The Greenville times., 1875-09-25
The legislation Of 1865 Concern
Ing Freedmen.
A Letter from Gen George, Chairman Demo-
cratir-state Committee.

Ins HIttutns
A Letter from Gen George, Chairman Demo-
cratir-state tJmmiftee.
JACKSON, Mss. Sept ith. ISIS.
j. j. HALBERT. ESQ.,,
DEAR SIR: | received several
DAYS ago your letter, ia which you
state that there are many cosored
men in your vicinity, who are con-
WINGED that great mal-administra-
tion and waste ofpublic funds have
characterized the rule Of the Re-
publican party in this State, and
who are sincerely anxious for re-
form; but that they doubt the sim
cerity Of the declaration Of princi-
pies contained in our platform, and
ieel an apprehension, that il the
Democrats and Conservatives get
into power, the rights Of colored
people will be. in some way, de-
stroyed or abridged.
l have similar reports from other
parts Of the State, coupled also with
the Information, that the reason
given for this distrust Of the whole
people, is the alleged injustice Of
The legislation of 1865 in reference
to freedmen.
Gen. George conclusively shows
that this Legislation Of 1865 was q
natural result Of the country after
the close Of the war and the freeing
of the slaves, that men was high In
power in the Republican party par
ticipa,ed and led in it. He warns
the colorcd people Of the impolicy
Of being governed in their action
by past issues and prejudices that
the north has already become
Democratic. that their future is
therefore in a great measure in the
keeping Of that party. Hence the
necessity of amity and co-opera-
tion.
"The late war, while II engen-
dcred bitter animositics between
the whites Of the North and South,
also removed the cause Of any Sec
tional difference between them In
future. The bitterness engendered
BY the war Is fast disappearing,
and he is blind, indeed, who can
not see that the tendency Of the
times is to fraternizatiOn between
the North and South, and complete
oblivion Of the past"
The plea that the whites are not
to be trusted, because Of the Legis-
Dation of 1865, will not be received
rs a good one. The answer to 1t
will be found in the legislation Of
the Northern States themselves, in
the action of the U. 8. Congress
and Executive, preparatory to
emancipation during the late war,
and in The examaple ofGreat Brit.
tian when she abolished slavery In
The West Indies.
A short review OF this legislation
will be well; for 1t will be found
after all, that the legislation Of 1865,
has In most Of its provisions, its
In the legislation Of the
States, and taken all to-
rether, was more moderate In its
securing greater and
more substantial right to the freed
men, and that. ut shorter period,
han the legislation Attending
emancipation In any other coan.
Try.
1t Is complained that the whites
II Mississippi did not at once allow
he freedmen to hold estate, and
hat each one was required to have
! home or employment by lst day
" January 1866.
III New Jersey, Pennsylvania,
Connecticut aud Rhode Island,
when they were set free, they were
not allowed the privilege Of select
Ing homes at all. They were re-
luired to remain with their old
and serve without pay
hose already born when emanci-
patton took place. for life, and those
born afterwards, from twenty-one
10 twenty-eight year.
And finally, after many years
experience with this class of peo-
pie, Indiana and Illinois, by con-
.titutional provision, prohibited
lhe removing to and settling with
In their borders of free negroes
and mulattos, on any terms what
ever.
In Indiana, Illinois. Iowa and
Kansas, negroes and muIattos
were not allowed to testify in any
case in which a white person was
interested, although free negroes
and mulattos were also interested.
In all the New England States
such qualifications were required,
and such u mode of selection adop-
ted, as almost necessarily excluded
all negroes from juries. In Penn
svlvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois,
Wisconsin, Minnesota, Nebraska
and Kansas, free negroes and mu-
latt0s were expressly excluded
from jury service, and in all others
they were practically so excluded.
As late as the 9th of March,
1865, (the very year in which this
legislation was had) Indiana re.
enacted q provision that school
taxes should only be collected
from whites. and only white chill
dren should go to the public
schools; and in Illinois the school
tax was to be divided between the
whites and blacks, by giving to
each race what that race paid.
Which, considering the poverty
and small number of the blacks,
was an eifectual exclusion of that
race from the benefits of educa.
tion. In Nebraska the common
schools were for whites only till
1869.
In Rhode Island, Connecticut.
Pennsylvania, New Jer.
sey, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois. Iowa,
Michigan, Wisconsin. Oregon,
Nebraska, Nevada, Kansas, free
negroes and muiattOs were proh;h.