The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1865-11-22

SHREVEPORT LOUISIANA, November II, 1865.
The following circular from the assistant commissioner
of the bureau of refugees freedmen and abandoned
lands for this State is rGpubshed aud will be carried
into effect IN the several parishes included i'll this dis
t.ict:
HEADQUARrEns BUREAU OF REFUGEES, FRkErurx
AND ABANDONED LANDS, STATE OF LOUISIANA,
New Orleans, Oct 81, 1865. J
l. The following instructions received at this Office
from major general O. O. Howard, the commissioner of
the bureau OF refugees freedmen and abandoned lands
will hereafter be put in force and carried in this
State:
WAR DEPARTMENT
BUREAU OF REFUGEES, Freedmen AND ABANDONED
LANDS Washington, D. G., Oct 4. 1865.
estate laws with regard to apprenticeship will be re-
cognised by this bureau provided thew make no dis
tincon of color; or in case they do the said laws an
plying to the white children viii be extended to the
colored,
Officers OF this bureau regarded as guardians Of
orphan minors Of freedmen within their respective dis
trcts
"yagran laws made for the free people, and now in
force, the statute books of the States embraced in
the operations of this bureau will be cognsed and
extended to the freedmen.
"The principle 10 be observed with regard 10 paupcrs
is that each county parish township city shall care
for and provide for 'ts own poor"
II. The agents Of this bureau may make, with good
and responsible persons agreements of apprenticeship
or service for the minor orphans of freedmen. But
they shall not have the power bind apprentice mi
whose parents living without the consent of
such parents These agreements or contracts must
provide that IN return for the services rendered by the
orphans apprenticed bound they shall receive
comfortable Clothing board, medical treatment when
sick, reasonable amount of schooling and permission
to attSpd church each Sabbath At the end of the
of apprenticeship or service, they shall be allowed
retain all of their articles of personal apparel All of
such contracts shall expire, for males when they are
eighteen and fer females when they fifteen ears of
age
When contracts or agreeents are made by the agents
of this bureau within the State of louisiana they must
be sent to the assistant Missioner al this office for
approval.
III. statute of this State requires certain civil Off
GERS to arrest persons accused of being vagFants and
1t is provided that if, upon examination such persons
found to come within the meaning of the word va
grant defined in said statute they shall then be i'm
prIsoned IN the parish allS fora period of six months
This law applies to the freedmen well the white
The complaint cannot be made that ii bears with
unequal severity upon those lately in slavery for the
law having been made when they were under the power
made TO apply only to whites and other free persons
Good and industrious freedmen viii have nothing to
fear from the execution of such law for they can
times obtain work and employment only vagabonds
and idlers will suffer.
Whenever freedmen have been arrested and convicted
Migrants, it shall be the duty of the provost marshal
other agents of this bureau request the civil a
thorties to transfer such person TO them, either when
convicted or after short imprisonment In case such
transfers made they shall aonce obtain for them
employment for the ensuing year, from good and re-
sponsible persons. The usual foras of contracts w
be made IN such cases.
BY order Of Brt. Brig. Gen. J. s. Fvttznrox:
Asst Com. Bureau of r. F. A. l. State of Louisiana
D. G. fESNo, 1st 1t. and \. A. A G.
Contracts of apprenticeship viii be made out in drl-
plicate of which copies viii be retained bv the off
Ger agent for file. The other accompanied bv full
statement OF the case IN relation to both parties win be
forwarded through this office the assistant commits
sloner, at New Orleans, for his approval.
d. II. REESE, LIST 1t. 4. s. f.