The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1865-10-18
Important FROM Mlssissippi. I
Proclamation Of Godnn6r MIarkey-Ffssd.
mems Gases to b Tried bu tie CiuiI
Courts Negro Testimony tok Taken.
! PRocLAM xr1nA

Jackson, Miss, Sept. 25s1 865. y
BY an order bearing date ~ 10th inst,
Col Samuel Thomas, assistant commission
|er Of the Freedmen's Bureau in this s tate.
proposes to transfer to the civil authorities
of the, State the right to try all cases, in
which the rights Of freedmen are involved,
either for injuries done te their persons OF
property. This proposition is made hovev-
er on condition that "the judieial officers
and Magistrates of the Provisional Govern.
ment of the State will take for their mode
|of procedure the laws now in force IN this
State, except so far as those laws make
distinction on account Of color, and allow
pegroes the same rights and privileges as are
accorded to white men before their courts
by which understand that negroes shall be
allowed to testify in cases where their inter-
lest Is involved. And believing that the late
constitutional amendment which abolished
slavery abolishes all laws which constituted
a part Of the policy Of the system Of slavery,
and In declaring that the negro shall be pro-
tected in his person and property, establish
es principles which, of themselves, entitIe
the negro to sue aud be sued, and As a ne
cessary incident to such right, that be is
made competent as a witness, according to
the law of evidence Of the State. Now,
therefore, |, William t.. Sharkey, Provision.
al Governor Of Mississippi, with q view Of
securing to orr citizens the rights Of trial
Ibefore their own officers, aud under their
Town laws rather than by amilitary tribunal
and by military law, do hereby proclaim, and
make known that in all cases, civil Of. Grim
inal, in which the rights Of negroes ore in
voived, eithes.for injuries done to their per.
sons Or property, or in matters Of contract,
the testimony Of negroes may be received,
subject to the common law rules Of evidence.
competency and credibility which pre-
vail in regard to white persons, And I
lido therefore accept the proposition Of Col.
lSamG, Thomas, Assistant Commissioner Of
1.-THE Freedmeus Bureau Of the State, and
request that no freedmen's court shall here
latter be organized, and that those already in
existence be closed, and instructed TO trans
fer the cases before them to the civil author
Titles, andI hereby instruct oil judicial Off
GERS and magistrates to act accordingly.
Until the Legislature shall act upon the
subject.
i Given under ny hand and the great seal
/ Of the State affixed this day and date above
/ written. w. +. SHARKEY,
Provisional Coy. Of Mississippi.
WHAT TIRE PAPERS SAT or rHfs.
The jackson News and the Jackson Mis-.
/ sissippiaa differ widely as to the merits Of
this document. The Mississipbian halls it
as taking the position required by tho
. State Constitution, aud the correct view Of
] the question while the News, in q column
,Iof earnest remonstrancs, amounting to de
] nunciation, takes direct issue with the Gov
|ernor, and declares that tie People wi'l re-
pudiate il and its opinions With = usahimily
THAT viii astonish its author, 4 OF any other
Imam who advocates the equality Of the ne
gro before Our judicial tribunals