Thibodaux minerva. [volume] (Thibodaux, La.) 18??-1858, 1855-06-30


From the Carolina Plan'er.
Mr. EDIToR-~Wheneyer employ Owe seer read to
him the rules Of plantation and give him understand
at once that he is TO be governed by them it part of
contract Those which rese particularly the Over
seers duty send you for publication. cannot help think
ing that if such rules generally adopted and enforced
This useful and necessary class OF would be improved
FRANKLIN.
RULES OF THE PLANTATION.
1s A good crop means one that is good, taking
into consideration every thing-ncgroes, land
mules, stock, fences, farming utensils. all Of which
must be kept up and improved in values-the eff
fort therefore must not be merely to make q given
number Of bales OF Cotton, but much as can be
made without inteFrupting the steady increase in
value of the rest of the property.
I'd. The Overseer will never be expected to
work in the field, but he must always be with the
hands when not otherwise engagedin his employers
business-and will be required to attend on occa-
sion to any pecuniary transaction connected with
his plantation.
Sd. The Overseer must never be absent single
night or entire day without permission previously
obtained. Whenever absent at church or elsewhere
he must be on the plantation by sun down without
fail.
4th. He must attend every night and morning
the stalls, and see that the mules are watered,
cleaned and fed, and the doors locked. He must
keep the stable key at night, and all the keys in a
safe place, and never allow any one to unlock crib
but himself He must also endeavor to be with
the plough hands at noon
9TH. The Overseer must visit every negro house
at daylight i'll the morning. and see that all out
Oace a week Or more he must visit them after horn
blow at night to see that all are i'll. Once week
he must visit every negro quarter at night. The
horn will be blown in winter at g. in summer at
O'Clock, after which no negro must be seen out Of
his house
9Th The Overseer will be expected not to de-
grade himself by charging any negro with carrying
news to the employer. There must be no news to
carry. The employer will not encourage tale bear
ing, but question any negro indiscriminately when
ever he thinks proper about all matters connected
with the plantation and require him to tell the
truth. Whenever he learns anything derogatory to
the Overseer he will Immediately communicate it
to him.
7th The Overseer must ride but one horse unless
he obtains permission to do otherwise. And as the
employers business will require his whole attention
he is expected to see but little company
9Th. He will be expected to obey strictly all in
structions of the employer His opinion is requested
on all questions relative to plantation matters
they arise, and will be treated with respect but
when not adopted he must cheerfuly and faithfully
carry into effect the views of the employer and with
sincere desire to produce successful result. He
must carry on all experiments with fidelity, and
note the results carefully, and he must when in
structed by the employer give fair trial to all new
methods of culture allf new implements of agricul
ture. u 4-
9th. The whole stock will be under the imme-
date charge of the 0verscer and he will attend to
them personally with the assistance Of any negro
he may choose from time to time. He must see
and feed every hog at least twice week, and salt
and count the cattle once month. The OEerseer
hahn Sl-,I
of anything going on that may concern Or inter-
est him.
10th. The negroes must be made to obey and to
work, which may be done by an Overseer who at
tends regularly to his business, with very little whip
ping; much whipping indicates bad tempered or
an inattentiye manager, and will not be allowed.
The Overseer must never on any occasion, unless
in sclfdefence kick negro or strike him with his
hand, OR stick, or the but end of his whip. No
unusual punishment must be resorted to without
the emsoyer's consent
18th. The sick must be treated with great tend
erness and visited at least three times day, and
at night if necessary. The greatest attention must
be paid to all the children, and they must be kept
clean, dry and warm by the nurse SickIy and
pregnant women must be INDUCED as much as cir
cumstanccs will allow, and never worked as much
as others. Suckers must be allowed time to suckle
children, and kept working as near the house as
possible. No lifting, spinning Or ploughing must be
required OF pregnant women.
18th. The use Of spirits is absolutely forbidden
On this plantation, unless when prescribed by ply
sician--not even Christmas dram is allowed the
negroes. Should the Overseer get drunk he must
expect to be Instantly discharged.
- 3th. The overseer is particularly enjoined to
keep the negroes as much as possible out OF the
rain and from all kinds of exposure, and to that
they make good fires in cold weather and after rains
l4th. The Overseer must not punish the driver,
except on some extraordinary emergency that.will
not allow Of delay until the employer is consulted
OF this rule the driver IL however, to be kept in
entire ignorance.
18th. 1t is distinctly understood in the agree
ment with every 0verseer, that whenever dissatis-
fed, he can quit the employers service, giving
one months notice in wiiting-and that the en-
poyer may discharge him at any time, by paying
him for his services up to that period, at the same
rate as he agreed to pay for the year. r.
Tue THUNDERER" ON THE MAINE LAw.-The
London Times, of June 1st, has leading article of
column in length in regard to the proposed in
PRODUCTION Of the Maine Law into England We
have room only for the following brief extracts:
Good intentions without judgement have occa-
stoned considerable mischief this and are likely
to pc the cause OF more, II We may Judge from the
report of the temperance meeting held the day
before yesterday at Exeter Hall. 1t is far from oar
thought to cast any ridcule upon the chief actors
in the scene. We give them credit for the purest
motives, however Quixotic may be the undertaking
in which they have engaged. This is nothing less
than the suppression throughout the United King
dom Of the sale of fermeated liquors in any shape.
They wish to introduce into these islands the pro-
visions of that measure which is known in the
United States Of North america as the g Maine
Liquor Law" Now, the attempt 70 fly ii the face
Of human nature on questions OF this kind is simply
idle 1t is one thing to introduce a slight modi-
fcaon in the sale Of intoxicating drinks and quite
another, to aim at total suppression Of it BY
prohibitory law.
There is a great improvement in English society
in regard to temperance. Thirty years ago gent
lemen habitually staggered heme from dinner par
ties in condition which would expose any of their
descendants to universal and well deserved con-.
tempt The improvent has pervaded more or less
all degrees Of society," although We are far from de-
nying that drunkenness is still the fruitful cause of
crime. The question only is how to deal with it?
1t is by a combination Of remedies, and not by any
single remedy, that the desirable result viii be OBJ
tanned. The idea Of dealing with bad habit by
endeavorng to remove the means Of its indulgence,