, 1865-10-26
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE.
Report Of the Committee on En1aucfpas
tlon and Freedmen,

the subjects Of their dutT aforesaid
and that which they have had bui
little dilhculty In determining and re
porting upon The necessary changes t.
Slate BY reason Of the new order and condi
tion Of things, resulting from the late war
the destruction Of the institution of slavery
The amendments to the State constitution,
and the existence and incorporation among
Us Of the large class of lately made freedmen
IN poverty OF mind. poverty Of thought, pov'
ery Of means, poverty Of selfgoyernmant
all their mlscf1es, they fully and frankly
without detail or circum1ocution, admit anG
declare that they have met at every step, tht
greatest difficulty md embarrassment In pre-
pairing and reporting to your body such lnwt
for your consideration and action as may bt
deemed moet cxpcdient aud necessary for tht
welfare and prosperity OF the State In hcl
lion.
inexperienced as your committee arc In
legislation Of my kind, and unaided by the
counsel Of the multitude Of by my Slate OF
national precedent to which they have had
any access, they have been reluctantly CON.
the delicate subjects of their duty In pre-
pairing suitable legislation for two great, n,t-
merous md distinct races and clnsscs dis.
tinct when our State found birth and oxist-
cnce, and should be distinct to the latest hour
ofposterity, get living under OUT common ju-
aud promote the present and future interest,
the State.
They have proceeded rather upon their own
observation and knowledge Of the nature,
| disposition, habits, capacity, condition, weak
nesses and necessities Of thetwo races as they
now exist In our State, and the absolutely
necessary restraints and remedies for existing
| and contemplated erils, flowing ftcm the late
war, sudden emancipation, eItraordinHry de-
moralization and Idle inclinations, than upon
| theory or system that might have been
wise or ]udiclous for another toneu, and pco-
pic, under wholly different state and condL
tion, or may be advocated by those who arc
grossly ignorant in practical Life and minute
general observation Of what they speak and
write, and would hare Us to legislate.
They have laborcd earnestly TO secure JUS
tice. employment, labor, income, reward,
home, comfort, security, health, sobriety,
perry, respect, order aud happiness for the
freedmen among us, and at the same time to
place upon them aud the whites, the harness
Of obedience and subordlnation to duty, the
laws Of the Stale and their necessity lnd
labor.
may seem rigid and stringent to the sickly
modem humanitarions, they can never dis
turb, rctard or embarrass the good and true,
useful and faithful Of either race, but only the
better and absolutely necessary to secure
their repose, usefulness and happiness,
While tue wayWard md vicious, the
Idle and dishonest, The lawiess and
reckless, the wicked and improyidcnt, the
vaeaoond and mcddlcr, must be s1narted,
governed, reformed and guided by Instincts,
minds and morals higher and holier than
theirs, and by laws stronger md more potent
than those Of mere public opinion and senti-
mcnt, and 4 they rudely thrust tbelr hands
ana ir ,ecI ~ tae names o. tns law VII pe Z
Wiii4l and aen9eMtc aet OF sen'punlsnmcnt
and trouble that can excite no winning el9mor
Or alspensns SslnIalrr' non tnoEooa IL aGao .saet
nna PIT III nGa1l, " Au} c!naG VI AeG, 1uAt
elnuio naGee inchn 10 unloosG lne "oIkeIs o.
esia ~. auo 1ae Instruments u 'eafia oest9oe'
''tI' II t,cv .he c,,n,nc, o,1 ncno, 1owa FIR
bot1, racea. are too NJ stringent fof any there i
M INV RENDERING, item M fixtt,res in our state.
and m + tl,e richts and Iac;lities Of 1ocomntIon
hc;nc a,nniS trnai and snccdT tbcr cnn hit
dee md take refiee IL lie mora Inviting
bosom Of the State Or community. who NAV
cherish mnre lovely nnif con1cnfal fellow.
ftc]ipg aud ocra1ian sympathy for that class.
and who are better able To spread them
fcasts and commnnins sacramcnts. No feel.
inv ~ bitterness toTar,i any has fnund n
i iudpmcnt in nnr minds' and 1ahors. Int wc
hnrs nnf Hecn deterrcd frnm nnnvidlnr a
sh;o1,, for 41,c t-ood nn,, ;ust thc pnscf,,1 Ind
honest 40 acntnst % the % nro1min,ent 1uIis, md 1adIcoi
c1i1s sce, i,nor, Tho s,,rfce eyery dav nni1 fc1f
de.n,v t., % a'yunst ~ crerr tonsei,o,d ond co1n-
mMniiy' bv The spirit 3f dictatIon and d,stem.
ncTci }ntrrmefIdIinr of f,o.c ,ybo have M
ilaee a1nonr rs and ca,, fa,.1 1,one n. Tia mr..
inrlous cyils nov nnd nro4ncctively 1reyin~
ike a fearful cancer. mon ali tha{ Is riiaI Si
our stotc.
Your committee larc thoueht It hast to
dcny TO The freedmen some u1bridled pr,yi-
lcecs for the prescut. moi from auy apprehen-
sion OF sense Of danger to tLc white popu1a-
lion, but from The clear conviction that such
denial and regtrictions viii be for their nres-
ent and uItirnnte rood In Tho sunnres,fon Of
vice. ii1eness. yarrnncy. imnositions and nov.
civ The nromotion Of industrr. and lie
dinihnption Of crime and its iouz train Of
hanefn1 consequences and n1onsifous cy;is
nmonr thcmeeiyes In their iuycnilc liberty
nnd ignorance. 9s'1'
Willie they nre free to admit that their
labors are imperfect, and that the working Of
time, experience md future developments are
necessary to giye strict approximation to
perfection in legislation and Its application
upon these great questions and interests, they
neral policy and detail aro adopted without