Year: 1865

An important bill fixing the condi-
ton of the freedmen and the colored
people in Tennessee, was adopted few
days ago in the lower branch Of the
Legislature. 1t consists of sixteen sec
tons, which embrace the following pro
visions:


The first establishes the relation of
matrimony among persons of color on
a legal basis, but forbids marriage be
tween a white person and a negro, mu-
latto, or person of mixed blood. The
second extends the laws of divorce to
colored persons The third declares
that the laws in force for the benefit Of
married women and children shall ap-
ply TO people of color provided that
colored children shall not be admitted
into the same public schools with white
children. The fourth section applies
the laws affecting the relations of guar
dian and ward to colored people. The
fifth and sixth sections provide that
the county courts may bind out the
children of free persons Of color
whether they be orphans or otherwise
and that they may be bound to white
persons. at the option of the court The
seventh section provides that no con-
tract between a white and a colored
person shall be binding unless it is
made in writing and witnessed by
white person. The eighth section, be-
sides making all crimes committed by
free persons of color capital in cases
where they would be capital if commit
ted by white persons, adds, that rape
on a white woman, or an attempt at a
rape on white female under twelve
years of age, will be punished with
death by hanging The ninth section
declares that for all other crimes and
misdemeanors "free persons Of color
shall be tried in the same way and
punished to the same extent as white
persons; provided that they may be
witnesses in all cases against each 9th
er. Section tenth Furnishes vagrancy
in "free persons of color with impris-
onment, after conviction before a JUS
tice of the peace; and on failure to pay
the Jail fees the culprit may be hired
out to the highest bidder, after due no
tice. Section eleven Furnishes with fine
any housekeeper who shall harbor any
yagrant negro. The twelfth section APP
plies the poor laws affecting white peo-
pie to the 'free people of color" and
adds q proviso for the rendition to oth-
er counties and States of "the poor and
INDECENT" free persons of color. The
thirteenth section applies the laws of
hastardy TO free persons of color" The
fourteenth section requires that all
free persons of color, of age, shall i'm
mediately after the passage of the act
have their names registered in the Of
fee of the county court clerk, and re-
ceiye a certificate OF the fact The IF
teenth section requires free persons Of
color living together as man and wife
to come forward at once and be mar
ried according to law. The sixteenth
and last section declares that all laws
inconsistent with the provisions of this
act are hereby repealed


In every instance the tenn free col
ored person is used, as if the state of
slavery were still possible in Tennessee


We have strongly advocated the
cause Of the reorganized States, and
plead for their right to recognition,
and, as their well-wishers, we must
plainly say TO the Legislature and peo-
pie of Tennessee that, if they engrsft
this black code upon their statute law,
they viii infsllibly be disappointed in
their expectations of fesuming the in
dependent functions of State of the
Union during the next two years. The
Congress elect will be more exseting
than its predecessors on this question,
and win be more nearly unit in sen
timent- Waslangt0a Ciroucls