The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1866-01-30
FOURTEENTH v0LUME---NUMBER ZOE.

same whether the defendant be white man or
black, there will be no interference with our
criminal Courts. hope, after you shall have
reformed our laws relating to freedmen, tho
jurisdiction of our Courts will be fully restored;
but the Courts win be comparatively inefficient
while the act passed in 1861 shall remain in
force, entitled, "An Act to change the jurisdic-
tion of the Courts and the rules of pleading
thereon" l recommend that this act be re-
pealed; and that you pass Stay Law for the
benefit of debtors, if you can devise Coustitu.
/ tional mode of effecting the object ~
agricultural College.
! BY act of Congress ratified July ?, 1862, an
amount of public land was devoted to each State
! equal to thirty thousand acres for each Senator
and Representative in Congress, the proceeds of
the sale of which to be invested for the en-
dowment, support and maintenance of at least
| one college, where the leading object shall be,
without excluding other scientific and classic
studies, and including military tactics, to teach
such branches Of learning as related TO agri-
culture and the mechanic arts, in such manner
as the Legislatures of the States may prescribe,
in order to promote the liberal and practical
education of the industrial classes in the several
pursuits and professions in life.
I The conditions of the grant are not such in,
my Judgment as should prevent its acceptance
by the General Assembly; as the objects to bo
accomplished are of the highest Importance, /
respectfully recommend that acceptance of the
same be signifed at earl momeIt.~~
| by an amendment to the act, approved on tho
14th of April, 1864, the time limited for tho
acceptance of the donation will pire on the
14th of April 1866.
Freednaan's Bureau.
The condition of society produced by the sud-
den emancipation of the black race, in numbers
over one-third of the entire population of the
State, and the cxemptionsef this class from the
operation of our laws, civil and criminal, except
as administered by military tribunal instituted
| by the Government of the United States; and
also claiming and exercising jurisdiction over
all white citizens in matters criminal and civil,
wherever blacks may be concerned, is at once
| anomalous and inconsistent with the ancient
constitutional hority of the several States.
This tribunal, known the. Bureau OF Freed
men, was established during the late unhappy
war for "the supervision and management of all
abandoned lands, and the control Of all subjects
| relating to refugees and freedmen from rebel
States or from any district Of country within the
operations of the army, under such rules and
| regulations as might be prescribed by the head
of the Bureau, aud approved by the President"
and was directed to continue during the war
of the rebellion, and for one year thereafter"
Its authority is derived from that clause Of
the Constitution which authorizes Congress "to
adopt measures TO suppress insurrcction" aud
ceases when that end shall have been attained.
It obviously designed to be temporary 10
duration, and its continuance after the desig-
mated period could only be justified on the plea
of affDrding necessary protection to freedmen in
their novel situation, until proper provision
shall be made for this object by the State Gov.
ernment
The extnguishment Of slavery by an ordi-
nance Of the Convention of this State, the
double security of the ratification by the Lcgisa-
ture of an amendment to the EConstitution of
the United States to the effect, aud the
general acquiescence of the people, should re-
move all apprehension Of any endcavor to re-es-
tablish it, or to treat with oppression or injus-
tice the liberated African The imputation o.
such purpose to the State, would be alike un-
lust to her plighted faith and uniform cha.ac-
ter Such rights as were accorded TO the free
colored people Of North Carolina, (and they
were neither meaSre nor unimportant) were
ever most scrupulously observed and maintained.
For ages it has been capital and most igno-
minious offence to kidDap, or deport, or to
deayor to-enslave person OF African descent
who was free Whenever one, held as a slave,
LAID claim to freedom, he could find counsel to
investigate his cause, and if well founded, to
maintain it; and judges, who subjected the op-
nosinr party to such rules secured fair and
( imnartial trial In all criminal accusations
tried by jury he allowed the rights OF chal-
| leoge and other safeguards of the common law.
Property was acquired and held by them with
all the privileges of transfer, devise, and des-
cent; aud courts of justice open to their
complaints with all the modes of relief to prop
erty OF persons that were allowable to white
men All these became the rights Of the freed.
men by the mere fact of emancipation.
! 10 secure him still further in his privileges
as well as to protect society in the sudden and
violent change effected by this measure, a COM
mission was organized under ordinance Of
! the Convention, TO review our code touching
this race, and consider ard propose such amend
atory provisions may be demanded by the oc-
/ casion Whether all the regulations desired to
! effect the object in view are to be attained
without an amendment Of the constitution, and
! whether the labors of The commission may not
! be partially delayed until the coming session Of
that BODY. am not advised TO the enlight-
ened labors Of this commission, when their re-
!. port shall be received, I need not solicit your
/ attention.
While social equality with the whites (Ehich
lnrevaIs no where in the United States, not-
wi,bstanding pretences to the contrary in some
quarters. and among some persons, is not to DO
exnected, nor is the elective franchise, |
nIlv warranted ia saying there is no disposition
to deDy them any OF the essential rights of civil
or religious freedom in this State On the con-
trary every days observation makes It manifest
that restraining measures arc necessary and In
dispensible to prevent pauperlsm, yagrancy,
idIeness and their consequent crimes In the new
phase which our social system presents, and It