends to pursue.
The first section is, in fact, a contra
diction to the title of the act. 1t would
rather seem, judged only from this sec
ton, an act to dcprive freedmen of civil
rights.
Let us look at the case with cool, dis
passionate eye. The Legislature Of Miss
sissippi has adopted vagrant law made
applicable solely to negroes, by which
Vey are compelled to have homes befor e
the second Monday in January next,
and at the same time deprived them of
the privilege of securing homes except
in certain way that is, to hire them
selves out to white men. They have
made them vagrants if they do not have
homes, and at the same time denied
them the right to seek home in the
ordinary way.
1t is fact well known to farmers that
labor for corn and cotton fields can be
supplied much cheaper at SO per month
for able hands than by the purchase of
slaves. If the laws Of the present Leg
islature of Mississippi were regarded,
slavery would be restored in far worse
form than it was before. The negro
would not only be deprived OF the pro-
lection of humane master who was Pc
cuniarily interested in his health and
comfort, but if unable to find a white
man to hire him, would be mercilessly
turned over to the vagrant commissioner
of each county, to be treated as vagrant
1t is easy to see what this system will lead
to. Rather than become vagrants many
negroes would be compelled to labor fol
nothing. The negro don't have faiI
show under this order of things by any
manner Of means. He is not freedman
but still a slave.
Let Us not blindly deceive ourselves
The United States Government has made
the negro free. The Constitution of our
own State makes him free. The Govern
ment is pledged to protect them in their
freedom.
1t could not, if it desired to, withhold
protection 10 the person and property oi
freedmen without the grossest stultitica
ton. The United States Government
therefore, and The constitutional courts
of our own State will not, and ought not
to regard the feature in this first section
of the bill to confer civil rights upon
freedmen, which denies them the right
to purchase, rent or lease lands.
1t appears, therefore, that our Legisla~
ture in its overtopping anxiety to feed
the preiudices OF certain class of our
people, and its indifference to the whole.
some sentiment Of the sober, reasonable
men of the State, in its insane proclivity
to strain at gnats, after having swallowed
the camek has succeeded in fastening
upon us Indefinitely the negro bureau,
PLAYED us in imminent danger of another
provisional Government, and doubtless
secured the rejection of our members in
Congress, and caused its own legislative
authority to be treated with contempt
thus paralysing the industrial energies oil
Our people, and throwing us back into un
certain chaos. 1t is very little to say that
many members have greatly disappointed
the hopes and expectations of their con
sutuency. 1t Is greatly to be feared thai
the work OF reconstruction so we'll inaug
urateo oy the President, and so success
fully carried on by Provisional Governor
ShaTkey, has been hopelessly marred.