The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-03-17
Ciaruiar No. To-

az .y,ryrcRIs, FREEDMEN, AND ADAM
.n I.sSns. HEADQUARTERS AssIsrAST Soh.
p.s.,oxrn. STATE OF VIRGINIA, klcHMoNp, VA,
sfss.b 10 1896. II. The following portion OF
an act entitled /" An act relative 10 sne .esu,
,,nnv OF colored persons" passed February
as 1850. by the Legislature Of Virginia, is pup,
iished for the information oil the ofncers anu
agents OF this Bureau;
aBs II enacted by the General Assembly, That
colored persons and Indians shall, III otherwise
competent, and subject to the rules appiica.pie
to other persons, be admitted witnesses In the
following cases"
=
-, In all criminal cases and proceedings at
law or in equity in which colored person VI
an Indian is party or when a fastened to
the person, property, or rights OF a coloit =,
person or Indian, or in which IL IL ai'essa
the presentment, information OF n'u r ~
or In which the Court IS OF opan'o,i oosa ~
helieye that the offence was committed ny
white persou in conjunction or co'operaao"
with a colored person or Indian -, .,
Also, the following portion ol nn - ~" "h,n.
onand and re.enact the ninth section OF chap-
ter one hundred and three of the Code oi VII
ginia Of 1850, &c: :. .., ,aa.,.,,,, That
e"Be IL enacted by The General assembly, nal
any person having one fourth or inoreol nesl9
blood shall be deemed a colored person ana
every person not colored person having one
fourth or more OF Indian blood shall be deemed
an Indian.
Can laws in respect to crimes ana PUNISH
ments, and in respect To criminal proceedings,
applicable to white persons, shall apply III IKE
manner TO 2olored persons and TO INDIANS
unless when il is otherwise specially pro-
yided." - chic -,
der until further orders, no crlmhai caSes
will he tried by any officer or agent OF the
Rureau i'm this State except such rs may ~
| that time have been commenced. 49,
III Ii will henceforth be the dutS oi Iut
| Assistant Superintendents to attend In person
the trials Of all criminal cases Wlthlh IhelI
jurisdiction, including criminal 'ltais u pao
Iimiuary hearings before justices OF the peaSo
or other magistrates to which colored per
SON may be a party or in which, according 10
the law above quoted, the testimony VI i" W
lored person may be taken ,..
~. When present ut such tl1als OF heailns
the Assistant Superintendent Will not inter-
fere at the time with the action OF the court
or magistrate, but will contine themselves 10
such friendly suggestions, mace 10 cololeu
party concerned, or the counscl lor Tue Sahie'
rs may be necessary. They VIII NOT ac' DIS
attorneys in such cases, or argue win lne
court or magistrate. They VIII, however,
make immediate report OF any instance VI
| oppression or injustice against coiole9
| party, whether prosecutor or aelenatlt, nin,,
also in case the evidence OF colored persons
| should be improperly rejected or neSiecteu'
| In such cases all details possible VIII De lor-
| warded. .,;,o o,a
| Y. They VIII also careluliy cH"i,'iS aa
repOrt if i'm any instance, justice OF the peace
attorney for the Commonwealth grand Jury,
or other authority vested with the power cr OF
allowing or regulating the INSTITUTION u e. =
! minal proceedings, has refused justice 10 Il
colored person by improperly neglecting a
complaint, or declining to receive an oatn or
sworn information rendered by such person.
whereby trial or prosecution might De pre-
vented through partially or prejudice.
VI All superintendent and an per
intendents will, on the last day OF eacn lhoh!h
make a detailed report of the manner in which
this order, by restoring TO the State author,
ties jurisdiction in criminal cases over coloreo
persons has resulted, with reference 10 the
interests of the latter, within their respective
districts and sub Observation-Disclosures they nave
been treated with impartiality and fairness,
| and the law respecting their testimony carried
! out i'm good faith, or otherwise.
WV O. BROWN,
! Colonel and Assistant Commissioner
| Official: Lt1nes 4. Bates, Acting Assistant
Adjutant- General.