The New York herald., 1866-07-09
SOUTHERN LABOR.
The Freedmen's Bureau Com
missioners in Mississippi.
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THE LABOR QUESTION AT TIE SOUTH.
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Evils and Iniquities OF the Con-
tract System.
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Slavery Changed to InvOlun-
tary Servitude.
SPECIMEN OF A MISSISSIPPIAN CONTRACT
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THE TpUr pnUJCV rOR TIE sOUTU.
Evils and Iniquities Of the Con
tract System.
SPECIMEN OF A MISSISSIPPIAN CONTRACT
TIE TRUE POLICY FOR THE SOUTH.


Our Frcedmen's Bureau Correspondence.
vIcKsBuRc, Miss, June 20, 1860.
Since my last letter Generals Steedman and Fullerton
have visited Jackson and vicksburg. / have seen
nothing in either OF those cities TO induce to
modify the statement that Mississippi now, as IL was
before the war the hardest and most awess State in the
South The presence OF United States troops at each OF
the posts have named prevents those open manifesto.
tons Of rowdyism which observable at Meridian
and Grenada The better class of citizens cowed
down here Grenada but in the country districts
the robbng and numbering of both whites and blacks
by no means unusual or notable occurrence learn
from Major General Thos. j. Wood, who commands the
department. that ii is his intention in few days
ho relieved OF the custody of certain public
which he is obliged to place guard, TO send
company of troops Grenada protect life and prop
orty in that town from Forests gang of runians
MISSISSIPPI
presents yet another phase of its chameeon-nke exist
II is neither composite court OF citizen repre-
sentativcs freedmen representatives,. and military rep
resentativcs, found it in Virginia.
power North Carolina where the Bureau agents
der Colonel Whesey act as sheriff judge, jury and
ecutioner II docs not collect for the military
vost courts TO dispose Of In South Carolina IL does
not constitute branch OF the civil government OF the
State Georgia. where the Bureau agents citizens
appointed by the military assistant commissioner under
authority or ordinance Of the State Convention;
do its functions exactly tally with the advisory powers
exercised by tho military agents Florida aud Alabama
The Freedmens Bureau in Mississippi constitutes direct
and simple department of tho military service Major
General Wood, commanding ciicer, Is the assistant
commissioner; the agents, generally captains licuten
ants In the Veteran Reserve corps have power OF d.
rect independent action They report all TO
headquarters at Vcksburg for Instructions and until
those instructions received take step however
urgent the necessity This policy has many advantages
but, as II seems to me, possesses also some defects.
II judicous and satisfactory action wherever
action Is takea but in instances where prompt intervcn
ton necessary justice the system OF referring
backwards and forwards is apt to injurious delay
and to give appearance Of redapesm the service
General Wood has only mad control OF freedmen affairs
for about two months Tne State previously under
the direction OF Colonel Samuel Thomas General
o. O. Howard's adjutant general. l learn from all
sources that there has been marked improvement In
the feeling OF both towards each other since the
transerence Of the duties Of the Bureau TO the military
authorities .
THE STATE LAWS,
however. hamper the action OF General Wood There
laws st retained the statute book Of Mississippi
which belong 70 the old system than 10 the
There ordinance forbddng negroes TO hold landed
dead letter. indeed instance mentioned 10 at
Columbus where a negro had recently purchased
hundred and sixty OF land two years credit
sun the statute remains the books and might be
forced against him TO his great injury The sppren
ticcsbp regulations made the basis OF great
Injustice In the jackson district freedman, who had
made a 10 work for ten dollars a month and
raons has been seized upon and apprcnt,ced to his
former for four years at wages at all on the
ground that he orphan under eighteen years OF
age and wthout visible OF subsistence, though
at the time Of the apprenticeship he actually work
ing fun hand The boy himself and hts soter do.
clare that ae is eighteen hut any casethe ap
premiership bad ii carried out in thc alb
OF the hoy hiEself Notwithstanding trs
parent crsy the Judge OF the District Proba,o Court
refuses cancel The indenturcs aud the Is
about 10 he taken before the Circuit Court swr Of
habeas corpus In these and other respects the laws Of
Mississippi require amendment
CONTRACTS
No State laws however exercise halt prein1cial
influence upon the position OF the freedman ~ does tho
system of contracts which here all tho Other States
q the south Is rgily enforced. inaagutated ny tho
Freedmcn's Bureau acting with all the authority and
prsg, Of the Unnsd states government m the chaotic
days following the collapse of the rebellion has eaten
into the recrgan2ed labor system OF the south and has
been engraftsd and recognized The amended laws
OF every state. The evils OF this system believe, will
go FAR 10 neusize all the good the Bureau has cf
fected. Under ~ influence the negro has virtually
passed from oi slavery into condition of nys
tsry and compulsory servtude. He gets all tho dsabl
ties and few sf the advantages of a freedman. he s
support his family aud loses the friend and pro-
tector he had IN MASTER he h taNed and rendered
au,enabo 70 the laws; but the tight OF lndcpeaa ent
actton-the right bring his labor into the market
any time and stake II AGAINST the eses of capital
80 as TO sec the highest possible price for his worka
the rights aud privileges short enjoyed by free ahor
n, the North denied him. Every item the debit
side or the ledger = entered against aim. He Is required
TO be peacaable industrious and SOBER 10 support bis
family, pay his ta1as and touch his hat 10 solo Nasal
when ne meets him All this rule, be has dose,
The negro free lrborsr has night 10 the
captalist who employs himtbis, by the operation sf
the contract system v left blank.
srrsn~ArgvFz
He must contract. be arrested vagrant and bc
seni 70 labor on the public works Ia this state they
absolutely attempted % every negro who had
rsede contract BY che ~ OF Januay last Colonel
Thomas, then the aasstant commissioner followed
wa ,a. IKE rSrcs n T command % 10 a eon,rses s' ssd
10 to work, telling thetn that n they did
not 60 20 they would b. arrested and jasiy -, and
made 20 work where they would not like "a, Admit ng
that this done with tno best intentions and that is
iniince effect y fhe negro aud 10
grave sac The unqaest onsbe elect OF thi policy "a
earned out here and In the other Southern States has
and by inevitable sequence 70 prescn, an incr. ~ the
price " labor at the North. Before tho war when cotton
brsught e more than onefoerth ils present. pree no
likely darkg hired ont by hls for isss Than
hundref nd tweni ynve hundred and 1fiy dollars
year, with clothing, food and doctors bills Now,
under ihe cn1tract system. With cotton immensely In
creasss in yaiIc the is working Tor the
less wages th4n paid or him before the war buys
his own cloilcs. pays his own ds1tors Ss aud sup
ports bis family.
rNyTfrL
of o0urse the excuse made ~ he contract system
thai tue pcoar rodncts of the South require constant
and steady labor the crops Will spoil Gysnfed for the
sake OF argument tAa II is ~. There Is always labor 90
be had for the payiny f0r ~ aud the Southern planter
must lust pay and skas his chance Ike other ne
has no better TO protection than many Other casses
similarly PLACED nA a who undertakes 70 construct a
railway q the Sorth RET ures steady and uninterrupted
labor or he Will incur heavy penalties Bat nothing on
earth viii preyent his rnet taking advantage OF hls
csssities and striking for higher wages lhey think
they can get them leayny him for another employer
They will 70 where they ran get the best price for their
labor and this exactly the privilege which s denied
the freedman OF the South oder the contract syssm
Down by the 0sschee river saw negroes working under
contracts for dollars Donn. Close A. hand
railway that greatly needed lsbofev and offered dollar
and half day Yet they could not take advantage ~
the competition. All tho terrors OF the Bureau and
Of the civil Law stared them in ths face they "vio-