The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1866-11-22

these children, having no father to gu1d
them, many of them Tin the language c
4 one of our statutes) where the parents
with whom such children may live, do no
habitually employ their time in some honest
industrious occupation" But, to attain tn
proper ends of apprenticeship, no pain
should be spared in selecting the masters t,
whom the tutilage of such children is com
mitted. In this, think the administration
| ofour laws require amendment. When
child is to be bound apprentice, fear tina
our county courts, to which this duty is con
fided, and which are expected to act in l0ct
PARENTS, often neglect to look properly tC
the fitness of the master to bring up the
child. Now, when the welfare of the state
requires the exercise of this power much
moe extensively than formerly, it is well tt
| inquire whether something may not be done
for the better protection and rearing of this
class. In practice, fear that the eminently
| wise and 5enefcent provision of our statutes
| (rev. code, chapter 81 sec. 19) has not been
sufficiently observed. 1t requires the grand
! jury ofevery county, annually, at the orphans
court, to present to the court in writing, the
names of all orphan children within their
county, that have not guardians, if not
bound out to some trade or employ ment,
and also all abuses, mismanagement and
neglect of such guardians as are appointed
by the court of their county," recommend
that the provisions fthis section be enlarged
so rs to embrace all children whom you may
declare fit subjects of apprenticeship, and
that the jury report at every term of the
court, and that it be made the duty of the
county attorney, at each term, to give the
act in charge to the grand jury. 1 suggest
further, that it would tend much to the Sc
curity and proper care of apprentices, if it
was made the special duty of the county
licitor to attend to the binding of every APP
prentice and attest the industrious with
power in every case where he may deem it
expedient to carry the case by appeal to the
superior court-and that proper provision
be made for his compensation for this ser
vice. l have received from Thomas P. Dew
ereaux, Esq, an aged citizen, distinguished
for his intelligence, and long the owner and
manager of large number of slaves, Il letter
on this subject presenting many views and
refections-the result of his experience. l
transmit his letter with this message, and
commend his suggestions to your considera-
ton.
1t has been the policy of the general as
sembly, since the ordinance of emancipation,
to so reform our laws to personal rights
that no distinction should exist to the pre-
JUDGE of the blacks. find some distinc-
ton still exists as to apprenticeship. mad
vertently overlooked. presume. Our laws
require the binding OF white females to the
age of eighteen-and colOred females to the
age OF twenty-one years, and power is con-
ferred on the court to bind, as apprentice,
1.-The children OF free negroes, when the pa
rents with whom such children may live, do
not habitnaly employ their time in some
honest, industrious occupation" There is
no provision for binding white children so
neglected by their parents Hope the laws
will be so altered as to abolish these discrim-
nations, and all others, if any Others be
found to exist.
An embarrassing difficulty as to the hi nd
ing of negro children, has lately presented
itself. was lately notified by a citizen, to
whom negro children had been bound as
apprentices by the county courts, that he |
had been notified by ali officer of the freed |
mans bureau, that such binding would not |
be respec ed, and that he was required to
surrender such children, the indentures hay
ing been declared null by authority of the
officers of the bureau. 1 had no previous
notice that interference was contemplated
In reply to a letter inquiring. which there
upon addressed to Brevet Major General
Robinson, the assistant commissioner of the
fredmens bureau in this state, he sent me a
copy of the order under which his suborCi.
nate acted, in these words-'The civil law
will not be allowed to make any discrimina-
ion between whites and blacks. in the APP
orenticing of children. No child, whose
parents are willing and able to support it,
@du bC "IlJIOuL tllC cDuSellI OF The
parents. Children over fourteen years of
age, will not be bound out as apprentices I
under any circumstances. Col. Rutherford
Will see that the above rules are strictly ,
carried out, and will at once cancil all In
TEXTURES not made in conformity Herewith
This order if, carried into effect, substan- {
tally annuls, as l conceive, the powers of {
ur courts ovef minor children of color ,
The correspondence on the subject is not {
1n6 7 HOY t1a VIDA h. |
ed. As soon as final decision is reached,
will communicate it to YOU.
ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE. +
Soon after the adjournment of our con- ,
entlon, addressed communication to i
ieneral Robinson, calling his attention to s
he fact that our laws had been so reformed {
hat no discrimination existed as to the adj t
Illustration of justice to the prejudice of G
rec persons of color. He promptly issued I
anies this communication, dated July a
9th, 1866, restoring to our courts, with I
ne exception, all cases to which +
'eedmen are parties. This order relieved t
ur people from one source of great annoy c
nee. It has been faithfully observed. on /
he part of the bureau and the power so n
lstly and wisely exercised by our courts, a
nat nobody now doubts the change of jurls- s
lotion proper one. e
Our anomalous condition, the boundaries n
jurisdiction between the military and e.
vii authorities being lily defined, has led W
much correspondence between the execu- Il
We and military commandants of the state. a
is spread out on my letter book, subject
your inspection. 1t shows, as think,
isposition on both sides to avoid unneces-
Try conflict. P
For time was distressed by portion of Il
If people, who, by petitions addressed to ft
lie president and otherwise, charge upon our OF
'urts Partially and favoritism, to the pref a
dice of the United States soldiers and ne al
roes; and by reports, tending to the same S
Id, made to me by the military command in
1t of the state, covering complaints made SC
him by certain of our citizens, who rep re-
scented that they could not have justice in III
If courts. Investigation has shown these a,
'mpla1nts to have had no just foundation in
I'd the manifest fairness with which our 81
dicial officers have held the scales ofjus- vi
ce, has won the admiration of all. AT one o
me these complaints seemed alarming. 1 Ii
semed it of vital Importance to ascertain tr
neither there was any just ground for them, if
I'd if they were ascertained to be unbound m
|, to counteract their baneful influence nj