The colored Tennessean., 1865-10-14

/ WOAS lOIu tdldb IL WOulu uc WCll III LW'
good men could be found, one accept
able to the blacks and .he other to th
whites, who would work in connec
ton with the agent in drawing up ant
witnessing contracts, and in adiudicat
ing cases of minor Importance Col
Brown has acted upon this sugges
ton, and issued an order to his agents
in Virginia The citizens of Orange
and Louisa counties were afterwards
addressed by appointment at Cor
louisville, briefly, and Gen. Howard
returned to Richmond the same even
ing tuesday, The trip has thus fal
been very satisfactory, and it has
been ascertained that the condition Oh
the freed people is much better than
reports have indicated. Through the
counties of Appomattax, Amherst,
Nelson, Albemarle, Louisa, and Or
ange they are at work, although Il,
some cases getting but four or five
dollars a months. In many places,
however, ten dollars are freely given
for able-bodied men. There will be
little or no suffering among the blacks
during the coming winter in the dis
tricts enumerated, but more or less
along the line of the Danville Rail
road. No able bodied men or women
are supported by the Government,
and orphans are bound out to persons
approved by the agents Of the Bureau
as loyal and responsible. Only the
old and INDECENT are fed, and their
support will be thrown upon the able
bodied as soon as possible. o ~.
Col. Thomas reports from Vicks-
burg that the records of that part of
the State have been destroyed, and
the citizens are reluctant to tell the
truth about the property held by the
Bureau. There are 115 plantations
leased in Mississippi-57 by whites
and So by blacks; 136 in Louisiana
i by whites, % by blacks. These
embrace in Mississippi $1,000 acres
for the whites, 5000 for the blacks
n Louisiana, 1880 for the whites,
|, 800 forthe blacks. About one-half
If the lands leased to the whites were
because of the overflow of
he Mississippi, and the number of
4cres under cultivation cannot now
,e learned. The amount mentioned
> what was turned over by the leas-
ng agent Of the Treasury Depart
uont, plus Jile Ianu wnIcn Tne BLACKS |
re cultivating under the charge of |
he Bureau. No property has been
belled for confiscation in Mississip- |
j, and the uncertain policy of the |
government renders the occupation
f confiscable lands uncomfortable
nd hazardous. During August q, ,27S
'eedmen received Government ra-
ons, Of whom 600 will pay for what
ley receive. Only 4O7 refugees are
eported as receiving rations, but the
hole number is probably 1000. The
eptember returns are not expected
vary much from these. But little
ouble is reported between freedmen
I'd their employers. Contracts have
zen generally made, and for the most
lrt faithfully observed. Col. Thomas
'clares that the organization of the
ilitia has created greater panic
nong the freedmen than any action {
the Federal or late Confederate
thorities. He confidently antici-
ties collisions and thorough un-
ttling of the labor system. The
aspect for the blacks is compulsory a
DOR as soon as the Federal troops I
3 withdrawn and the white people !
operly armed 6
Gen. Swayne reports from Mont e
merry, Sept. 1S, that much trouble g
experienced from cases of freed $
men with large families of small Il
ldren. Some of them are widows, "
lers had their husbands sold from a.
m, and others still were deserted Q.
their husbands. The difficulty is "
st seriously felt where the planters et
pis small Some interest is per- "
vable.in the education of the freed TO
2, with here and there a practical an
rt in this direction. A company pl
'x-United States officers, with Gen. WI
Arthur at their head, have rented IS
10 acres of land near Selma for tly
ing cotton. Each plantation will Je
e a school A leading planter of asl
county has contracted oE
his employees to open a school, We
to furnish the materials and they sic
put up the house and pay the wa
her. Negotiations are now on ze1
with members of the State Con-
ion for the selection Of citizens but
gents of the Bureau. Of the as
linen 1924 received Government did
ms in August, and of white refu- me
3,712. Some cases have become Of
vn of persons with numbers of
lmen on their places between ont