New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-07-10
puosAcE ar TINE souTm.

we suppose IL is ndluIdl LndL piuHtOl WIN
has been accustomed to steal the whole labor OF
his slaves, should continue to steal a part OF 1t
when the whole is no longer at his mercy.
Hence the numerous cases OF oppression
constantly reported from the Southern States,
wherein the relations between the planter and
freedman have not been readjusted, need cause
no surprise, though they must cause indigna-
ton. Bat the following instance shows in
genuity. We copy the order which exposes it;
HDQRs NORTHERN DISTRICT, u. s.,
CHARLESTON. D. C.. june 81, le6J.
GENERAL ORDEfs No. b2.-lt has come 10 tho
knowledge of the District Commander that IN some OF
The contracts made between planters and freedmen
clause has been introduced establishing system Of
Deoadec-tho freedman binding himself 10 work
out any debt he may hereafter incur 70
his employer. All contracts made under
authority from these headquarters will be understood
as merely temporary arrangements to insure The cult
yation OF the ground for the present season. ANY con
tract made under the above authority winch contains
provisions tend Dgto DeOnage vii be considered NM
The officers having charge of contraots>wIl examine
them carefully, and when they are IA hd TO contain
such clause will notify tie planters that new CON
tracts must be male. IN when inc o'yee,'on-
able features will b. omitted Contracts VIII be
simply worded; while acknOW lodging the freedom or
the c0ored man. such expressions a. Jred ~ ne dcfs
Of ftc military forces Of f URffd States" VIII nor ne lr
miried The attempt to introduce anything into the
<0ntract which may have the ap earanee OF an mt
ton at future day TO contest the question OF the
emancipation OF the negroes. will be reported 10 the
commander of the subdistrict no Will examine inI9
the anecedents Of the person making the attempt and
report upon the case Ia district headquarters.
I,y commend Of BreVet Majo Gen. JOHN I. HATCH
LEoyAED b. 1EREY. Asst Adit. Gen.
Gen. Hatch has done well in inteIposing mill
itary authority between the planter and his in
tended victim, and will probably stop the
swinde in his district. So may similar author
itv elsewhere-if il il exercised. But in that y
lies one difficulty of the case. The Freedmen's
Bureau was organized to protect the blacks
against just such oppression, yet IN the present
case it is not the Bureau which applies the rem
edy. although It's most yigant and experienced
agent, Gen. Saxton, is in charge Of
this very district. Suppose some military
commander Of the old pro-Sayery type had
been in Gen. Hatch's place--how long might
not this peoHdge system have gone on Curl
ously enough, in New Mexico, where peonage
fourishes, the wages paid to the peon are - a
month-just the Virginia planters rate. The
civil law there eniorccs upon the servant the
working ont of the debt contracted TO the en-
poyer and it is a custom of the land proprietors
in all ways to entice servauts into needless
extravaganza, and, by selling them goods and
lending them money which thor future toll is
nortgagcd to repay, make their bondage per-
petual Should the States relapse under con-
troll Of negro-haling whites, and the planters
regain that political supremacy which they have
hitherto exercised. what security have The eman-
cipated blacks that they may not be entangled
in q system Ike that of Ncw-Meyicol The
peon cannot be sold as slave
which is all the Constitutional amendment
secures to the negro. State legislation, eS-
cusiyely in the hands of the old aristocracy
and of the poor whites. whom President John
son reckons among the recently emancpated
and who hate the negro as a class, cap easily
reduce him to Il condition no better, 70 say the
least, than that of the New MeXiean peon.
What is to prevent If the Freedmen Bureau,
then its organization must cover every county
of the reorganized States, and It's authority be
everywhere supported by military power. Nor
can any man lcresee how long it might bc
necessary for IFS control To De maintained.