The loyal Georgian., 1866-01-27
THE LABOR QUESTION.

4
This is the great and all absorbing
question, which DOW agitates the South
ern mind Shall the South be prosperous
again, and will the freedmen work? are
questions which are often asked. We
answer, yesl the South will prosper
again, and the freedmen will work, if the
right spirit prevails, and they are fairly
treated. They have been practically
free since May, but large number have
received no compensation for the labor
performed since that time, and very few
have received fair compensation. Hun
dreds were poorly fed and clothed, and
have been turned out upon the world
almost naked, and with hardly food
enough to prevent starvation, because
they refuse to make contracts this year
for insufficient wages.
TLis assertion may be denied, but we
are prepared tc prove it, and any person
who desires to hear the testimony, may
60 at any time to the Office Of the Freed
mems Bureau in this city, and he will
hear enough to satisfy any reasonable
man. M u
Mr.. Davis, Agent of the Freedmen's
Bureau, for Richmond county, has, with>
in few days, collected for the FreedsI
men on one plantation eighteen hat'adred
dollars. Daily large numbers toaf0ffSe91dae Il ffe9de1
men appear before his Court and COM
plain that their employers have refused
to pay the money due for work performed
last year.
In EdgeGeld District, South Carolina,
the condition of the freedpeople is heart
rending They arc not only in many
cases driven from the plantation without
pay, but no Court has been established, ).
that will give them justice, and they are
unable to collect the money due them for
LABOR, performed since they were free.
Scores of these poor creatures came daily
to the Office of the Freedmen's Bureau
in this city, and complain of the treat
ment received, but, painful as it is, no
assistance can be given, because the iuris
diction Of the Assistant Commissioner
for Georgia does not extend beyond the
limits of this State.
The officer in command ait Hamburg,
not only failes to give justice to these
people, but he actually took from a poor
colored mana discharged soldier--the
wagon used to move sick freedmen to the
hospital, and sold it for the petty sum Of
.foe dollars; knowing that it belonged to
the colored man; and refused to restore
the property, until Captain Bryant,
Agent Of the Freedmen's Bureau, threat
ened to report him to his superior.
These people are asked to contract for
FIVE dollars per month and even less, and,
because they refuse, are. turned off, not
knowing where to go, and, rather than
starve, do contract for the sum mention
ed. Can reasonable men expect freed
men to work faithfully when they receive
such treatment.
We are pleased to inform our readers
that many of the best men in this State,
and South Carolina, not only themselves
treat the freedmen fairly, but give them
good advice.
A colored man recently came to the
Ofiae of General Tillson, Assistant Com
missioner of Freedmen's Bureau, in this
city, and after listening to the advice
given by the General, Informed him that
Hon. A. q. Stevens had given him simi-
ar advice, and invited him to call at any
ime, and he would willingly tell him
What his rights were and what was for
lis interest. His former master bad
ffered him eight dollars per month, but a