Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1866-01-04
lcracrIAa, No. IL
E,eax Rcfseees, rresdmenandA Abandoned lands
OFFICE SuPERISTESDEsT FOR LINCOLN Co., 7.
Fayetteville, Tenn, Nov. 20, 1865.

Fayetteville. Tenn, Nov. 70, 1865.
The Superintendent makes
the following suggestions, and
adopts the annexed rules, for the
information Of employer and en-
ployee.
1. All contracts must be equita-
BILE, and complied with, both in
letter and in spirit, by employer
and employee.
2. No fixed rates of wages will
be prescribed, nor will any COM
munity or combination of people
be permitted to fix rates.
3. Wages will be secured by a
lien on the crops raised, or good
security, if the circumstances OF
the employer are such as to make
it doubtful of his ability to meet
the contract.
4. Parties can make any trade
that is satisfactory to themselves,
but advantage of the ignorance OF
the freed people must not be taken;
they must and shall have a rea-
sonable compensation for their la
Dor.
5. All contracts for next year,
or any part thereof, must be in
writing, approved, duplicated and
registered by the Agent. Blanks
will be furnished, and the contract
ing parties will be required to pay
the Superintendent for drawing a
duplicate contract, approving and
registering the same, when one
laborer is concerned, three dollars ;
and for each additional member of
the same family one dollar.
6. 1t is expected and required of
the freedmen that they work un-
der the directions of their employ
ers. They must be sober, indus
trious, faithful, cheerful, ever hav-
ing in view the interest of their
employers, and are not to leave
the plantation or place of work in
working hours without permission,
unless treated with cruelty. Pa
rents are responsible for their chill.
dren, and children for their aged
and helpless parents, and in ma
king contracts this must be taken
into consideration. In all cases
where the freedmen comply faith.
fully they shall have full justice
under the law.
Z. Many freedmen believe that
the Government will furnish them
forty acres of land. There is moi
a word of truth in this. If they
become owners of land they viii
have to buy and pay for the same:
Just as white men do.
s. In many instances lands will
be leased to freedmen for share
of the crop, or cash rent per acre;
such agreements should be made
in writing.
9. Persons who neglect or re
fuse to make written contracts fol
next year with the freed people
employed by them will be required
should any dispute arise as to com.
pensation, to pay the highest price
given for the same kind of labor
in their neighborhood or section of
country.
10. Aged and infrm freedmen
who have no means Of support
nor any relative to whom they can
rightfully look for the same, will
be provided for by the county au'
thorities.
IL. All disputes or controver'
sizes arising about contracts will
be tried and justice dispensed by
the Superintendent until the laws
of Tennessee are so amended that
justices of the peace can dispense
Justice under the laws of the State
II. 1t is expected and required
of all freedmen to procure homes:
enter into contracts, and comply
with the same. Lettering about
towns and country neighborhoods
without any visible means of ma
king an honest living will not be
tolerated. Such freedmen will be
arrested and punished for vagran-
cy.
Is. Orphans and abandoned mi
nor children viii be bound out un-
til they are of lawful age, in pur-
suance of the laws made and pro-
vided for such cases.
ALFRED BEARDEN,
Superintendent.