The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1865-11-15
?ojitie9i.
The NeW LAWS.


! ciPation of slaves, requires no comment. On
! Of its provisions is as follows:
. All free negroes, nlulattocs and mcst!zoes
! all frecdmen and free woman, and all descen
! dants, through the either sex, Of any Of theS
! persons, shall be known as persons Of color
except that every such descendant who may
/ have of Caucasian blood seven cigbts o.
more, shall be deemed white person.
Another section provides, as follows:
/ The statutes and regulations concerning
slaves, are now inapplicabc to persons of col
or and although snch persons are not enti
tied to social or political equality with white
persons, they snail the right to acquire, owr
and dispose of property to make contracts
to enjoy the fruits Of their labor !; TO sue an(
be sued; and to receive protection under thC
law in their persons and property.
The relations between husband and wifi
are amply provided for, making recognition O
the parties sufficient evidence.
With regard to the apprenticing Of the
children Of freedmen the following sections
are recommended
A child of colored parents, or of parents
OF whom one shall be person Of color, over
the age oftwo years, may be bound by the
father. if he be living in the District, or in
case Of bis death or absence from the Dis
trict, by the mother, as an apprentice t0 any
respectable whitcOr cOlorcd sEson who is
competent.to make a contract-a male, until
he shall attain the age of twenty-one years,
and female until she shall attain the age Of
eighteen years.
Illcei;imate children, within the ages above
specified. aay be bound by the mother.
Col3red children between the ages men
Honed, who have neither father nor mother,
living in the District in which they arc found,
- whose parents are paupers, or unable to
afford 70 them a comfortable maintenance, or
whose parents are rot teaching them habits
of industry and honesty, or are persons of
notoriousy Y bad character, or are vagrantS, or
have been convicted Of Infamous offences, and
colored children in MI cases where they are in
danger Of moral contamination may be bound
as apprentices by the District Judge, or one
of fhc Magistrates, for the aforesaid term.
Males Of the age cf twelve years and females
of the age Of ten years shall sign the indcnture
of apprenticeship, and Lc Oound thereby.
When the apprentice is onda' these ages,
and in all cases Of compulsory apprer ticcship
where the infant refuses s-aSSent his signature
shall not be necessary to the validity of the
apprenticeship, and the masters obligation OF
apprenticeship s!laI! be eXecHted III the pres
encc of the District Judge, or one of the Mag
istrateS, certified by him, and filed in the Of
flee of the Clerk of the district Court.
The indenture Of voluntary apprenticeship
shal! he under seal, and signed by the master,
the parent and the apprentice. and attesteo
by two credible witnesses, and approved by
the District Judge, or one sf the Magistrates.
Anl now comes the most important pro-
visions To the great majority Of our readers,
viz: the contracts iOr service. We annex
the most important provisions :.
All persons Of color, wins make contracts
for service, or labor in hushardry; shall be
known as servants. and those with whom
they contract, shall Ike known as masters.
Contracts between master aad servants for
more than one week, shall be in writing, and
attested by one white witness, and shall be
approved by the Judge Of the District Court,
or by one Of the Magistrates
The period Of service shall be expressed in
the contract but it be not expressed, it
shall be until the 25th day Of December Of
the year in which it is made.
II the rate of wages be not stipulated by
the parties to the contract, it shall be fixed
bv. the District Judge, or Magistrate, on ap-
plication by one of the parties, on notice to
the other.
A person Of color who has DO parent living
in the District, and is ten years of age, and is
not an apprentice, may make valid contract
for one years labor on service.
Contracts between masters and servants
may be set aside for fraud or unfairness, not
withstanding they have been approved.
Contracts between masters and servants
shall he presented for approval within twenty
days after their execution.
Contracts shall not be binding on the SER
want, unless they are: in writing, and have
been presented for approval within the time
Aforesaid.
For any neglect of the duty to nuke con-
tracts as herein directed, or the evasion Of
that duty by the employment of persons of
color, FROM day to Gay, on his premises, the
party offending shall be guilty of misde-
meanor, and be ligblc, on conviction, to pay a
sum not exceeding fifty dollars, and not less
than five dollars, for each person so employ
ed
For the approval Of contract, the follow
ing fees shall oe paid down to the District
Judge or the Magistrate, as the case may be.
For q contract of one month or less, Tor
for each servant, $Q05Q cents.
For a contract not exceeding three months
and more than one month, for each servant
S1.0O.
For contract not exceeding six months
and more than three months, for each ser.
want, $500.
For contract Of ere year or any time more
than six moqlhS, fr each servant, $500.
For contract Of more than one year, ioi
each year or part Of a year over one year
for each servant, $500.
Three lourths, of which fees shall be palt
by the master and onc-fourth By the servant
! The Code provides, that when the servan
! shall depart from the service Of the master
! without good cause, he shall forfeit the wages
! due him. The servant shall obey all Lawful
orders Of the master or his agent, and shall bt
honest, truthful, sober, civil and diligcnt il
/ his business. The master may moderately
correct servants under eighteen years of age
and he may discharge a servant for wilifu
disobcdicnce of his or his agents lawful or
dcrs or for habituai negligence or, indolencc
and for other causes named, The maste
shall not be liable for voluntary trespasses
torts or nisdemcanors CT his servant. IN
masters right of self defence shall emorac
I'LL to@H