An 1850 California law on Native Americans gives terms of indenture.

Date
1850
Type
Government Document
Source
California State Legislature
Non-LDS
Hearsay
Scribed Verbatim
Reprint
Reference

"And Act for the Government of Indians," The Statutes of California Passed at the First Session of the Legislature (San Jose: J. Winchester, 1850), 408-410

Scribe/Publisher
J. Winchester
People
California State Legislature
Audience
Reading Public
PDF
PDF
PDF
Transcription

When an Indian is convicted of an offence before a Justice of the Peace punishable by fine, any white person many, by consent of the Justice, give bond for said Indian, conditioned for the payment of said fine and costs, and in such case the Indian shall be compelled to work for the person so bailing until he has discharged or cancelled the fine assessed against him: Provided, the person bailing shall treat the Indian humanely, and clothe and fee him properly: the allowance for such labor shall be fixed by the Court, when the bond is taken.

...

Any Indian able to work and support himself in some honest calling, not having wherewithal to maintain himself, who shall be found loitering and strolling about, or frequenting public places where liquors are sold, begging, or leading an immoral of profligate course of life, shall be liable to be arrested on the complaint of any resident citizen of the county, and brought before any Justice of the Peace of the proper county, May or Recorder of any incorporated town or city, who shall examine said accused Indian, and hear testimony in relation thereto, and if said Justice, Mayor, or Recorder shall be satisfied that he is a vagrant, as above set forth, he shall make out a warrant under his hand and seal, authorizing and requiring the officer having him in charge or custody, to hire out such vagrant within twenty-four hours to the best bidder, by public notice given as he shall direct, for the highest price that can be had, for any term not exceeding four months; and such vagrant shall be subject to and governed by the provisions of this Act, regulating guardians and minors, during the time which he has been so hired. The money received for his hire, shall, after decuting the costs, and the necessary expense for clothing for said Indian, which may have been purchased by his employer, be, if he be without a family, paid into the County Treasury, to the credit of the Indian fund. But if have a family, the same shall be appropriated for their use and benefit: Provided, that any such vagrant, when arrested, and before judgment, may relieve himself by giving to such Justice, Mayor, or Recorder, a bond, with good security, conditioned that he will, for the next twelve months, conduct himself with good behavior, and betake to some honest employment for support.

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