The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-01-28
THE SESSIONS COURT AND TEE
FREEDMEN.

From proceedings published in anotner col'llnll'
Il will be seen that on Saturday last sentences
we're pronounced, in the Court Of Sessions for this
District, in causes that have been tr1ed during 'o
present torn of that Court. Those OF QUIZ ieaaete
who hare had an opportunity OF witnessing ING
proceedings of the Court, and those VINO hao tno
opportunity Of hearing the very admirable charses
of his Honor Judge DAwKSs, IN Pfonoanclne
sentence in the causes to which we have referred,
will confess. we presume That the new order es-
tablishcd with respect to our colored population,
has been inauguratcd under many assurances OF
favorable results.
Our coIored population have never before been
in our higher criminal COURTS either as parties or
as witnesses. Under the old system it was con-
sidered consistent and best that they should nave
form of court more especially adapted to their
intelligence and their social and civil position 1t
was thought unwiso aud unfair that they should
he tried upon laws, rules Of proceedings and prn-
cpes Of conduct, applicable only and intended Tor
race of moro cultivated intelligence, and 1t was
thought that in local tribunals, under local infu-
ences and protected by proprietary interests, they
were safer and more sure OF exemption from un-
necessary punishment than under other crcum-
stances would be possible.
But still many doubted if tue negro could be rolled
on for testimony proper for the hghor courts
Some doubted also, perhaps, whether the negro,
forcibly enancipated among those who had held
him as property, and who still held the otllco OF
administering tho law, could have JUSTICE Upon
both these points, the citizens of this community,
at least, arc perfectly assured. The testimony
given By tho negroes, which, in every case, we PC
lcvc, has been tributary to the conviction, II 1t
has not proven conclusive guilt, by all the negroes
who have been tried has boen singnlarly clear and
drect. and with the court and bar tho impress
sion. ne believe, is general, that, as o class,
the evidence they furnish is particularly reliable.
Not b,,t that thoy may depart from tho truth, and
not that their sense of fidelity to truth is as strong
as is that Of white men; but they arc singnlarly
without the ingenuity to modify the truth. There
is no difficulty in detecting the lnterpolatlon OF
falsehood. No one is for an instant at loss to
distinguish the true from tho counterfeit present.
ment: and tho conviction we believe is general,
therefore, that Justice will be advanced, by the
fner light upon all transactions in she State from
withdrawing all objections to tho competency OF
the testimony of negroes in court OF ]ustlco.
Upon the other points, also-of the security OF
the negro, in lair and impartial trial-therc can be
equally as little question. Their causes have been
zealously and ably defended; the Oldest lawyers
have nothesitated to act under tie appointment
of tho Court, nor acting, have exhibited less zeal
than if they had been employed by the prisoners.
Their causes have been heard with great patience
by the jury, and there has heen no case in Which
sLeir verdict has bccn liable to the slightest quos-
tion.
The charges Of his Honor, Judge DAwKINs, in
passing sentence were. as we have said, eminently
proper, and it of no Influence upon those to whom
they were addressed, rs such charges arc apt to
be, thoy will he at least likely to exercise favor
able influence upon That class Of our colored pop-
lation who aro dcsirous to discharge faithfully
their civil and social duties and who look, there