American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1851-1863, 1865-11-02
To the Freedmen of Louisiana.
BUREAU OF REFUGEES, FREEDMEN AND)
ABANDONED LANDS. STATE OF La,
New Orleans. Oct 90 1859

o New Orleans, Oct. go, 1855
It A change has been made in the offic
q of the Assistant Commissioner Of III
Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abar
doned L ands for the State of Louisiana
Mr.. Conway has been relieved. and
It have temporarily assumed the duties c
4 said office. Before progressing furthe
in my work, wish to address TO you tn
following plain words. The remarks wi
: perhaps, properly apply to but few. for
believe that nearly all Of you fully un
3 derstand the relation in which you stan'
: towards the Government and the whit
people; that you endeavor to observe tia
relation, and that you are. in the main
industrious, honest and frugal.
The Government has made you free
Uou can now work for such employers as
you may desire; you can control and use
your own wages, and you can sue and
obtain justice in the State Courts, as Other
free men did when you were in state O.
slavery. For what more can you ask
Slavery has passed away, and you are
now placed on trial. 1t is for you to
prove that you are able to take care OF
yourselves, and that you deserved to be
made free. In the abrupt change brought
about by the sudden passing away of
slavery, you required some assistance,
some power that would take care Of you
for the time, and that would properly d.
rect you in new path of life. Therefore.
The Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and
Abandoned Lands was established. But
you must not mistake the objects of this
Department 1t is not the intention Of
the officers of this Bureau to nurse and
pamper you, to feed and clothe you. or
to give you any privileges that other per-
sons do not enjoy; neither will you be
shielded or protected when you do wrong;
bat you will be placed in tide hands of the
military authority or in the civil court for
trial. The object of the Bureau was
merely to protect you when you were de
barred from the benefits of the law, and
to teach you how to live and labor as free
men. You cannot always have this help
which generous government has offered
you. Soon II will be withdrawn. and if
you cannot then live without it, you do
not deserve 10 be free.
You are now working for yourselves.
and you have every inducement to be in
dustrious and frugal, faithful TO your EN-
ployers, and honest. By SO doing. you
will soon gain The confidence of the com
munity. and all men will respect you and
treat you fairly and kindly. You must
now try and lay byas much Of your wages
AS possible, and thus soon become able to
buy land establish yourselves in business.
and then, when old age comes you will
have the means to live in peace and com
fort. You must remember that you have
no masters now to take care of you in
sickness and in old age.
Some Of you have the mistaken notion
that freedom means liber to be idle
This is great mistake There is work
for every. person in this country, and |
idlers and Migrants will not be tolerated |
Those OF you who have gone to the cities
and cannot get work TO do must leave them
and 60 back to the plantations. where ali
can be employed. Do not lear that you
will not be paid for your labor, for the
law will protect you. The planters will
give you good wages, and your work
will be OF benefit both to them and your.
selves. There is no way for you to live
but by hard work. believe, now that
you are free, you will work better than
ever; but if you do not work of your own
accord. or if the law cannot compel you
to work, then you must leave the coun.
tIy, and the good opportunities that you
now have of gaining living and making
yourselves Independent, will be given TO
more deserving persons. advise you
all to return 10 your old plantations
W here you have been kindly treated, for
here you are known. and there you can
get better wages. You must not suppose
hat your former masters have become
your enemies because you are free ! All
good men among them will properly lee
ognize your relations toward them as
'ree laborers, and you can gain the con-
idence and good will Of all others by be-
ng industrious and faithful. and by living
Up to your contracts. Neither fear that
you will lose your freedom; for your for
ner masters acknowledge it, and it will
,e defended by the Government.
This thing you must learn above all
'thers-a contract must be sacredly OBJ
erved. If you engage TO work, and
hen, through no fault on the part of -FOUR
mployer, you do not do SO, or cease to
york after having commenced, or do not
work well, your employers will lose all
on6dence in you; they will not then be
bliged to pay you your wages. and you
vii not again be hired. In the absence
{ civil law regulating agreements be-
ween the whites and yourselves. con-
racts for hire have been made for you
y the agents Of this Bureau and by mill
sry officers. For the present your wag-
5 are secured by lien ON the crops !