Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1866-06-27
SOUTHERN CODES FOR FREEDMEN.
What the Reconstructed States are Willing
to do for the Negro.

what the reconstructed States are Willing
to do for the Negro.
From statement of the laws and provis-
ions of the Reconstructed States, regarding
the Freedmen, called for by Congress, and
sent to that body April ~, We condense the
most important facts. In North Carolina,
Georgia, Alabama and Texas, the laws are
less against the Freedmen, and show a
greater regard for the interests of labor
These are duly noted
THE SOUTH CAROLINA APPRENTICESHIP CODE.
In the negro code of the Palmetto State,
while "the statutes ard regulations concern
ing slaves are now inappEcable to persons
of color, yet it is thought necessary to de-
clare that such persons are inadmissable to
social or political equality with white per
sons. ;" They are privileged to make con-
tracts, to sue and be sued, and to be pro-
tected under law In persons and property
But an act to amend the criminal law, pass
ed and approved December 19, declares in
the first section that certaine crimes speci-
fed shall be declared felony (which of late
was punishable with death, viz: for any
person to raise an insurrection or rebellion
in this State; for any person to furnish
are an q state Of actual utSurrecttoa or re-
beliton or permit them to resort to his house
for advancemento Of their evil purpose =
for any person who had been transporte ed
under sentence, to return to this State with
in the period of prohibition contained in the
sentence; or Tor 3 person to steal horse or
a mule, or cotton packed in bale ready for
market. Another section fOrbids farm la
borers to sell produce of any kind without
written leave from the master and the
punishm is. for the buyer, $500 or i'm
prisonment; for the seller, lighter, SIS, or
twice the value Of the products; ''and if
that be not Immediately paid, he shall suf-
fer.corporeal punishment.
The section devoted to corporeal punish
ment is we'll calculated to make fiogging the
rule and timing the exception. 1t forbids
colored persons, under penalty of fine or
fogging, to keep firearms or weapons of
any kind to keep distillery, or to sell
liquor; to come into the State from another
State, urless he gets two freeholders to be
his security for good behavior in bond Of
$1,000. Section 30 provides that upon view
Of miSdemeanor committed by person OF
color, oay person present may arrest the Of
fender and take him before magistrate, TO
be dealt with as the case may require. In
case of misdemeanor committed by white
person toward person of color, any person
may complain to q magistrate.
Section 30 of the District Court act pro-
vides that indictment against white per
son for the homicide of person OF color
shall be tried in the Superior Court of law,
and so shall other indictments in which
white person is accused of capital felony
in the same regard. Not SO, however, with
''persons of color The accused, In a col
ored criminal case, and the parties in every
such civil case, may be witnesses, and so
may every other person who is competent
witness and in every such case, either par
ty may offer testimony as to his own charac-
ter, or that of his adversary, or of the prose
cutor, or of the third person mentioned in
an indictment >" and Section 80 secures to
persons of color the rights as to whites, in
regard ts the distribution of property by
will
The act to regulate the domestic rela-
tions of persons of color" is worthy of atten-
ton ''Colored children between the ages
mentioned, who have neither father or mo-
ther living in the District in which they are
found, or whose parents are paupers, or un-
able to afford to them maintenance. or toltOse
parents are not teaching them habits Of IN
daStry and honesty, or are persons OF notorl-
ously bad character, or are vagrants, or have
been, either of them, convicted of an infa-
nous offense, may be bound as apprentices
by the district judge, or one of the mag.s,
trates, for the aforesaid term. Section y
of this law provides that the apprentice
shall be well treated in certain useful re-
spects, ''and if there be school within a
convenient distance in which colored chill
dren are taught, shall send him to school at
least six weeks in every year of his appren-
ticeship, after he shall be of the age of ten
years, provided that the teacher of such school
shall hare the license or the district Judge to
establish the same,
Section twenty nine provides that me-
chanic, artisan or shop-keeper or other per,
son, who is required to have license, shall
not receive any colored apprentice without
having first obtained such license.
Section thirty-ive provides that all per-
sons of color who make contracts for service
or labor shall be known as SERVANTS, and those
with whom they contract shall be known as
masters.
Section thirty-nine provides that person
of color who has no parent living in the DIS
trict, and is ten years of age. and is not a an
apprentice, may make a valid contract foi
I,hor or .srv;ce for opa yesr or less