The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-08-10

Ins icsisOusDssssy -ss0u pA luSi--
donis aT" which Colonel Reno calls can invention Of
his own and which with the exception Of one or two
hundred dollars went into his own pocket"
We are of opinion that at the close OF the and r
some time after the cessation OF hosties the Feed
sa D ~ the Working ss
labor system were DESTROYS Of getting rd Q. them, aud
during the summer Of 1885, judicious Bureau and mil
itary Officers did much toward restoruy order and har
mony and inducing the people OF .ne South - resume
the cultivation Of their plantations by employing the
freedmen Before sne c.ose 8 1895 there was an en-.
South with regard t. negro labor feeling OF Kindness
sprung up toward he freedman, resulting perhaps main
" the correction thar his labor was desirable and
profitable and the only labor to be had.
The necessity. for the Bureau then ceased. Since
it has been productive In the aggregate OF more harm
than good 1t has occasoned and will perpeuate dis
cord long as IL exists though administered by the
purest and wsest men OF the nation The freedmen
gard presence evidence that they would be unsafe
without it; and the white people consider II an imputa-
the Official action OF all their courts and magistrates as
we'll upon the private conduct of their citizens Both
races are thus made suspicious and bitter by an agency
government and society In the Southern States power
css TO advance the interests Of either.
THE FREEDNEN's BEST PROTECTION.
The best protection the freedman has in the South Is
tho value Of hs labor In the market and II he is left
free to dispose Of this at all times the highest bidder
unshackled by contracts made for him by Bureau on.
GERS apprehensions need be felt for his safety his
success II the freedmen could at this moment demand
South would justify 81 per day and board would be the
ruling wages instead Of $40 or $40 per month, the
demand for their labor They bound by con
tracls--enslaved for twelve months through the
The hands the Mississippi steamboats, required
to make contracts and they getting $40 month and
their board for labor less exacting than that Of pana
ton negro. The fr edmen the Ogeechee and Savan
nah rivers receiving, the rice plantations from $40
to SIS month under contract for the year. while the
aborers employed on the Georgia Central RailrQad,
which runs between these streams are getting 81 30
day Some complaints wero made 10 US by the plant
the Savannah river that their aborers we're dis
contented and did not work required BY their
tracts One Of the planters, practical liberal minded
man. explained the cause OF the discomfort TO be
hs at s., T sss hs sa wss a Msa
done, too, by paying dollar day and rations and
am paving that, and expect to pay even more ] can
make all he can out OF his freedom and no has right
to do So" The enIshtened pol cy advocated by this
policy y In accordance ecaIs with ~ justice
tract system, InangnrateA and forced into practical
operation BY Inc officers Of the FreedmepS R9sealA yg
ana ao snSer yes su.ops
tie Bureau, while in the same field doing tho same
work. other freedmen not uler contracls we're getting
81 day and rations To all the large towns in the Mis-.
sissipp va ley, during the months of May and juno,
planters Offering 81 per day and niions for freed
men while under ,he sanction Of government, given
by the officers and agents OF the Bureau thousands of
freedmen werc working under contract for $40 per
month II tho freedmen left free to contract, the
will secure them good wages and kind treatment
They will not contract with who treat them barshly
fail pay them abundantly proven by The fact
that many plan ers who treated their former slaves
cruelty now unable to hire freedmen TO work for
them, and have been obliged to sell or lease their plan
taons.
ONE LAW yoR THE NORTH AVID ANOTHER FOR THE souTH
We unable 10 discover why the simple rules which
reg ate the relations OF labor and capital In
the Northern States should not obtain we'll in the
South why the national government should permit the
nborna man to soil hs labor tine highest bidder in one
of 40 an Il
him In another secon II is Undoubtedly true that II
the freed people Of tho South wcre not bound by con-
tracts the wages would be at enst hty cent higher
this time than they are and there world he less dis
cont mt among the freedmen than now exists, and far
less duty the agcnts ~ the Bureeu 10 perform. Al
only dsa' faction existing ct this time among
freedmen results from tho low rate Of wages ut
sn% % ~. ~ az -. Rur. III,
dscont mt makes the freedmen unwilling TO work, and
their ndo'cnce prcyoke- tho planter who not unfre
queny violence TO enforce his contract ard
this makes business for the officer who sanctioned the
contract. Investigation follows resulting generally In
finding the freedmen fsu for refusing labor accord.
ing their contracts aud they required
the plantation while the planter In admonshed 70 curb
his temper In some ase Of this nature the contract IA
declared forfeited by the conduc. Of the planter who
goes away the Bureau feeling that q d6rision has
been made that freedmen arc not bound 70 ul their
engagements The faulthe cause OF the difncuty-is
In the contract which has been unusty forced upon the
poor freedmen
c,vrporusa rur cc~rR.crs
II must not BIZ inferred from what We have
Written that we opposed 10 the freedmen contracting
Win the planters Nv no rcanS We believe the vHrv
best thing they make contrac,s either for
share ~ the crops or Tor liberal wages but op
posed TO agents OF The national government assuming 10
hrc them ont prescrbng the term Of service and stipn
latin the 10 he paid them They not FREQ
long any snch control Ia exercised them
they receive lust reward for their labor while hey
are compelled 10 hire within given time for a specified
term In Mssisspp and other States the freedmen
compelled - orders from ono re Of the Bureau to enter
into contra,s within limited periods, which coablcd all
who wanted hands 10 get them at low wages while II
the freedmen had not been interfered with the demand
rl.knr ..,lt .kf IA
Enumeration II & great TO suppose that the
freedmen no, competent enter into contracts for
themselves They sharp al a bargaip know well
what good contract Is and are much better collectors
than white people
rHE pt.vrr q c,,Nrp,cr Asp MARRIAGE CONTRACT
A. an evidence of The rigid manner which contracts
enforced by agents ~ the Bureau against the freed
men, we nny mention a. case which came under our
ohser' alton. colorci blacksmith, who had fed
from his master durinR the war. and enlisted In The
United States Army being about be mustered 81
rsce wrote 70 h,s Wife rcan ri ng her not 10 contract
for than month NJ time az he Intended 10
return home as lie mustered our and set up
shop and 20 to Housekeeping His vic accordingly de-
cincd At fret ~ mako long contract but was dnally
compelled 70 engage herself for year The soldier on
his return, went 10 the plantation where his wife
working ana apf for her release, but failed 10 get
her He then sent written statement Of The ase 20
agent o. the Bureau who forwarded 10 ~ tho Assistant
ua rters, with tho following endorsement
''Inasmnch as tho wire Of William Carter has made
contract for the 1888 she must observe s require
mcnts The sub-commssion-r will inform William Car
ter that the interests Of the freed people regousy OBJ
serving their agreements are paramount 10 the wishes Of
individuals and that the power Of the Bureau win only
b. used TO protect them from manifest injustice There
being positive evidence NJ such injustice in this
the Bureau has Interference 10 make. y
II IN evident that this ocer considers labor contract
more sacred than marriage contract
SLAVERY REVIVED.
The system Of contracts existing In the SOUTH and
enforced by the Bureau simply slavery In modified
form. what s the difference TO the negro whehr he 10
scd for ~. dollar. o. for Az eSs o1s for Sy
Is Involuntary servudc In either case and practical
defeat Of the Emancipation proclamation OF the lanented
President Lincoln II the freedman leaves work 70 seek
employment better wages he IL arrested as warrant
by order o. the Frcedmens Bureau and put 70 labor
the roads, with bali and cham h provided BY an order
recently ssud by General Scott Assistant Commiss
for South Carolina n fatgued from overwyrk be desires
rest for day he leaves the panfai6h 10 visit rcla
tive or friend u 10 made penal offence, and nne Of
$50 imposed win be seen by Circular No 10 Of
General Kddoo. Assistant Commissioner for TEXAS hero
all no arrested by tho Bureau Provost Marshal and
sold for few dollars 20 the nearest planter In the
NJ 49, nv Ctvla In