New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-05-16
LABOR LAWA IN LOUIAIANA.

Ex-COv. Hahn of Louisiana-who never was reck
oned very tempestuous Radcal-has written letter
to Senator Howe in calculation Of the laws passed by
the Louisiana Legislature relating to freedmen. The
Louisiana Legislature had no doubt of the merit of
their work. for they printed it all in pamphet-but
that was for home consumption, and calculated. like
the almanacs, for the meridian Of New-OrleaDs Of
the code as q whole Gov. Hahn justly remarks that
however much credit may be due for the skill with
which the anmas of these laws was sought to be dis
guscd, there is nevertheless really very little desire
&C. do justice to onc-haf OF the population OF Lou's
ana
The first statute requires the freedmen within the
first ten days of Januay Of each year to make con-
tracts for the whole year. Tia, is what is called free
labor in Louisiana. Suppose we hansier It to New
York, in order to test its value. Put law IN the
statute book of this State requiring every mechanic
or day laborer on farm to dispose Of himself for the
whole year by bargain to be made in the FIST
ten days Of the year. If be refuse if he cannot
make bargain 10 hls liking, If he find
capital leagued to control the labor mar
ket during those ten days, il he Zee
employers conspiring to fix wages at five dollars
month, and therefore the mechanic or aborer decline
to sell himself for such price-cal him vagrant.
subject him TO arrest by Justice Of the Peace, and sell
him OF auction. put him at forced labor as punish
ment for his contumacious independence. Thatiswha
tho law OF Louisiana does for her free laborers We
can imagine what the workingmen OF NewYork
would think of it. They would say this
is a law which makes laborer nominally free
for ten days in the year, ard really slave for the
other three hundred and Gfty-fvc. They would say,
We will not respect nor obey law SO foolish, unjust
ana nhuman. And they would be right l. thcro,
then. any difference between New York and Louisiana
which can make statute which would be wicked
here righteous law there
The contrac, required in Louisiana must be entered
into ia writing before justice Of the peace, and when
written shall be conclusive evidence OF the intent Of
tie parties thereto" One Of the parties thereto l. q
negro who by the Law of the State for fifty years
been forbidden to learn 10 read or write. How Is be
to know what the written instrument contains There
are 10 be two "dsintcresed Witnesses Who can
they be' Not negroes, who can witness nothing.
but white men, planters, planters friends,
neghbors Of The justice aud Of The planter with every
bias on the side Of their own race and every preju-
dice asans, the negro Acoatract thus enforced thu,
put VII NIiuhg' "hu mus "''hceSVu' Il PIhV'N"''y
contract OF which the freedman knows nothing, in
which he has no representative, and in which his IL
crests arc at The nooy Of those whose interests in
every way opposed to his
The workngmen of NeyYork may say this distant
injustice does not concern them. They are mistaken.
They VIII yet learn that the interests Of labor tho
throughout the country and that il is not posi-
bic to pass law expressing Labor in Louisiana that
docs not strike at the rights Of labor in Now.York