Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1866-06-27

the demand OF any white treeholder, to an
nul the contract between such convict anC
his colored servants. If any white treeholdel
snail complain to the distric5 judge that any
master SO manages and controls his coloreC
servants as to make them nuisance to the
nelghborhood, the judge shall order an is
sue to be made up and tried before jury
and IT such issue is found in favor of the
complainant, the district judge shall annul
the contract between such master and his
colored servant or servants 1t would ap-
pear that this act is obliquely directed al
the lnnovating Yankees
More wonderfully made in the following
section, which prescribes that no person Of
color shall pursue or practice the art, trade,
or business of an artisan, mechanic, or shop
Keeper, or any other trade, employment, OF
business beside that of husbandry, or that
OF a servant under contract for service OF
labor, on his own account and for his own
benefit, or in partnership with white per
son, until he shall have obtained q license
therefor from the Judge of the District
Court, which license shall be good for one
year only. This license the judge may grant
upon petition of the applicant, and upon
being satisfied of his skill and fitness, and
OF his good moral character, and upon pay
ment of the applicant to the Clerk of the
District Court of one hundred dollars, if a
peddter, to be paid annually, and $40 if a
mechanic artisan, or to engage in any other
trade, also to be paid annually. Provided,
however, that upon complaint being made
and proved to the District Judge of an
abuse of such license, he shall revoke the
same: And provided, also, That no person
Of color shall practice any mechanical art
or trade unless he shows that he has served
an apprenticeship in such trade or art, or Is
now practicing such trade or art.
GEORGIA, ALABAMA AND TEXAS.
The laws of Georgia make the average
provisions in vogue as to the right of freed
men to contract, sue, and be sued to testi-
ty and inherit purchase, lease, and other
wise dispose of their property, and to have
full and equal benefit of laws accordingly,
without being subject to other depriva
tons or punishments than white persons.
These are contained in the Act of March II.
An Act of December Is declares free per-
sons of color shall be competent witnesses in
all the courts of this State, in civil cases,
whereto free person of color is party,
and in all criminal cases wherein free per-
son of color is defendant, or wherein the Of
tense charged is a crime or misdemeanor
against tie person or property OF tree per
son of color
The law of Alabama declares that freed
men shall be competent to testify only In
open court, and only in cases in which freed
men, free negroes and mulattoes are parties,
either plaintiff or defendant, and in civil and
criminal cases, for injuries in the persons
and property of freedmen, free negroes and
and in all cases, civil or criminal,
in which freedman, free negro or mulat-
to is witness against white person, or
white person against freedman, free ne
gro or mulatto, the parties shall be compe-
tent witnesses, and neither interest in the
question or suit, nor marriage, shall dlsqual-
ity an witness from testifying in open court
Section of law of Texas, passed April
2, states that africans and their decend-
ants shall not be prohibited, on account Of
their color or race, from testifying, orally,
as witnesses in any case, civil or criminal,
involving theright of, injury to crime against
any of them in person or property, under
the same rules of evidence that may be ap-
plicabe to the white race, the credibility of
their testimony to be determined by the
court or jury hearing the same and the
Legislature shall have power to authorize
them to testify as witnesses in all other
cases, under such regulations as may be pre-
scribed as to facts hereafter occurring.
FLORIDA PILLORY LAWS.
The laws of Florida affecting negro testi
mony is much the same as the foregoing.
But an act of the 18th of January provides
in the twelfth section that it shall not be
lawful for any negro, mulatto or other per-
son of color to own, use or keep in his pos
session or under his control any bowie knife,
dirk, sword, firearms or ammunition of any
kind, unless he first obtain license to do
SO from the Judge of Probate of the county
in which he may be a resident for the time
being and the said Judge of Probate Is
hereby authorized to issue such license upon
the recommendation of two respectable citi-
zens of the county certifying to the peace
full and orderly character OF the applicant
and any negro, mulatto or other person OF
color SO offending shall be deemed to be
guilty Of misdemeanOr. and upon convlc-
ton shall forfeit to the use OF the lnformer
all such fire. arms and ammunition, and In
thereto shall be sentenced to stand
in the pillory for one hour or to be whtpped
not exceeding 80 stripes, or both, at the Ills
cretion of the jury.
''Section Ia provides that if any negro,
mulatto, or other person of color, shall in
trude himself into any religious or other
public assembly of white persons, or into
any railroad car or other public vehicle
set apart for the exclusive accommodation
of white people. he shall be deemed guilty
of a misdemeanor. and, upon conviction,
shall be sentenced to stand in the pillory for
one hour, or to be aohspped. not exceeding
80 stripes, or both, at the discretion of the
jury; nor shall It be lawful for any white
person to intrude himself into any religious
or other public assembly Of colored persons,
or into any railroad car or other public We
hicle, set apart for the exclusive aceommo-
dation Of person of color, under the same
penalties -.
An act of January 16 forbids the deposl-
tions of calorad persons to be taken in VIII