Chap. 142.—An ACT to encourage Immigration, and protect Iumaigrant
Labor.

Passed March 2, 1866.

Whereas the recent radical change in the labor system of
the south has rendered the introduction of a new class of
laborers necessary: Therefore, to encourage and protect the
importation of persons for this purpose,

Be it enacted, That contracts for labor for a term of
service not exceeding two years, made in a foreign country,
shall be respected and entorced by the authorities of this
state, to the same extent and in the same manner as if made
within the state; and any such contract, made by any minor
of the age of sixteen years or older, if the assent of the
father, or if there be no father, the assent of the mother, or
if there be no father nor mother, the assent of the cuardian,
be given to such contract, and certified thereon, shall be
binding on said- minor as fully as if he or she were of full
age; and any such contract made by a married woman, the
assent of the husband being given and certified thereon, shall
be as binding‘on her as if she were a feme sole.

2. Be it further enacted, That all contracts, made as afore-

said, shall be in duplicate—the original in the vernacular lan-

guage of the immigrant; the duplicate in the English lan-
guage: which shall be recorded in the oflice of the county
court within forty days after the arrival of the said immi-
grant at the residence of his or her employer; and if not re-
corded within forty days, the employer shall not be entitled
to the benefit of the provisions of this act until the contract
shall be recorded.

8. Be it further enacted, That immigrants, under contracts
as aforesaid, shall have the right to apply to any justice of the
peace, who shall, on said erpilention require personal secu-
rity for the payment of waves; and any immigrant who,
without good and sufficient c: LuUse, being discharged from the
service of an employer, may recover from his or her em-
ployer, in addition to the amount due for past services,
damages not exceeding the wages for the unexpired term of
his or her contract.

4. Be it further enacted, That any immigrant. bound ‘by
contract as aforesaid, who shall, without wood and suflicient
cause, abandon or leave the service of his or her employer,
shall be liable to said employer for double the amount of
wages for the unexpired term of service; and any immigrant
who shall fail to enter the service of an employer agreeable
to contract, shall be liable in like manner and tor a like
amount; and the claim for all such liabilities shall be a lien
on all future wages of such immigrant, wherever earned, or
from whomsoever due, until the same be repaid: and any
person who shall employ any immigrant, or otherwise entice
any immigrant from his or her employer, in violation of the
contract of such immigrant, shall be deemed guilty of a mis-
demeanor, and on conviction thereof, shall be fined in a sum
not less than the amount of wages for the unexpired term of
the contract, and may be imprisoned, at the discretion of the
jury trying the case, for a period not longer than six months.

5. Be it further enacted, That any immigrant, who shall
abandon or leave the service of an employer without repay-
ing all passage money and all other advances, shall be deemed
guilty of a misdemeanor, and on conviction, fined in a sum
not more than double the amount of the wages for the un-
expired term of service, and imprisoned not longer than six
months, at the discretion of the jury trying the case.

6. Be it further enacted, That if any other state of the
United States has or shall pass an act of the same general
character of this, and for like purpose, and any immigrant,
under contract valid in such state, shall leave the service of
his or her employer without good and sufficient cause, the
employer shall have the same lien and the same rights and
remedies for the enforcement of the same as employers re-
siding within this state. ‘

7. Beit further enacted, That all the provisions of this
act shall extend and apply to all contracts made with immi-
grants after their arrival in the United States, as well as to
contracts made in a foreign country, for tw years after their
arrival in the United States.

8. This act shall be in force from its passage.

Chap. 142.—An ACT to encourage Immigration, and protect Iumaigrant
Labor.

Passed March 2, 1866.

Whereas the recent radical change in the labor system of
the south has rendered the introduction of a new class of
laborers necessary: Therefore, to encourage and protect the
importation of persons for this purpose,

Be it enacted, That contracts for labor for a term of
service not exceeding two years, made in a foreign country,
shall be respected and entorced by the authorities of this
state, to the same extent and in the same manner as if made
within the state; and any such contract, made by any minor
of the age of sixteen years or older, if the assent of the
father, or if there be no father, the assent of the mother, or
if there be no father nor mother, the assent of the cuardian,
be given to such contract, and certified thereon, shall be
binding on said- minor as fully as if he or she were of full
age; and any such contract made by a married woman, the
assent of the husband being given and certified thereon, shall
be as binding‘on her as if she were a feme sole.

2. Be it further enacted, That all contracts, made as afore-

said, shall be in duplicate—the original in the vernacular lan-

guage of the immigrant; the duplicate in the English lan-
guage: which shall be recorded in the oflice of the county
court within forty days after the arrival of the said immi-
grant at the residence of his or her employer; and if not re-
corded within forty days, the employer shall not be entitled
to the benefit of the provisions of this act until the contract
shall be recorded.

8. Be it further enacted, That immigrants, under contracts
as aforesaid, shall have the right to apply to any justice of the
peace, who shall, on said erpilention require personal secu-
rity for the payment of waves; and any immigrant who,
without good and sufficient c: LuUse, being discharged from the
service of an employer, may recover from his or her em-
ployer, in addition to the amount due for past services,
damages not exceeding the wages for the unexpired term of
his or her contract.

4. Be it further enacted, That any immigrant. bound ‘by
contract as aforesaid, who shall, without wood and suflicient
cause, abandon or leave the service of his or her employer,
shall be liable to said employer for double the amount of
wages for the unexpired term of service; and any immigrant
who shall fail to enter the service of an employer agreeable
to contract, shall be liable in like manner and tor a like
amount; and the claim for all such liabilities shall be a lien
on all future wages of such immigrant, wherever earned, or
from whomsoever due, until the same be repaid: and any
person who shall employ any immigrant, or otherwise entice
any immigrant from his or her employer, in violation of the
contract of such immigrant, shall be deemed guilty of a mis-
demeanor, and on conviction thereof, shall be fined in a sum
not less than the amount of wages for the unexpired term of
the contract, and may be imprisoned, at the discretion of the
jury trying the case, for a period not longer than six months.

5. Be it further enacted, That any immigrant, who shall
abandon or leave the service of an employer without repay-
ing all passage money and all other advances, shall be deemed
guilty of a misdemeanor, and on conviction, fined in a sum
not more than double the amount of the wages for the un-
expired term of service, and imprisoned not longer than six
months, at the discretion of the jury trying the case.

6. Be it further enacted, That if any other state of the
United States has or shall pass an act of the same general
character of this, and for like purpose, and any immigrant,
under contract valid in such state, shall leave the service of
his or her employer without good and sufficient cause, the
employer shall have the same lien and the same rights and
remedies for the enforcement of the same as employers re-
siding within this state. ‘

7. Beit further enacted, That all the provisions of this
act shall extend and apply to all contracts made with immi-
grants after their arrival in the United States, as well as to
contracts made in a foreign country, for tw years after their
arrival in the United States.

8. This act shall be in force from its passage.