The Evansville journal., 1868-02-21

p6I5OuS 10 nave uouces duA ny bue
same law rendered It impossible that
they should have homes by making
them incompetent to rent or lease
(much less to own,) lands or tene-
ments, save in an incorporated town
or city, and there they could only rem
under the control and with the per
mission of the corporate authorities
The object of this legislation was pal
pable; it was to drive the emancipated
slaves to seek homes, as tenants by
sufferanee, in their old quarters on
the plantations with their former
masters.
By the same act, the freedmen, and
all other colored persons, were also
required to have some lawful employ
ment in order to legalize their exist
ence in the sovereign reconstructed
State of Mississippi. How, then,
could lawful employment be acquired
or obtained?
[ answer that colOred person
could only have lawful employment
in one of two ways, viz: first. by be-
ing licensed TO live and to labor by
the police authorities of the locality
in which he might live, the price Of
license being fixed by the local au-
thorlties, and varying from one to FIVE
dollars, and being revokable by those
who issued it. Second, by contracting
in writing to serve some white man
for period Of more than one month,
and by that contract reducing himself
TO worse condition than that of sla-
very itself. The contract necessary
to legalize the colored mans exist
ence, was by law declared to be an
entire contract, and if the employee
quilted the service of his master,
without good cause, before the expi-
ration Of his term Of service, he for
feited all wages then due, and was
liable besides to be arrested by any
officer or citizen and carried back to
his master; and for making the arrest
and delivery, such officer or citizen
was entitled to five dollars reward.
and ten cents mile from the place
of arrest to the place of delivery, all
this to be paid by the master, and de-
Quoted out Of the future earnings of
the fugitive. Aud, lest there should
be any failure to execute this fugitive
slave law, it was made the duty of
and delivery of the fugitive.
But these Johnsonized rebels we'll
knew that it would be vain thing to
enact that a colOred man could not
legally exist in the State of Missis-
slppi, save as the stipulated temporary
slave of some white man, unless there
we're proper penalties prescribed
against the terrible crime of not hav-
ing a lawful employment. This Omis-
sion was supplied by the vagrant law
Of Mississippi, approved by Governor
B. q. Humphreys, late General in
the Confederate service, on the 24th
day of November, 1865, and still ap-
proved by Mr.. Hendricks and his
party, as may be inferred by the de-
,laratiOn that these people acquiesced
n the results of the war.
By this vagrant act. all colored per-
IONS, male and female, over the age
If eighteen years, who should on the
ecOnd Monday of January, 1866, or
hereafter, be found without lawful
or business, were declared
% be vagrants, and on conviction
hereof, were to be fined not exceed
ng fifty dollars, and imprisoned, at
he discretion of the court, not ex-
eeding ten days, and if the fine was
Tot paid within FIVE days after convic-
ion, 1t was made the duty of the sheriff
O hire out said convict to any person
Vho would for the shortest period pay
aid fine and ell costs.
Look for one moment at the beau
les Of this Democratic acq uiescing
egislation, passed by men who had |
be oath to support the abolition of |
lavery fresh upon tn cir lips and upon |
heir souls.
1t embraces three propositions, viz: |
EErst, COlored persons must have /
Omes or be Outlawed; but lest they /
hOuld get homes. they are prohibited I
y law from renting houses or lands.
second, If they have not homes, they
lust have some lawful employ ment
r business; but the law prevents
hem from having a lawful employ
lent or business, unless they are IL
ensed or bound to serve some white
ian In a written contract that makes
hem worse than the slaves of their
mplOyers. Third, If they have no
awful employment or business, they
re vagrants and punishable by fine
OF exceeding fifty dollars, and to pay
he fine and costs the man or woman
put upon the block aud sold into
.mpOrary bondage.
Even Indiana Democrats would ac-
1iesce in such a result of the war as
ould still permit their Southern
rethern to sell eolored people on the
lock for the dreadful crime of being
lack and having no license to live
nd to labor issued by some rebel
official.
Again, by the sixth section of this
me vagrant act, it was made the