The loyal Georgian. [volume] (Augusta, Ga.) 1866-1867, 1866-03-17
TIE LEGISLATURE.

State proposed TO pass Negro Code
but time has changed the minds Of its
members, and it is now quite certain that
they will heed the advice Of ex Governor
Brown, in the letter which we published
last week addressed to members of the
Legislature Since that time, the follow
ing bill has been passed by the Senate,
and, we areinformed, is certain to become
q law.
Section !. The General Assembly of
the State Of Georgia do enact, that all
negroes, mJlatoes, mestizoes and their
descendants having one,eighth negro or
African blood in their veins, shall be
known in this State as persons Of color
Section Q Persons of color shall have
the right to enforce and to make contracts,
to sue, and be sued, to be parties and give
evidence, to iIherit, to purchase lease,
sell, hold, and convey real and personal
property and to have full and equal bene
fit of all laws and proceedings for the
security of person and estate, and shall
not be subjected to any other or different
punishment, pain or penalty for the COM
mission of any act or offence than such as
are prescribed for white persons commit
ting like acts of offence.
Section 3. All laws and parts Of laws
in relation to slaves and free persons of
color initiating against this act, be and
the same are hereby repealed.
Georgia, we believe, is ahead of the
other Southern States in giving justice
10 the freedmen; but, we think, they are
too late to prevent, what Southern men
dread SO much negro suffrage) If the
Legislatures of every former slave State
had, at first, given to the freedmen the
rights which the Legislature of this
State will soon give 70 them, President
Johnson's demand, THAI their Senator's
and Representatives shall be admitted to
Congress, could not have been success
fully resisted. The people Of the North
demand that the freedmen shall have
these rights, but, We believe, that ma
jority were not in favor of forcing tae
Sou h to give them the right of suffrage.
The South were deceived in regard to
public opinion at the North, and, in
most of the Stats, Negro Codes were
passed. The North were offended the
Radicals were strengthened, and to day
e sne @f,ga19R i that they will carry
Southern State can renew its practical
relations with the Genera! Government
until it allows all intelligent colored men
to vote. The only way to prevent this is
for eyesy Southern State 10 quickly re-
peal their Negro Codes and learn ws*
dom from men like Hon A IL Stephens
and Ex-Governor B own, of Georgia
Gentlemen, delays are dangerous. al
ready the political armies at the North
are preparing for the fight, and if the
Radicals are victorious, you may be as.
sured that you will never be represented
in Congress until you give equal politi-
cal and civil rights to all citizens, with-
out regard to race or color. If you hest
tate, it will be said, that you ouly yield
to freedmen civil right that you may be
again represented in Congress; and that
YOU will make distinctions as soon as you
are represented, and that, therefore, the
! OILY safe way to protect them is to give
them the ballot. If the North were to-
day, satisfied thar the freedmen would be be
protected by the South in their civil
rights they would demand no more
| This the, do demand Will the South
! learn wisdom by experience? We shall
see.
! When a man breaks into my house, II
he wears COW hide boots thank him. l
| sbould like to hear man tran p up my
stairs with COW hide boots on IN the nlgn''
! | know my house better than he coula J
and I, taking warning from the n1ls' n1
made wouli out aud at him, and bis evil
nprnose would be bafled at the outset
The men that are most dangerous are the
men that come in on sponges, and walk
90 softly that you cannot hear foot tall
Thew NAV come up the stairs without
} making any noise that you shall near
Won NAV be sick. and be wide awake
and bordering whether you are safe OF
not, and at that very moment they may
be at your door, they may be at the side
of your very couch, with their hand OF
your valuables, and may stand with {
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