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![handle is hein.slavery/ssactsfl0249 and id is 1 raw text is: LAWS OF FLORIDA. 31
.1865.
CmtP'TEr 1,469.-[NO. 6.]
AN ACT to establish and enforce the Marriage Relation between Persons
of Color.
SEcrTio 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of lBepre-
entativea qf'the State qf Ylorita in General Assenb y convened,
That it shall b required of all the colored inhabitants of this equoredorsn
State, claiming to be living together in the relation of husband regularly mar-
,nd wife, and who have not been joined as such, agreeably to the ied.
s regulating the sainei and who shall mutually desire to con-
tinue in that relation, within 'nine months from the passage
of this act, to appear before somo person legally authorized to
jerform the marriage ceremony, and be regularly joined in the
holy bonds of matrinony. And it' any such person, either male Punishment for
or female, after the expiration of the tinm limited in this act, fornication and
shall be ibund cohabiting as husband and wit, and who have
ot been so joined together, they and each of them shall be
leooned to be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction, shall
be subjected to the pains and penalties prescribed by the statute
r the punishment of fornication and adultery.
Suc. 2. Be it/ftrther enacted, That the issue of such prior co- Children legiti-
habitation shall be legitimated by the act of marriage so regular- mated.
ly contracted as aforesaid, and be thenceforth entitled to all the
,ights and privileges of a legitimate offspring.
Sue. 3. Bre it iurt/ter enacted, That fbr the purpose of perpet- Certiflcatuo of
nating the evidence of such marriages as .may take place under recorded.
the provisions of this act, it sh1all ho the duty of the Clerk of the
Circuit Court of the county in which tile ceremony may have
been performed, upon application of the parties, and a tender of
his legal fees, to enter the certificate of marriage upon the regis-
-ter of marriage licenses in his office.
- Sie. 4. Be it further enacted, That if any person shall prac- Persons impo.
tice a fraud upon .any persols of color, by illegally assumin g to sing uopon per
perform the marriage ceremoniy for them, he or they, their ad ers
and abettors shall be deemed to be guilty of a misdemeanor, and
upon conviction shall be fined ini a sum not exceeding one thous-
and dollars, or be imprisoned for a tersi not exceeding six months,
or be made to stand in the pillory not exceeding one hour, at the
discretion of the jury.
SEC. 5. Be itfcrther enacted, That from and after the expira. Marrlago laws
tion of the time limited in the first section of this act, all laws ap- mgcenerally
plicable to or regulating the marriage relation between white* p .
persons, shall be deemed to apply to the same relation between
the colored population of the State.
Passed the House of Representatives January 8, 1800. Passed the Sen-
ate, January 8, 1800. Approved by the Governor, January 11, 1860.](ViewImageLocal?handle=hein.slavery/ssactsfl0249&div=1&collection=&method=preview&ext=.png&size=3)