The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1863-12-04
Report from Adjuiant Genrral Tb1ma
on Fre"dom's Labor.
NATCnEz, Miss, Oct. rs. IS6s

NATCHEZ, MISS, Oct. 10, 1863
S1R:--I recently passed few days
at Goodrich's Landing, Louisiana,
ffty miles above Vicksburg, one of
my purposes being TO ascertain the
condition OF the leased plantations,
, to what extent tho cultivation of cot.
ton has been carried on, and especial
" to know whether the cultivation of
plantations could not be carried ON
: rs well ly liied frcemen as by slaves.
lie gathering Uf cotton is now I'm full
= operation. and II may hc TOO 4oou.to
, report fully on the result, but the
iaets IN my possession ute Sufficient
for q Judgment on the experiment.
, As previously reported, the season
. has advanced fully two months froa
the time the cotton should have been
planted, which was unavoidable, al
though the system was pvt in opera
ton rs soon after my coming to tbis
country as was possible The lessces.
therefore, lahored under great disad.
vantagcs in this respect. for most cf
them had just TO run the rurrow 10
plant seed aud then plant their corn.
rclying.on subsequent time 10 break
up the ground between The burrows
OF cotton, and eliminate the weeds.
froonq rro,, rG,;.i... g.. .,." '';s e'Io
di,td ror,., -. l.'ti'
i'''"''". "S't.'9G Nl'k5-
cn cnts IJit me oi Limitations, some
Wv III "ii' NlihoHt adequate protection,
WnTii V,i,,., 'nc reoeis made tlclr at,ock on
hii'iNeh hehd' when they were sig
,'l,4 ,I!1Sal' am n2adH re''i , - ''
ro,,,.,,os ,,I -. ~ ',',..S ",
e. r.Ia,, , - w., '',s ',..,'''' ~
,i,.,,, ,i.. -. ''.''' ~ u
Ioc,ro tSo toni. I'LL ''1'i'.'o 'r''l.9e,,,
ovh ;n,,,. ,"o l'',''''' -, '"''''' va 'o''IG'ou
,i, M, ,'',,'',,,' W. '.,o'.l'is.l'vt " "'N
tha oro,,,, r.a., ~ -, - S', nv.
~ o,ta. - 'io' " 80 .' ~ o"O
49, -. ..I.-, ~, "a'
,,,",,. ,,,' -. ~ III W
it; W - 7I.''' ''g v'l' "'',t9 ''V
a,,',i.5T,. '" su .i'. V .''"' "oth
strovod rror, ~ ono co., 80. .I'',li .'', lie ,
or i,o croTs G,i,i ,ai ~; ~ IN T,'tl'',''s ,,,
I;soIr,,'s,,-a, ,,ot - ~ r..,i.-', '''s''o
Iii i.,,, ~, .'ie
:, Tl,a,r .r.,t H.. ,ni'' ~ q i'tnoi
,,;+r, .,i - ',',, ,., 90 1'' a''t.'"1''
-. - -, .'''e. ,,,, -
~ 80, -, 'i,'wt''1' - i'S ''.u,
,i,. -. - 80, VIZ
,l',,, n,,' ,,,' 81 i.ry ~" ma n IS TtfL1t The
cotton thev hnyc raised ,o,. .t',cu,eol,.os
owing to better cultivation. ia Of a
Lipbcr Grade than that of tl.o wifi,
lessecs.
Some uc0rocs hove cult;votcl I,v
themselves and tbcir families will,
others have cmplovod tboir rel'o ov C,e,.
mon Tho fronIn,cn L,,., .,fl ,,.,,.i.,l
for WAGES. accordinr TO a scnlo tiyoI
uuou by the Hoard or Comrfssionare
and at hiphcr rate. | understand.
than wns adontcd In the Dcuartmont
of the Gulf. They have hon waII
and moro olurdontlv rol r..r tbo,,
were when held i'm slavery. School,
have been established on tho rlnuta.
tions, aud the lcssoes have the means
to cultivate thi. unfortunate racc -.
As n peneraI rule t,ov pre(pr vo.,.iro.
with Northern men. whom thcyr-oarj
rs their friends. to vorl,ino with
Southcrners. even tlieir for,no, own.
ers. and I hazard potiipg in ssvi,,
that the neG proceeds on :, r-,-rr,, Nv - :,
Nortlcrncr who has paid his hands
wages. will exceed that of q SoutG.
oruer who has cultivated bv slaves,
the number of 0.rgs leiug tlo emma
in both cases. Those cngloy,d have
thus been Of no expense 10 ile Gov.
crumput. but have supported ,hrm-
selves and families. 'ra-Y are per-
fcctly coutcd, and look forward with
hope to future elevation OF charac-
ter.
The eNporimcur, aGopicd hastily
and with many uisqivinqs, now re-
= gard rs q complete success. The
number of bales of ,ot,ou raised an
these plantations wiIluotm much. ifony.
fall short Of 5000 bales. ri,inl totIe
ne le.7'e' WlH also pay 10 the GUAR
lttma,'er department lof HH'c7 'nd