Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1865-11-24
TEE PROPOSED NEGRO CODE.

| TEE tROPOSED NEGRO CODE.
Mcssrs. Bakely and Bartlett, two very
distinguished lawyers Of our si$lc, State o.
-Genrgi;s members Of thc Commission ap
pointed hy the late Convention of that
State, for the purpose Of dreparmg. a Nc;
gro Code visited our village du,ing ths
:! past week with the vew of confer
! Eng with tho Commissioners here
w!'o lave discharged similar duty in le-
half Of Cur own State. The Georgi;
! Commission consists off able lawyers
Of whom Judge Starpcs. of, Augusta, is
Gh''rman. They meet in Washington,
Ga, and are required to perfect ,heiirr work
and submit 'Lcr scheme, in time for The
action of the approaching session of their
LrgSh,ture. The mole Of submitting the
Code for Legislative action in Georgia diff.
fers from that pursued in our General As.
'sembly: Instead of being actef,Eon See
ton by Section, the !Cude is lodged in the
archives within rcvh Of members, and
passed as whole, by the I,ogisIah,rs in I,
ra,ifying act.
The gentlemen or The Georgia Commission
expressed Themselves. highly delighted With
work OF oui Commissioners, and scemfd to
be much impressed with the ability which
had been evinoed in ifs preparation. Their
own labor in Tho premises they seemed to
regard as in measure superseded by the
action OF. oar Commission.
After oil the objections which we have
heard urged. against the proposed Code,
we believe that it is as perfect scheme us
can be devised with our total incxpcricLce
OF the new relations which exist between
the races. Those who object most strong.
~ to the Code seem 10 forget that the ne
gro issno longer slave, that he is to BE-
t.cated as a free:aGcnt, capable Of. cont ract.
i"g-that he has rights as well as the mas.
ter-that eivilly they are now equal. The
Code embodies.i in its provisions and applies
to tile new relations. ehe best principles of
the English law. The regulations on tie
/, subject of labor :. are mipule, clear and
specfic-lhey arc addressed to the PLAIN
practical man.. are designed to define the
rights, and to prescribe the duties Of mas
ter and servant in such terms that she that
runs may read" The provisions aeains,
yagrancy and idlouess arc peculiarly
stringent and would seem admirably to
meet the necessities of the new situation.
Some such Code rs this is Of the necessities
OF the times. The choice is between this
and 1he' Frsodman's Bureau and. the Pro.
! vosl Courts.
ouR EEelsLAryhE.-Th;s body assem-.
bles again on Saturday next. at I O'clock
P. M, being Saturday befpre. tho four,l,
Monday inst, the day: Of the opmmence
Fme"t of the regular session. Although
Various matters offs interitsi came
Eup .Er. lcopsss slsT l al ihe Especial
Session very ili,.ls aes yst been perfected
The important ,snajsuts sof lis FINANCES
tie, Collection rs Of {, psbts,ae [eas, 81 .ls prgani-
zat'on Of the Militia are get 10 be acted
upon. The cpgro.sing subject Of Legisla-
tiOndaring the latessession was the Negro
oode, prepared by 4he Commissioners,
which, after undergoing iaborions exam
inatien by tho Judiciary Committees .of the
two Houses, was fuaIIy reported VIII Jut
lew -amerdfbeut, and .is now bcfSSs the
L Lesislstase--one ofttbs n,osAimpor,taant .oi
the Bile, that regulating the Domestic Re.
iations, adiorganihng The Labor System
having received q; sec ,nd reading. The
Committees in ;tl,eir respective reports pay
F" deservod3tribute 10 4l,e ability and learn,
ing Of lie distinguished ge n.lemeh who
Eprepared the Code. w i had prepared an
I tabsttact Of its -uain provisions, as already
perfected, but in view Of 3. future
'fchangss, have deferred is publication.
i sWittl'she progress which has already beea
,Dadesia ,hes&esk Of legsIaiion, wee .sus,
to seeathe aarl patsage af ,bis.s s.sinpor,
ntsinoasnsas ...,.s -
- On thelastsdsy.a .al thas Special Session
the following joiht resolutions adopting the
constitutional amshdment abolishibg slave
ry were passed ass,9,;
e Wheleas. zThe Eongyfss iof the Unitsd
States bys joint resolution. appsased spa
the sIstsday of eFsbrnary, A. ID, 1905, pro.
posed an anaeRdmefit To- the Constitution 81