From the Richmond Daily Dispatch July 17, 1863:
In Council of the city of Richmond,
July13th 1863.
The following Ordinance was passed by the Council and ordered to be published in the daily papers of the city twice a week until the first of August, for the information of all concerned.
A W Morton, Clerk Council.
An Ordinance Concerning free negroes, passed July 13th 1863.
1st. Be it ordained by the Council of the City of Richmond, That no free negro shall be permitted to come into the city of Richmond for the purpose of trading or for any other purpose, unless he shall first obtain from a justice of the peace of the county in which he resides a certificate of his good character and loyalty, and endorsed by the Mayor.
2nd. That the police officers, night watch, and clerks of the markets, shall arrest all free negroes without such certificates.
3d. Every free negro violating this ordinance shall be punished with stripes at the discretion of the Mayor.
4th. This ordinance shall take effect from the 1st day of August next.
A copy:
A W Morton,
Clerk Council.
From the same issue:
Making them Useful.
–Under the late ordnance of the city authorizing the Mayor to put to work on the batteries all free negroes found in Richmond contrary to law, several able-bodied fellows have been sent out under guard, and the police are looking up others who will be similarly employed. Free negroes from other counties, before they contract here, must get the certificate of a Justice of their county of their good character, and these certificates must be endorsed by the Mayor.
