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4 3d. An act to amend the laws in relation to husband and wife. 4th. An set to amend the laws in relation to parent and child. 5th. An act to amend the laws in relation to guardian and ward. 6th An act to amend the laws in relation to master and servant. 7th. An act to amend the laws in relation to master and apprentice. 8th. An act to amend the law of contracts. 9th. An act to amend the law in relation to the estates of deceased persons. 10th. An act to amend the criminal law. 11th. An act in relation to the grant and regulation of licenses in certain cases. We are sensible that in presenting this system of laws, we may be subjected to the imputation of having done at once too little and too much; too little for those who are expecting an instant and speedy remedy for all the ills which the present crisis has brought upon us; too much for those whose prejudices have not yet yielded to the necessities of our situation. The mischiefs to be remedied are enormous, and there is more or less of an indefinite hope and expectation, that legislation will afford at once and with all certainty, the proper remedy. It is impossible that this hope can be gratified, this expectation realized. The results which are to ensure from such legislation, present a problem that can only be wrought out by experience. A prominent factor in the solution must therefore be time. We cannot expect that for this our distressed people will patiently wait, and more or less of disappointment must ensue. Prepared to accept this results, we shall not be mortified by intimations of feebleness, or imputations of failure, and shall be satisfied with the humble need of having honestly endeavored to do our part, and thereby contribute aid to those who are charged with the difficult duty of guarding the State and persons of color in our midst from the evils of sudden emancipation. EBEN'R. STARNES, L.E. BLECKLEY, WM. HOPE HULL, SAMUEL BARNETT. A SYSTEM OF LAWS, INTENDED TO CARRY INTO EFFECT THE FIFTH CLAUSE OF THE FIFTH SECTION OF THE SECOND ARTICLE, AND THE LATTER PART OF THE THIRD CLAUSE OF THE SECOND SECTION OF THE FOURTH ARTICLE OF THE CONSTITUTION. ARTICLE I. PRELIMINARY PROVISIONS. The General Assembly of the State of Georgia do enact as follows: 1. A Convention of this State having recognized the emancipation of slaves, and having declared that neither slavery, nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime, shall ever be established in this State, all statutes, regulations, and municipal enactments concerning slaves, are therefore now inapplicable to the circumstances and condition of our people. 2. The statutes, regulations, and municipal ordinances concerning free persons of color in our State, having been passed with more or less of relation to the existence of slavery among persons of color in this State, are also for reasons stated in the above section, now inapplicable to our circumstances and condition, and are repealed, except as to offences committed before the passage of this act. In these cases, the proceedings shall be regulated by the laws previously existing. Provided, That the tribunal, modes of proceeding and rules of evidence shall be the same as now by law provided, and the punishment shall be applied as the prisoner may elect, either under the former, or the present system of laws. If the prisoner refuse to elect, then the Court shall apply the milder punishment. 3. All free negroes, mulattoes, mestizoes, and the descendants of such having one-either of negro, or African blood in their veins, shall be known in this State as persons of color. Such persons shall have the right to acquire, own, and dispose of property, to enjoy the fruit of their
