The colored American., 1901-09-28
qHE GLoRIEs OF FREEDoM.
(UCLslnued from 1st psge.)

|
lar in each case, TO be paid, as this t.
atrOciOus law directed, by the master c
or mistress" To tighten the grasp or a
the owners nip on the minor, who was L
now STYLED an apprentice, II was en- {
acted in almost the precise phrase OF | c
the old slave code that whoever Shau
entice said apprentice from his master
or mistress, or furnish food or CLOTH |
ing 10 him or her, without said con- [
sent. shall be fined in sum not e1- )
ceeding $500
These laws were framed with ma
lfgnant cunning 50 as not 10 be limited
in specific form Of words to the Negro |
race. but they were exclusively con-
fined TO tlrat race in their execution
In Florida the laws reSembled those
of Alabama, but were perhaps more
severe in their penalties. The va
grant there might be hired out for
full u months, and the money arising
from his labor. in case the man had no |
wife and children. was directed TO be |
applied for the benefit Of the orphans |
and poor Of the county, although the |
Negro had been declared Yagrant De |
2-COL AMERICAN
cause he had no visible means Of sup
port and was therefore quite as much
i'm need Of the availS Of his labor as
those to whom the law diverted them.
Among the curious enactmentS OF
that State was one to establish and or
ganize a criminal court for each
county. empowered TO exercise juris-
diction in the trial and punishment OF
all OffpnSeS. where the punishment did
not effect the life Of the offender. 1t
is obvious that the law was originated
mainly for the punishment OF the Ne
grOes. and TO expedite its work IL was
enacted that ''in the proceedings OF
said court no preSentment, Indictment,
or written pleading shall be required.
but it shall be sufficient to put the
party accused upon his or her trial that
the offense and facts are plainly set
forth with reasonable certainty in the
warrant of arrest" 1t was further
provided that where fines were i'm
posed and the party was unable TO pay
them "the county commissioners may
hire out at public Outcry the said party
to any person who will take him or
her for the shortest time and pay the
fine imposed and the cost Of prOsecu-
ton" The fines thus paid went in the
county treasury for the general ex-
penses of the county. The law was
thus cunningly contrived to hurry the
Negro into an OdiOuS form of slavery,
and to make the earnings which came
from his hard labor pay the public eX-
penses, which were legitimatel!
chargeabIe upon the property Of the
county.
Accompanying the act establishing
this court was a law prescribing addi
tiOnal penalties for the commissions o.
Offenses against the State; and this
like the former, was framed especiall!
for the Negro. It's first section pro
vided that where punishment Of an OF
fense had hitherto been limited TO I'm
or Imprisonment, there should be 81
peradded, as an alternative, the pun
ishment of standing in the pillory 70
one hour, or whipping not exceedin
80 lashes on the bare back. The latte
punishment was reserved expressly 70
the Negro.
ANOTHER FLORIDA LAW.
"Any Negro attempting TO keep arm
of any kind was to be deemed guilty c
misdemeanor, compelled to fOrfe
the arms for the use Of the informe
stand the pillory' land be pelted b
the mob) "for one hour, and the
whipped with SO lashes on the bar
back" The same penalty was pr
scribed for any person Of color WI
shall intrude himself into any religion
or other public assembly Of white pc
sons, or into any railroad car or oth'
vehicle set apart for the accOmmod
ton of white persons"
In the laws of South Carolina q