The Elk advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Elk Co., Pa.) 186?-1868, 1866-04-26

Iuclr uGSCeuuaDCS, having OuG-ClSilIH
negro or African blood in their veins
shall be known in this State as "per-
sons Of color"
SEC ?. BE It .futher cnactcd, That
persons of color shall have the right to
make and enforce contracts, to sue, be
sued, to the parties and give evidence,
to inherit, to purchase, ana to have full
and equal benefit of all laws and pro
ceedings, for the security of person and
estate, and shall not be subjected to any
other or different punishment, pain, or
penalty for the commission of any act or
oftense, than such as are prescribed for
white persons committing like acts or
Oifenses.
The third section of this act simply
repcals all conflicting laws it was ap-
proved by the Governor on the 18th of
March last
Q. Does this act express the options
Of the people, and will it be sustained {?
A. | think it will be sustained by the
courts as well as by public sentiment
it was passed by the present Legislature
as an evidence Of the tone of the Legis-
lature Of tle State, as well as that of the
people of the State, upon this subject
would refer you simply to a letter |
wrote to Senator Stewart upon the same
subject; submit to you copy of that
letter it is as follows
IVAsHGNNGTON, April t, 1865.
Dear Sir: In answer 20 your lnqui.
ries touching the sentiments and feel.
ings Of the people Of Georgia toward the
freedmen and the legal status Of this
class Of population in the State, etc a.
low me briefly to say, that the address
delivered by me on the 22nd Of Feb'y
last, before the Legislature, a copy Of
which | herewith hand you, expresses
very clearly and fully my opinions and
feelings upon the subjects Of your inqui-
ry. The address was written and print
ed as you now see it before its delivery.
It was delivered rcrJqtim as you now
read it, that there might be no mistake
about it. 1t was, as it now stands, unan
imously indorSed by the Senate in a
joint resolution, which was concurred in
by the House without dissent, ana was
ordered to be spread upon the journals
of both Houses. This refer you to as
a better and more reliable index Of the
feelings and views of the people OF the
State on this subject. l have my own
individual opinion | might entertain or
express. The legislation of the State,
it is to be presumed, is as correct an ex,
ponent Of the general feeling and views
Of the State upon any political question
US any that can be obtained from any
quarter. In addition to this the Legis-
lature subsequently evinced these prin,
ciplcs by their works in passing an act
which | also irclose to you. This act
speaks for itself. It is short, concise
and pointed, as well as comprehensive,
1t secures to the colored race the right
to contract ana to enforce contracts
the right to sue and be sued the right
to testify in the courts subject to the
same rules that govern the testimony o.
whites; and it subjects them to the
same punishments for all offences as the
whites in these respects, embracing al
essential civil rights. All classes il
Georgia now stand equal before the law
There is no discrimination in these par
ticulars on account of race or color.
" Please excuse this hasty note,
have no time to go more into details.
Yours, most respectfully,
ALEX. II. STEPHENS.
" Hon. W. NJ. Stewart, U. S. Senate
Q, What, if anything, is being don,
in Georgia with regard to the educa
ton Of the negroes, either children o.
adults ? A. Nothing by the public au
thorities, as yet. Schools are being es
tablishel in many portions of the STATE
under the auspices, ] think of the
Freedman's Bureau, and quite a mum
ber by the colored people themselves
encouraged by the whites.
Q, What disposition do the negroe!
manifest in regard to education 4
There seems to be a very great desire
on the part Of the children and theil
parents to have them educated.
O. What is the present legal condi
tioD of those who have lived together
as husband and wile-do the laws rec
ognize and sustain the relations end the
legitimacy of their offspring? A. Oul
State laws do-they recognize all those
living as man and wife as legally man
and wife; good many of them took
out licenses and were married in the us
ual way; there is no difference in our
laws in that respect; licenses are issued
for white and black alike, only they are
prohibited from intermarrying with each
other; the races are not permitted to
intermarry.
Q. VI ere the amendments to the Con.
stitution of the State of Georgia recent
ly adopted submitted to the people
A, No, sir, they were not submitted =
l have no hesitation, however, in ex
pressing the opinion that nine,tenths oi
| the peOple W0uld have vnta1 for tho,r