Litchfield enquirer., 1868-04-02
Correspondence of the Coura,at.

[ Correspondence of the Couraa.. ! i- MISSISSIPPI, March, 1868. 1 It has been my purpose to contribute something for the cause in your State, but l i'll health has delayed me. l hope my notes may arouse few to the real sltua- tion-which neither members of Congress, public speakers nor newspapers seem to understand or at any rate to express. If 1t is supposed or urged in the North that the people of the South except perhaps one in 8 thousand) are loyal, or accept the situation in good faith, or have at any time since the surrender accepted 1t Tn ''good faith it is an entire mistake. They have not at any time accepted, and do not intend to accept the situation in ''good faith," here aud there few excepted. The legislature of Mississippi, convened in 1865 the surrender, and composed of men claim ing then, as now, to be loyal and to accept the results of the war in good faith" pas sed laws of which give an abstract, as follows:
 LEGISLATION OF THE RECONSTRUCTED, WHEN THEY WERE CALM AND SUBMISSIVE.
 Laws of Mississippi, p. 66, chapter 2, sec 9. Any freedman committed for non-pay ment of any fine, penalty or forfeiture neg lecting to pay for five days. shall be hired by the sheriff to any person who shall pay l such fine, penalty or forfeiture and costs, &c
 Same, D. S2, chap. 4, misnamed an act to confer civil rights on freedmen," &c. Sec allows freedmen to own and dispose of personal property-but not to acquire lands except that they may lease or rent lands in incorporated towns and cities-in which places the corporate authorities shall control the same.
 Sec. 2. Clerks of courts to keep sep arate records of marriages of freedmen. Sec. 3. Felony to intermarry with whites.
 Sec. 4. May be witness in cases where one of the parties is black.
 | Sec. 5. Every freedman shall, on the first lawful home or employment, and shall have written evidence thereof to wit:-if living in town or city, license from the Mayor and if living in the country, from the mem- Der of the board of police, which license may be revoked at any time.
 Sec. 6. All contracts for labor made with freedmen shall be attested by an off cial, and in case the freedmen quit such service before the expiration of the con- tract, he forfeits all wages due.
 Sec. '. Every civil officer and every per son may arrest any freedmen quitting his employer, and return him to such employ CT, for which such officer or person, is en- titled to five dollars and ten cents mile travel.
 Same, p. S6, chap. All colored chill dren to be apprenticed by the clerk of court, preference to be given to former masters and it is made duty of all civil of- fcers, from time to time, to report all mi nor colored children subject to be appren- ticed When the age of the freedmen can- not be ascertained by record testimony | (which cannot be done in single case in the whole South probably the court will fix the age!!
 Same, p. 90, chap. 6. sec.-All freedmen over IS yearr of age, without lawful en- ployment on the second Monday in Janu- ary, in each year, wide law requiring them to find homes and employment, quoted above,) or who shall be found unlawfully assembling themselves together either in the day or night time, and all white per sons assembling with such freedmen, shall be deemed vagrants, and shall be fined the freedman $50 and the white person $200 Republican meetings are illegal here, you see, and Republicans are incen- diaries! :.
 Sec. a.-Any magistrate, mayor or alder man may try cases of vagrancy.
 Sec 5.-If freedman fails for five days to pay fine and costs of vagrancy, he shall be hired out by the sheriff giving preference to the former owner or mas ter.
 Sec. 6.-Duty of board of police to levy poll tax on freedmen, and if they fail, neglect or refuse to pay such tax the sher- if shall arrest and at once proceed to hire out such freedmen. --"l
 Same, p. 165, chap. 23, sec.-Freedmen not allowed to keep or carry fire arms, am- unition, dirk or bowie knife, under pen alty of $10 and costs. Sec 2.-Any freedman guilty of riots, routs, affrays, trespasses, malicious mis- chief. cruel treatment to animals, seditious speeches, insulting gestures, language or acts, or assaults on any persons, disturb ance of the peace, exercising the func- tions of a minister of the gospel without Q license from some regularly organized church vending spirituous or intoxicating liquors, or committing any other misde- meanor, the punishment of which is not specifically provided for by law, shall be fined $i0 to $100. .-
 Sec. 4-Re-enacts "all the penal and criminal laws relating to slaves and free negroes"
 Sec. 5.-Any freedman failing for five days to pay fines and costs under this chapter. shall be hired out by the sheriff at public outcry.
 Same, p. 194, chap. 4e.-Any freedman falsely and maliciously causing the arrest and trial of white man, the court shall render judgement against such freedman for all costs and charges in the case, and impose fine in addition of not less than fifty dollars, and imprisonment not to ex- ceed twenty days. If the freedman fails to pay costs. charges, fine and the jail fees he is to be hired out by the sheriff at pub lie outcrv. ,4 -.
 These laws you will observe were passed soon after the surrender, when, it is assert ed, the southern mind was passive and ready to accept any terms necessary to res toratlon, since when, it is alleged, the pas slons and prejudices of the south have been aroused by the extreme measures of nor thern radicals! If, when we'll disposed and Tn moment of humility and sorrow. men devised such internal laws against the pros perity and liberty of freedmen, what will they not invent in the heat of deep.seat- ed hatred and malice?