The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1866-01-24

lating to freedmen, the Jurisdiction Of our
Courts will be fully restored; but the
Courts will be comparatively inefficient,
while the act passed in 1851, shall remain in
force, entitled an act to "change the jurisdic
ton of the courts and the rules of pleading
thereon recommend that this act be
repealed; and that you pass q stay Flaw for
the benefit of debtors, If you can devise
constitutional mode of efecting the object.
AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE.
By act of Congress ratified July 2nd, 1852,
an amount of public land was donated to
each State equal to thirty thousand acres for
each Senator and representative in Congress,
the proceeds of the sale of which are to be
invested for the endowment, support and
maintenance of at least one college, when.the
leading object shall be, without excluding
other scientific and classical studies, and in
Guiding military tactics, to teach such
branches of learning as are related to agri-
culture and the mechanic arts, in such man.
ner as the Legislature of the State may pre-
scribe, in order to promote the liberal and
practical education of the industrial classes
in the several pursuits and professions in
life.
The conditions of the grant are not such,
in my judgment, as should prevent its accep-
lance by the General Assembly, and as the
objects to be accomplished are of the highest
importance, respectfully recommend that
acceptance Of the same may be signifed at an
early moment.
By an amendment to the act, approved
April 14th, 1854, the time limited for the ac-
ceptance of the donation will expire on April
18th 1866.
FREEDMAN's BUREAU.
The condition of society produced by the
sudden emancipation Of the black race-in
number, over one third the entire popula-
ton ofthe State-and the exemption of this
class from the operation of our laws, civil
and criminal, except as administered by
military tribunal, instituted by the govern
ment of the United States, and also claim
ing and exercising jurisdiction over all white
citizens in matters criminal and civil wher-
ever blacks may be concerned, is at once an
OmalOus and inconsistent with the ancient
constitutional authority of the several States.
This tribunal, known as the Bureau of Freed
men, was. established during the late unhap-
ply war for the supervision and manage
ment Of all abandoned lands and the control
Of all subjects relating to refugees and freed
men 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, and
approved by the President !" and was I" d.
rected to continue during the war of the re-
/ bellion and for one year thereafter"
| Its authority is derived from that clause
! of the constitution which authorizes Con-
gress g to adopt measures to suppress insur-
rection, 'and ceases when that shall have been
attained 1t was obviously designed to be
temporary in duration, and its continuance
after the designated period could only be
justified on the plea of affording necessary
protection to freedmen in their novel situa-
ton, until proper provision shall be made
for this object by the State governments.
/ The extinguishment of slavery by an or
| dinance of the Convention of this State, the
! double security of the ratification by the
! Legislature of an amendment to the consti-
/ tuition of the United State to the same effect,
and the general acquiescence of the people,
should remove all apprehension of any en-
! deavor to re-establish it, or to treat with OPP
! preston or injustice, the liberated African.
/ The imputation of such purpose to the
State would be alike unjust to her plighted
! faith and uniform character Such rights as
were accorded to the free colored people of
! North-C Carolina, land they were neither
meagre nor unimportant0 were ever most
scrupulously observed and maintained. For
ages it has been capital and most ignO-
minious offence to kidnap, ordeport or to en-
scent, who was free. Whenever one, held as
,Io losI nj to- ho ind
counsel to investigate his cause, and, if well
! founded, to maintain it, aud judges, who
subjected the opposing party to such rules as
criminal accusations tried by jury, he was
allowed the rights of challenge and other
safeguards of the common law. Property
was acquired and held by them with all the
privileges of transfer, devise and-descent,
and the courts of justice were open to their
complaints, with all the modes ofrelieftO pro-
perry or person that were allowable to white
men. All these became the rights OF the
freedman by the mere fact of emancipation.
To secure him still further in his privileges
as well as to protect society in the sudden
and violent change effected by this measure,
a commission was organized under an ordl-
nance of the Convention to review our code
touching this race, and consider and propose
such amendatory provisions as may be de-
manded by the occasion. Whether all the
regulations desired to effect the object in
view are to be attained without an amend
ment 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 enlightened
labors of this commission, when their report
shall be received, need not solicit your at
tention. While social equality with the
whites, (Which prevails nowhere in the United
States, notwithstanding pretences to the
contrary in some quarters and among some
persons,) is not to be expected; nor is the
elective franchise l am fully warranted in
saying there is no disposition to deny to
them any of the essential rights of civil or
: RELIGIOUS freedom in this State. On the con-
trary every day observation makes it manifest
that restraining measures are necessary, and
indispensable to prevent pauperism, va
grancy, idleness, and their consequent crimes
in the new phase which our social system
presents; and it is important to the safety,
peace and welfare of society, that the conflicts
of systems of law and administration, the one
for the white, and the other for the colored
man, 1.-THE latter, however, drawing into its
, Jurisdiction every transaction in which q
black may be involved, shall cease among us
and that the great interests ofrights wrongs
and remedies, may be committed to Judges
and juries of the vicinage, according to
, ancient English and American usage. 1t is
hoped therefore that the President, and Con
gress of the United States may order as early
: as possible the withdrawal from our limits
of the Bureau of Freedmen, at least that these