Discussões acerca da abolição: as possibilidades legais de ser liberto nos Campos de Lages/SC

Abstract

The present study analyses the legal possibilities of being a freedman in Lages fields, Santa Catarina, through the years of 1871 to 1888, based on three abolitionists laws from the last years of Brazilian Empire: Free Birth Law (also known as Rio Branco Law), Sexagenarian Law and Áurea Law (also known as Golden Law). The main questions that have directed the study are: how the elites from Lages, through the Legislative space, positioned themselves about the abolitionists legislations? Who were the freedman released in Lages by the Free Birth and Sexagenarian laws? How was that freedom granted by the Imperial laws? Based on these questions, the hypotheses constructed are: a) if there was any Negro's representation in the primary sources such as religious, social or legislative meetings; b) if the slavery society was elucidated (even between the lines) in the minutes of the City Council; if the rulers from Lages were discussing and debating the Imperial laws and what their positions were. The sources consulted were: Lages' City Council minutes, two volumes of the newspaper "O Lajeado": 1883 and 1887; legal documents referring to abolitionist legislation and freedman's list by the law. All these documents are located at Thiago de Castro Museum, in Lages city. Therefore, the study is organized as follow: the first chapter presents the history of Lages and discussions about abolition with journalistic sources and registration of councilors' meetings; in the second chapter, researching the data found in official documents and in the freedman record list, we were able to identify a society from Lages with a governmental, slavery and also liberating organization. In addition, we managed to name and tell a little of the history of these freedmen, giving them some visibility.