The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1865-09-26
THE FREEDMEN.
ENFIELD, N. c., Sept. IS, 1856

| Mr.. Editor I'm your editorial of Saturday
last, notice an allusion to my recent effort to
secure colored laborers on. my farm in Edge
combe county. | beg leave to state more fully
the nature Of the contract and the result.
| hired these freedmen for this year and the
next, at the rate of seven dollars per month, the
remainder of this year, and ten dollars per month
| for the next year, and rations furnished. This
price was given for the able bodied men the
women and boys at lower prices in proportion to
| their ability to work.
A contract was drawn up, in which the re-
quiremehts Of each party were fully set FORTH
and this contract was signed by each freedman
and freedwoman, and witnessed and approved
| by COL Whittlesey and his Adult A. General,
| Lieut.. Beecher. Every requirement Of the con-
tract was fully explained to them by Colonel
Whittlesey, and they were strictly enjoined by
him that they must observe good faith, and
abide by the contract.
drought to MY farm about seventy-two hands,
besides the children and others unable to work.
About fifteen of the men left within the first
week, all Of them carrying their rations and 60
ing off generally in the night. They have been
| leaving in squads since, and now there remain
only about thirty working hands. They ignore
the contract, and say that they have no idea of
remaining any longer than Christmas.
OuGreU TO DQllQ tnem q SCHOOL mousse duu leI
them send their children to school, but they
manifest no interest in it, and I have abandoned
| the idea. While some that | hired are good
hands and work cheerluly, the majority do not
like to work and evade it in every possible way
| My experience leads me to the conclusion that
those who try TO cultivate farms With freed
blacks will have, for the present, many difficult
| ties to contend with 1t is to be hoped that a
! short time will serve to convince them of the
propriety of becoming willing cultivators Of the
SOIL
am glad to state that received all the aid
and encouragement from Col. Whittlesey and
his officers that could desire, and he has since
assured the freedmen that hired, that they
need not expect to get any assistance if they
came back to Raleigh, until their contract was
fulfilled | hope yet through his aid, to COM
pei them to regard their contract for the next
year. Very Respectfully,
F. w. GARRETT.
We are obliged to Colonel Garrett for the
above statement. Our planters need all the in
formation they can obtain on the subject. All
would rejoice if our freedmen would determine
to 60 70 work regularly and Systematically on the
lands Of the South. If they will not white
must be fatal to the colored race.-Rdletgh
Sentinel.
JEFF DAVIS The Norfolk Post of Friday
| says:
Jefferson Davis was yes erday transferred from
his casemate prison to a saom ia Carroll Hall, In
Fortress Monroe. TIE change was made neces-
sary, owing TO the declining Health Of the late
President Carroll Hall is, perhaps, the most
comfortable buildingin the fort, and instead Of
being limited to portfolio view of the world,
Mr. Davis will now be enabled to survey the en-
tire parade ground from his prison window.
| DOUBTFUL-The London correspondent of
the New York Herald reports considerable dis
cusson in English political circles, in conse-
quence of report that England intends to form
a secret alliance with France. in the event of
American troops crossing the Rio Grande to en-
force the Monroe doctrine. The recent inter
change of compliments between the two nations
on the occasion of the great naval fetes at Ply
mouth and Cherbourg, is regarded as significant
in this connection, and according to the notions
of the uerald's correspondent, 'give an air Of
reliability to the rumor Of the Anglo French
alliance, ana the more SO when it is remembered
that nothing would. please England more than
the speedy prospect of war between the United
States and France"