Florida it was decreed that no Negro could own,
use or keep any bowie-knife, dirk, sword, firearms or ammunition of any kind’ without a license
from the Judge of Probate. In South Carolina
the Legislature declared that ‘no person of color
shall pursue the practice of art, trade or business
of an artisan, mechanic or shopkeeper or any other
trade or employment besides that of husbandry or
that of servant under contract for labor until he
shall have obtained a license from the Judge of the
District Court. Mississippi required that ‘if a
laborer shall quit the service of the employer before the expiration of his term of service without
just cause, he shall forfeit his wages for that year.
Louisiana said that ‘every adult freed man or
woman shall furnish themselves with a comfortable home and visible means of support within
twenty days after the passage of this act’ and that
any failing to do so should ‘be immediately
arrested’, delivered to the court and ‘hired out’ by
public advertisement, to some citizen, being the
highest bidder, for the remainder year.”[1]
These Codes were not reassuring to the friends of freedom. To be sure it was not a time to expect calm, cool, thoughtful action on the part of the South. Its economic condition was pitiable. Property in slaves to the extent perhaps of two
- ↑ Atlanta University Publications, Atlanta, Ga., 1901, No. 6, p. 36.
