THE PEOPLE AND THEIR PEACE: Legal culture in the post-revolutionary south
Third annual society of the Cincinnati lecture

Legal culture in post-revolutionary period,
1835 – Problems in behaviors between man and woman as physical abuse, physical violence not only man and woman, husbands and wife, but also parents and children, masters and slaves, friends neighbors and kin.
Problematic sexual relationships such as adultery, bigamy, prostitution,
Local court

Speaker Professor Laura Edwards
Book The people and their peace Examines how southern win the peace after war/finding identity amongst themselves Social disorder
Legal culture in the post revolutionary people
Jameson family – south Carolina (case with woman vs husband for physical abuse) Other cases with wife beating, parents/children, slaves

Restoration of the peace by officials Concept of peace
Local law vs state law - they differed. Local courts didn’t completely follow state law because they have totally different jurisdiction than that of state. Not an oversight – part of the early plan.
Local courts were “guided” toward the concept of peace.
Duties were not clear for local, state, and national – emphasized the distinction of law

Where does the law start? Where is the law ? – local had vast power compared to state and national
1780-1830s
Law changed over time *
State house before Capitol -- it’s unassuming The local courts/state houses were not important, very unassuming (not unlike others) not isolated

*development of law – growing into what we see today
Early court houses began to look similar – message was to locate the law … put in a place to define the law

Concept of law that extends into people’s life – concept of peace All matters that involved everything not including property
Local courts use to deal with what state and national courts deal with nowadays