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![handle is hein.slavery/ssactsfl0250 and id is 1 raw text is: 82 LAWS OF FLORIDA'
1865.
CUAIMRn 1,470-[No. 7.]
ACT In reliation to Contracts of Persons of Color.
SEcTioN 1. Be it enacted b/ the Senate and tfouse of Repre-
Cbracts with sentatives of the State of _lorida in General Assembly convened,
edored persons That all contracts with persons of color shall be mado in writing
amoiting, and fully explained to them beforo two credible witnesses, which
contract shall be in duplicate, one copy to be retained by the
employer and the other filed with some judicial officer of the
State and county in which the parties may be residing at the
date of the contract, with the allidavit of one or both witnesses,
setting forth that the terms and effect of such contract were
fully explained to the colored person, and that he, she or they
had volhnmrily entered into and igncd the coitract, and no'
contract shall be of any validity against any person of colori un-
less so executed and filed : Provided, That contracts for service
or labor may be made for less time than thirty days by parol.
SEc. 2. AxN WmiinmPMs, It is essential to the wehlire and pros-
eronsorcolor perity of the entire popul.ation of the State that the agricultural
Wling or refti- interest be sustained and placed upon a permanent basis: It is
sing to fillfll
contrnct how therq e enacted, That when ay erson of' color shall enter into
a contract as aforesaid, to serve as a laborer for a year, or any
other specified term, on any firm or plantation in this State, if
he shall refuss or neglect to perfbrm the stipulations of his con-
tract by willful disobedience of orders, wanton impudence, or
disrespect to his employer or his authorized agent, fiilure or re-
fusal to perform the work assigned to him, idleness, or abandon-
ment of the premises or the employment of the party'with
whom the contract was made, he or she shall be liable, upon the
cornplait of his employer, or his agent, imade under oath before
any Justice of Peaeq of the county, to be arrested and tried be-
fore the criminal court of the county, and upon conviction shall
be subject to all the pains and penalties prescribed for the pun-
ishment of vagrancy: .Povided, That it shall be optional with
the employer to require that such laborer be remanded to his
servicei instead of being subjected to the punishment aforesaid :
Provided, further, That if it shall on such trial appear that the
complaint made is not well founded, the court shall dismiss such
complaint, and give judgment in ihvor of such liborer, against
the employer, for such sum as may appear to be due under the
contract, and for such damages as may be assessed by the jury.
Rmploee to be Sue. 3. Be it further enacted, That when any employee as
Jeetod from aforesaid shall be in the ocupancy of any house or room on the
e premises of the employer by virtue of his contract to labor, and
jolly t h con- hesallbe adjudged to have violated his contract; or when any](ViewImageLocal?handle=hein.slavery/ssactsfl0250&div=1&collection=&method=preview&ext=.png&size=3)