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Condition of the Freedmen

The Asst. Comr. has labored assiduously to promote the interests of the Freedmen, and to secure to them the benefits and rights of Freemen. He has sought to accomplish this end thro the action of the State convention and Legislature by inducing a liberal policy in the enactment of the laws

The evidence of colored witnesses is admitted in the State courts when either party to the suit or offence charged is a freedman, but beyond this there has been little or no legislation for the colored people, the course of the executive department of the State toward them has been kind and liberal As in other States their treatment before courts of inferior jurisdiction depends very much upon the disposition and temper of the magistrate into whose hands they fall. In some portions of the state, bitter hostility is manifested towards them, and little regard for their rights evinced on the part of the white citizens

In some of the larger towns they are subjected to petty annoyances by surbordinate officials in the execution of municipal ordinances as an example one of the city ordinances of the city of Selma provides for the arrest of females found on the streets after nine oclock in