Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1863-04-24
'TELECRAP.HlC,
OFFICIAL REPORT OF THE EN-
a GAGEMENT on. NANSEMOND
.3 .' a,la t.,- RIVER. ,:.,a ,elee'q -7s .g
GOOD NEWS FROM NORTH CARO-
nj .'.s. -. -''. ys9 LIMA. II -. .a p, r'g 2.
Gen. Foster arrived at Newbern
Adj't. Gen. Thomas plan for en-
4 ploying Negroes on aban-
dOned plantations.
Our Government will protect the
Central American Transit Com
/ pany's Steamers. ..-

|
Central American Transit Com
& pany's Steamers.
| b.. 3, g-Ts7-ss CAIRO, April 16.
Below will be found Gen. Thomas plan 70
employing negroes on abandoned plantations
He says he wishes it had been done
month earlier, when their services woul,
have been complete, but even yet much ma,
yet be DONE o. ~t'.
| The Government of the United States ir
order to secure the safety of the commerce
and navigation on the Mississippi river, ha
dete, mined to locate on or near it's beach
loyal population, who will protect instead o
destroying, as now done, the freedom o
commercial intercourse of this great inlant
1sea. .,. -,
| That this policy may the more speedily re
Eceive its initiation, Geo. N. Field, Capt. A
E. Shickle and Rev. s. L. Livermore ar,
hereby appointed commissioners, whose duty
it shall be to superintend the letting of plan
tons to persons Of proper character and DUAL
| i6cations, and to see that the mutual obliga
tions between the negroes and their employ
ers or superintendents shall be faithfully per
IOAhCOy dilu " dttCHu AL SOIIlC u
their moral and intellectual wants, and gen
orally to carry out the policy of the Govern
ment regarding negroes that are to be put tc
agricultural pursuits. o,rra -ae.s. d 10 !
| I'd. 1t being deemed the best policy as far
as possible to make the employment and sub
sistance of the negroes, a matter to be left t.
private enterprise. Plantations will be placed
in possession of such persons as the commits
sioners may deem of good o character and
pecuniary circumstances, and in lieu of REM
a tax will be collected upon the products Of
the land, payable to such agents as the Treas
ury Department may designate, care being
taken to secure as far as possible the just
rights of the employee and employed. >, In
all cases the negroes will be furnished with
enough clothing for comfort in advance o.
their services in consequence of their present
extreme destltution, and in no case will ne
groes be subjected to corporeal punishment by
the lash or other cruel and unusual modes.
Sd. Upon entering into the occupancy o.
plantations inspectors will asset each panta-
ton and take an inventory of all property
upon the estate; crops yet ungathered will be
turned over to be gathered by the lessee,
upon such terms as shall secure to the Gov
ernment its fair share, while all movable
property, stock, grain, etc will be taken pos.
session of by Government, or sold to the les
see, if he so desires, at their approved value,
payable out of the proceeds of the plantation
in the fall; the appraisers to BE- appointed by
the commissioners, unless otherwise desig-
mated by the Government. - "'ies
4th. After helessee shall have taken pos.
session of the plantation, as many negroes Of
average quality as he may desire shall be
turned over to HIM upon the order of the COM
missioners, the lessee entering into bonds to
employ them until the 1st of February, 1864,
and to feed, ,clothe and treat humanely all the
negroes thus turned over, the clothing to be
deducted from their wages, and to be furn.
lshed at cost. as"a2 JI "r9 s'f!Yea 20 I
9th. If it shall be found impracticable,
in consequence of the lateness of the season,
to find persons of sufficient character and
responsibility to give employment to all the
negroes coming within the lines of the army,
the commissioners may appoint superinten.
dents under the above direction. The soil
may be cultivated for the exclusive benefit OF
the Government, or may have the plantations
worked upon such terms as in their judgment
shall be best adapted to the welfare of the
negroes, taking care that in all plans adopted
the negroes shall be self-sustaining and not
become charge upon the Government.
9th. The wages to be paid for labor shall
be as follows: For able bodied men over fif.
teen years of age, 81 per month; for able
bodied women over fifteen years of age, SIS
per month; children between the ages OF
twelve and fifteen, half price. Children un.
der twelve years of age shall not be used as
field hands; and families must be kept to.
gether when they desire it, The tax on the
product of the plantations, in lieu of rent,
shall be at the rate of 50 per bale, of 400 lbs.
Of cotton, and five cents per bushel on corn
and potatoes. f7o. 81 I'T.3 9.is ai34 g
7th. Whilst military protection will not
be guaranteed for the safety of persons en-
gagged in cultivating the soil, yet all troops
will be required to give protection where il
can be done without injury to the service,
and it is confidently believed that the mill
tary organization Of the negroes will afford all
the protection necessary. so..a,..-. -..r. ...
8th.. Commanders of the army will render
the commissioners such military assistance as
may be necessary without injury to the serv,
ice for the execution of their duty. The com
missieners will report their proceedings to the
Secretary of War every two weeks.
Given under my hand, at Milliken's Bend
Louisiana, April 10th, 1868, by authority
of instructions from the Secretary of War
b. [Signed] l. Thomas, Adj't. Gen'l.
..;h.t .s- ,f WASHINGTON, April 16.
The action of the Nicaraguan Government
in interfering with the Central American
Transit Company's steamers having been
brought to the attention of the proper au.
thorities here, it has been decided that there
has been violation of the contract on the part
of the company, and therefore under the
treaty existing between the two Governments
ample protection will be given in case of any
future interference by that Government.
| There are further reports of cavalry skir.
the enemy near Culpepper, but nothing to in
dicate any serious collision.
80 CAIRO, April 16.
| Nine persons were arrested here this eve
/ ming for wearing the copperhead badge. n-
A Mr. Welsh, who assisted Mr.. Thompson
in the arrest of deserters at Anna yesterday
while returning home last night be was pur
sued by the mob, shot, wounded and ther
beaten to death with stones. ., -
| 81. a 6 80 NEW YoRK, April II.
The Commercials Washington letter init
mates that the President is not pleased at tn,
elimination of six months preparations fol
the reduction of Charleston into two hours o
fighting, and it is no secret that the recon
noissance which accomplished so little is tt
be followed by a bona 6de attack, which is t.
continue as long as the iron-clads can fire
gun. q . q lsw .7eG q sf'..'-s1s ei.sl =
Another letter to the same paper says tina
diplomats have received an unofficial intima
ton that President Lincoln intends to hav
Charleston re occupied BY United States au
thorities. There is much comment at Wash
ington on Hunters remaining idle during tn
fight. 49, -; q -