Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-01-19
A CODE FOR FREEDMEx.

The recent Georgia re-organizing Conven-
tion appointed a commission to prepare and
report to the General Assembly system of
laws to meet the legal exigencies resultant
from emancipation. This commission con
cluded their labors on the 10Th of last month,
and the report which embodies the conclu-
sions arrived at is now in print. As it, is
highly probable the Legislature, at its ap-
preaching session, will, with perhaps some
few emendations, adopt this report, synop-
sis thereofwill BE essayed. The report then,
consists of fourteen articles, made up of one
hundred and fifty -four sections. Article first
repeals the slave and free negro codes, defines
free persons Of color, and declares "such per-
sons shall have the right to acquire, own,
anddispose Of property, to enjoy the fruits
of their labor, to make contracts, to sue and
be sued, to receive and transmit property by
inheritance" and "toreceive protection intheir
persons and property" There being already
law as to ase testimony of such persons,
the provisions of the report thereon are, as
supererogatory, not given. Article second
provides for the organization, procedure, etc,
of a county court in each county, to hold
daily sessions-jurisdiction $780, Article
third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh regu-
late respectively the domestic relations, hus-
band and wife, parent and child, guardian
and ward, master and servant, and master
and apprentice. Those now living as man
and wife are declared to be really such,
choice to be made in case there are more
than one quasi husband or wife. Parents
are required to support children, legitimate
and bastard alike, and all now born are
legitimated. Relation of guardian and ward
same as among white persons, subject to the
jurisdiction of ordinary. The articles regu-
lating the jurisdiction of master and servant,
and master and apprentice, are quite lengthy,
but in effect almost exact transcripts of the
old common law in those regards, matatis
matandis to fit local exigencies. Article
eight extends the law Of contracts, as of
force among whites, to the blacks,
iIliterate persons being especially and
strongly protected Article ninth extends
the law of wills, administration, distribu-
ton of estates and the like to the blacks,
with some amendments to lessen expense to
them of the usual procedure. Article tenth
Furnishes certain crimes-larceny, grand and
petit, vagrancy, receiving stolen goods, and
attempts at larceny, burglary, arson, and
robbery-by penal labor on public works.
Provides for superintendent of such labor,
and gives right to him to farm out convict
labor, taking bond for humane treatment, &c;
recusance of convict TO be punishable by
same chastisement now, by law, permitted in
the penitentiary in the case of white convicts
recusant. Article eleven sets forth crimes
and their punishment. Rape, poisoning, ar
son, and attempts thereat, punishable with
from death to light imprisonment. Makes
it also crime to combine to injure ne
groes in their persons or property Article
twelve further defines crimes. Article thir-
teen regulates practice in criminal cases, and
article fourteen regards licenses in business,
requiring them in specified cases, irrespec-
tive Of color - tRt- q 4t4
In one word, this proposed code is simply
an extension to the negroes Of the old COM
mon law as to person and property. Could
these principles, modified to some extent by
the provisions of the chapters de iiteItiais, to
be found in the civil law, be digested into a
code applicable alike to each Of the late,
slave States, the negro question would -
ceive quietus that would let the whole
land be at ease on that point once more.