The daily clarion. [volume] (Meridian, Miss.) 1863-1866, 1865-12-17
Labor Regulations in Louisiana

from this swarm of idle consumers.
Labor Reg uIatiOns in LOuisiana
Wefnd in our New Orleans exchanges
that series of bills have been before the
Louisiana Legislature to regulate labor
contracts with freedmen, to regulate ap~
prentices, indentured servants, &c, They
have been discussed at some length, and
with the adoption of various, amendments
have passed, and are now the laws of our
sister State of Louisiana.
We fear very much there is disposi~
ten on the part of Southern Legislatures
to do too much on the negro question:
We think it would have been better af
ter passing vagrant law, to have allowed
the subject of labor to regulate ITSELF
We do not believe that any laws that can
be passed will give the aid to the agricd1
tural interest of the country which the
people desire and expect.
The Picayune in referring to the pro-
posed action of the Louisiana Legisla-
ture thinks it will be inadequate to re-
move the present trouble, deprecates any
action whatever, and very sensibly adds
at is a great fallacy among our people,
that all our evils and misfortunes may be
repaired by legislation. 1t is questions
able whether this crude and unphilo-
sphic idea is not the source and cause OF
many of the evils we seek to remedy,
but only aggravate, by this application OF
the old saw, "the hair of the dog is good
fA hn To Il
present troubles by legislation. That
agency must be preceded by other facts
which we are far from having yet real
lied. Our society must settle down upon
some definite basis. We must have data
to start from. The Legislature must
know its powers over the subjects it has
to consider and determine. Do any OF
these prerequisites exist in regard to the
most difficult and important matter
which our legislators propose to act
upon We refer to the questions of the
organization Of labor and of the social
and civil status of the freedmen. How
can our legislators act on this subject |
before it is determined what will be the |
scope and extent of that Inappropriate |
legislation" which an amendment of the |
constitution has given Congress over it
With what dignity or wisdom can they
employ themselves in making codes and |
systems for the government of this peo-
pie, when tribunal of absolute and
powers, which will regard and
treat the snbject from a stand point SO
different from theirs, exercises super
visory power over them We connot i'm
agine more humiliating employment
for the legislators of Louisiana than that
of passing laws which are subject to be
Immediately set aside by a military or
der. The recent experience of Mississ
ppi on this subject embodies q warning
In all candor, too, it must be confessed :
hat our people are not free from the s.;
uspicion of not having sufficiently re-
llized the great change in our condition {
o enable them to legislate impartiallv,
md with proper respect for the ideas
which have triumphed in the recent
evolution. 9
We must bravely and honestly face .
nd adapt ourselves to the rugged facts !
# our condition. We shall only expose ,
'ur weakness and bad faith, if. we seek
9 evade any of the results OF our changed '
tate Our sister State is attempting this c
oily on large scale. Any legislation
Vhich aims at the imposition of status .
nd burdens upon the freedmen, which 2
% not apply to the rest community, will f
ot only bs frustrated but will serve to r
indie hostility towards us, on the part y
those who have US in their power. We d
annot conceive of vny legislation which b
mr. present Legislature could adopt on n
his subject which will not produce this +
ont1ict. If, however, our representa- e
yes sufficiently realize the condition of n
fairs, and acquiesce in the inevitable fat e
civil and lagal equality, which has q
one forth from ''our rulers" there is no +
eed of any special legislation for the Z
resent, at least. Our civil code and onr v
atutes, if honestly and efficiently en- Il
reed, are adequate to effect the main a
ojects we have in view in the organiza>
on of the freedmen &
What we most need is the power to put IL
lis municipal law in force. There is in
sposition on the part of the Federal b.
overnment to concede tnis claim. 1t f.
i'll come in time. That time will only hi
,stpone by tentative and experiment bI
4 legislation, such as has already been w
tempted in some of the Southern pI
ates-legislation which has the taint of de
equality. of a purpose to oppose or de- ia
at or modify the theory upon which the DC
'Wer that holds our destinies at its dis hr
sal has firmly and irreversibfy fixed it, of
IT, "a
For these and for other reasons we be tai
We that wisdom, prudence and the in DO
rests OF our States, and the restoration of if
der, quiet, industry-all, demand that CO..
r present Legislature should abstain VIC
I'M any legislation on the subject of our he
'or or the status of the freedmen of un
s State. Da