The West Virginia journal. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1864-1877, 1866-02-14


Vugrant Act," recently passed by the
Richmond Legislature:
HEAD-QRs. DEr'T or NIRGtSIA,l
R:clIMoSp, Jan. "a, lSi6.
GENERAL ORDERS No. +.-By statute lar
passed n, the present Sc ssion ofthe Legislature
Of Virginia, entitled " a bill providing for
the punishment Of vagrants,' it is enacted
among other things, that any justice OF the
peacc upon tho complaint Of any ono OF, Ger
tain officers therein named, may issue his
warrant for the apprehension Of any person
alleged to be vagrant, and cause such person
to be apprehcnIed and brought before him,
and that if, upon due examination, said justice
of the peace Shall find that such person is q
vagran; within the definition Of vasrancy
contained in said statute, he shall issue his
warrant directing such person 10 be employed
for a term not exceeding three months, and by
any constable Of the county wherein the pro-
ccedings are haG, be hired out for the best
wages which can be produced, his wages to be
applied to the support OF himself and family.
The said statute further provides TINT IN case
any yagramt 20 hired, shall, during his term
Of service, run away from his employer with.
ou, sufficient cause, he shall be aPprchcnded
on the warrant Of n justice OF the peace, and
returned to the custody Of his employer, who
shall then have, free Of my further hire, tho
services Of such Yagrant for one month, in
addition to the original term Of hiring and
that the employer shall then havo power
if authorized by justice Of the peace, to work
such yngrant with ball and chain. The
81 i'll stnlute specifics the persons who shall be
considered vagrants md be liable to the
penalties imposed by it. Among those de.
clared TO be v0grants, are:
All persons who not having the whercwith
to support their families, live idly md without
cmploymcnt, refuse to work for the usual and
common wages given to other laborers in the
like work in the place where they are.
In many counties Of this State meetings OF
emrloyers hare been held, and unjust and
wrongful combinations have been entered into
for the purpose Of depressing the wages OF
the freedmen below the rcnl value o! their
labor, and far below the price formerly paid
TO masters for labor pcrfornedhy their slaYcs.
ijy reason Of these combinations, wages utterly
inadequate 10 the support Of themselves mud
their families have in many places become
the usual and common wages Of tho freedmen.
The effect Of the statute in question Will he
therefore TO compel the freedmen, under
penalty Of punishment; US criminals, to accept
and labor for the wages established by these
combinations Of employers. 1t places them
wholly in the power Of their employers, anh
it is cusy to fcreSee that even where no such
combination now exists the temptation TO form
them offered by the statute will be too strong
TO he resisted, and that such inadequate wages
will become the common and usual wages
Throughout, the States. The ultimate effect Of
the statute will be 70 reduce the freedmen to
condition Of seryitude worse than TINT from
which they have been cmancipated, n condi'
ton which will he slavery in nll but its name.
IT. is therefore ordered TINT no magistrate, civil
officer or other person, shall IN any way or
sious Of saiL statute to any colorcd persons u
this department.
by command Of :, rr,,v
En-. ". SMITH, a. A. G.