Viewing page 42 of 169

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

CIRCULAR L
OFFICE ASS'T COM. [[?]]
BUREAU REFUGEES, [[?]]

The following law is published for the [[?]] of the office of this bureau.
Objections exist to that provision of the [[?]] given the former owner of the freed children and [[?]] in apprenticing them, but if the provisions that proof shall be made that [[?]]  former [[?]] is [[available?]] for the purpose is continuously carried out; by the civil officers, it is believe this it will be [[?]] of no evil effect.
The officers of this Bureau are hereby [[?]] report to this office any case of injustice that may be [[?]] to Freed Children, under the provision above [[?]] in order that the Assistant Commisioner may [[?]] to correct the evil by reference to the proper authorities.
By order of
BREVET MAJ. GEN. WAGNER WAYNE
[[?]] Clark,
Brevet Col. and A. A. Gen

Sec. 1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Alabama, in general assembly convened That it shall be the duty of [[?]] for, justice of the peace, and other [[?]] several counties in this State, to report in the Probate Courts, of their respective counties at may [[?]] minors, under the age of eighteen years, within their respective counties, beats, or districts, who are orphaned without visible means of support, or without proper parents have not the means, or who refuse to provide for and support said minors, and thereupon, it shall be the duty of said Probate Court to apprentice said [[?]] some suitable or competent person, or seek [[?]] the Court may direct, having a particular case to the [[?]] of said minor; provided, if the said minor be the child of a freedman, the former owner of said minor shall [[?]] the preference, when proof shall be made that [[?]] shall be a suitable person for that purpose; and provided that the Judge of Probate shall make a record of all the proceedings in such cases, for which he shall be entitled to a compensation of one dollar to be paid by the mister or mistress.
SEC 2D. Be it further enacted, That where proof shall be fully made, before such Court, [[?]] persons to whom said minor shall be apprenticed [[?]] a suitable person to have the change and care of said minor, the said Court shall require the said master or mistress to execute bond, with security, to the State of Alabama, conditioned that he or she shall furnish said minor with sufficient food or clothing, to treat said minor humanely; furnish medical attendance, in care of said minor teach, or cause to be taught, him or her, to read and write, if under fifteen years old; and will conform to any law that may be hereafter passed for the regulation of the duties and reiation of master and apprentice.
SEC 3D. Be it further enacted; That; fix the [[?]] and control of said apprentices, said master or mistress shall have power to inflict such moderate corporeal chastisement as a father or guardian is allowed to inflict on his of her child or ward; at common [[?]] provided, that, in no case, shall cruel or inhuman punishment be inflicted.
SEC 4TH. Be it further enacted; That; if any apprentice shall leave the employment of his or her master or mistress, without his or her consent, said master or mistress may pursue and recapture said apprentice and [[?]] him or her before any justice of the peace, of the county, whose duty it shall be to remand said apprentice to the service of his or her master or mistress, and, in the event of a refusal on the part of said apprentice to return, then said justice shall commit said apprentice to the jail or said county on failure to give bonds until the next term of the Probate Court, and it shall be the duty of said Court, at the first term thereafter, to investigate said case, and, if the Court shall be of opinion that said apprentice left the employment of his or her master or mistress, without good cause, to order him or her to receive such punishment as may be provided by the vagrant laws which may be then in fore in this State, until he or she agrees to return to his or her master or mistress; provided that the Court may grant continuances, as in other cases, and provided, that if the Court shall believe that said apprentice had good cause to quit the employment of his