The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-02-27
Gen. BankS'S Proposed New System
of Employing Slave Labor.
Negroes to be Compelled to Work
for Wages.

for Wages.
The New York Worldpublishes letter
from its New Orleans correspondent, dated
February 8, from which we make the fol-
lowing interesting extract:-
You have already received and published
General Banks's order (No -, Jan. 20)
promulgating the emancipation proclama-
ton of the President. The text both Of
the order and the proclamation is liable to
such construction as men of widely differ
ent opinions may put upon it. A loyal
planter in the exempted districts will ma
turally suppose that the proclamation guar
antees to him the protection of his proper
ty in slaves. At the same time he is
sneeringly informed by one of the local
daily papers that if he supposes General
Banks was sent here to catch runaway
niggers, he has only to read Order No.
IL and he will find himself mistaken.
Now "No. IL" says that the proclama-
ton "designates portions of the State OF
Louisiana which are not to be affected by
it's provisions. 1t certainly does so. But
laws of the United States, however, forbid
officers of the army and navy to return
slaves to their owners, or to decide upon
the claim of any person to the service or
labor of another" In other words, while
the proclamation expressly declares certain
districts "not to be affected by its provis-
ions, ""the la,cs Of The United States" for
bid the only officers now in authority in
the "not affected" parishes to enforce the
State and police regulations with regard to
the return of runaways.
Within the past week thirty-one loyal
planters, principally from the parishes of
Lafourche and Terre Bonnie, have held
three informal but private meetings at the
St. Charles, for the purpose of presenting
their views to the G commanding General,
and of endeavoring to ascertain from him
the exact course to pursue under the proc
lamation and the PRONUNCIATION ORDER
General Banks gladly availed himself of
this favorable opportunity to communicate
with the planters his plan for the inaugu-
ration of a proposed new system of labor
on plantations. 1t is unnecessary to
report the entire proceedings of the
planters meetings; but after much discus
sion as to what the General required, and
what the planters should demand, the fol-
lowing proposition was submitted to the
meeting:-
DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF.
HEAD'QRs, U. 8. SEQUEsTRATION COMMIsN.(
New ORLEANS, Feb. 5, 1868. {
The officers of the Government will IN
duce The slaces to return to the plantations
where they belong, with their families, and
when returned will require them, and those
remaining upon the plantations, to work
diligently and faithfully on the plantations
for one year, to maintain respectful de-
pertinent to their employers, and perfect
subordination to their duties, upon condi-
ton that the planters or other employers,
will feed, clothe, and treat them properly,
and give to them at the end of the year
one-twentieth Q-2O part of the years
crop, or a fixed monthly compensation in
cases where it may be more convenient,
as follows:
Mechanics, sugar makers, drivers, &c. IS 90 each
Able bodied field men. ..............20
Able bodied field women, house ser g
wants, nurses, &C.. II 90
The proportion reserved for the slaves
shall be divided into shares, and distribute
ed according to the value of their labor as
follows:
Mechanic, sugar makers, drivers,
&c. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. shares each.
Able bodied field men, .2 6
Able bodied field women, house
servants, nurses, &c.
All negroes not otherwise employed will
be required to labor upon the public works,
and no person capable of labor will be
supported at the public expense in idleness
(Signed) E. G. BECKWORTH,
Pres't Sequestration Commission
This was submitted to the planters fol
their acceptance, and the following form
was attached to the circular for signatures
"The undersigned hereby accept the ar.
rangement above proposed, and agree to
carry it out, on their part, for one year
from the date hereof, it being distinctly
understood that the crop referred to means
the commercial crop, and the acceptance
OF this contract does not imply the sur.
render of any right Of property in the
slave or other right of the owner"
The planters in council adopted resO
luton that the proposition should be SEN
as circular to all the planters in the ex
empted district for their signatures to the
clause of acceptance.
Accordingly, Gen. Banks issued the fol
lowing, which is to be sent to all the dis
trict provost marshals and provost judges
who will present both papers to the plant
ers: ffa n 4
.ae ID tCircuar) zs..-. d I'D.
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF,)
OFFICE OF THE SEQUEsrRIAN COMMISSION,
February 6th 1868. J.
In accordance with the agreement be