Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1863-04-17
LATEST NEWS
By TELEGRAPH.
Friday, , O'Clock A. M.
From CaigO.

Below will bc found Gen. Thomas plan
for employing negroes on abandoned
plantations. lie SAYS he wishes 1t had
been month earlier, when the success
would have been complete. but oven yet
much may bc done:
ls'. The Government Of the United
States, III order 10 secure the safety of
commerce and navigation on the Missis
sissippi River, have determined to labor
on aud Inc It's banks with population
who viii protect Instead of destroy, as is
now done, the freedom OF commercial
intercourse on tins great inland sea
That this policy may ,hcmore speedily re-
ceive It's initiation, Geo. i. Field, Capt.
a. +. ShiekIc aud Rev. l. 5. Livcrmore
arc hereby appointed commissioners,
whose duty 1t shall be to supcrlntcnd the
letting of the plantations 10 persons of
proper character and qualified, to see
that the mutual Obligations between the
negroes and their employers or supern
tcndcnts shall be faithfully performed; to
ttend IN some measure 10 their moral
carry ont tho policy Of the Government
regarding negroes that are to be put to
agricultural pursuits.
"a. 1t being deemed the best policy as
far as possible, TO make employment and
subsistence for negroes,and tho matter 10
be left 10 private enterprise, plantations
vii! be placed in possession of such per
sons as tho commissioners shall deem OF
good character aud pccuniary RESPONSE
billly, and in lieu oil rent Ia, will be
collected upon the product Of the land,
payable 10 such agents At tho Treasury
Department shall designate, care being
taken to require, rs far as possible. the
Just rights OF employees employed. In
all cases tho negroes will be furnished
with enough clothing for comfort in ad
vance ot,hclr earnings, IN consequence oil
their present extreme dcstitutlon and
in no case will negroes be subjected 10
corporal punishment by the lash.
Sd. Upon entering iuto the occupancy
Of plantations. inspectors will take an in
vcntory Of all the property upon the
estate. Crops yet ungathcred will be
turned over To be gathered by tho lessee,
upon such terms AS shall secure to the
Government its fair share. While al
movable property, stock, grain, &C., will
be taken posscnslon OF by tho Govern
mcnt
4th. After the lessee shall haze taken
possession OF the plantation, AS many nc
grocs Of average quality shall be turned
over to him as nc may order, npou his
giving bonds to employ them until tue
is, ot December, 1864.
9th. If it shall be found impraclicable
in consequence OF TIE la,eucss OF the
season, TO iiud persons OF sufficient char
actcr and responsibility 10 give employ
ment to all negroes coming within the
lines Of the army, the commissioners may
appoint supcrintendcnts, under whose su
pcIyision the soil may bc cultivated fol
the exclusive bcnclit of the government,
or may have tie plantations worked upon
such terms as in their judgement shall be
best adopted to the welfare of the ne
grocs, taking care that in all plans adopt
ed the negroes shall be sclf-sustaining, and
not become a charge upon the govern
mcnt. The wages 10 be paid for labor
shall be as follows
For ablc-bodied men over 10 yc.r. Of
age, seven dollars per month for able
bodied women over | ) years OF age, five
dollars per mouth for children between
the ages of = and II, hali price /; chil
dren under Y years Of age shall not be
used ns field hands, and families must be
kept together when they SO desire.
Signcd L. T"oaAs.
Adj't General.