The weekly standard. (Port Gibson, Miss.) 1865-1867, 1866-01-27
On Change.

nad TINS question been put TO MS two
weeks ago, we should unhesitatingly
have answered it in the affirmative.
The presence of negroes on the ground,
the necessity for prompt action, the
distant market to which we must APP
ply for new class of laborers, and the
climate prejudices which, lay against
us, presented themselves as considera-
tions altogether conclusive Schemes
we were aware, had been put on foot,
to supply our necessities by means Of
foreign emmigration, but it was not
thought that these could be made
available for the ensuing crop. Obsta-
cles however, are only healthy gym
nasium for enterprise and pluck, and
facts have recent y come to our knowl-
edge, which imply that we are not en-
tirely devoid of these conquering char
asteristics. 4r a4a3ailtlA
During our late voyage down the
river. we were attracted by large par
ty of hale, athletic Germans, teutonic
as lager itself, and incapable of sin
gle word in English, except damn. Up
on inquiry, We were advised that they
had been engaged for the present year,
to work o plantation on the Mississip-
pi. A further investigation revealed
their employer, who was abroad, and
who proved to be an old acquaintance
of ours, q Mr.. j. Z. Simms, of Coaho-I
ma county. Mississippi. From him We
gathered the facts, which we now take
pleasure in submitting to our readers.
b M1;. S;mms informed us that as o
rule, the negroes n his county had de-
clined to form any enga sementsi for
1866. His own servants refused witl--
out an exception, to contract, ana the
alternative left him was to7giye up his
plantation, or obtain hands si from
abroad. Urged on by this necessity,
he concluded to visit st. Louis, and
ascertain if it were practicable to se-
cure white laborers. He endeavored
before setting out to enlist his neigh
bors in the scheme, but they were we'd
ded to routine, and regarded his en-
terprise as utopian. Undiscouraged
by evil prophecies, he proceeded alone
to st. Louis, and succeeded beyond his
most sanguine expectations. He found
the men there he was In search of, and
the capitalists of st Louis offered all
of the material comfort he might re-
quire, in the, conduct of his expert
ment He engaged eighty capable
hands, and said that he could have Sc
cureda thousand, as readily. Iso1
q The contract he entered into with
them is sufficiently strenuous, to meet
all the difficulties likely to arise in the
cultivation of crop. He agrees TO
pay them at the expiration Of each
month, one half of their monthly wa
ges, and reserves until the end OF the !
year, the payment Of the other hall.
This introduces an element of perma-
nency into the engagement, sufficient
to assure it against frivolous infraction.
He retains to himself the privilege of
arbitrarily dismissing laborer, upon
the condition of paying him whatever
wages may at the time have accrued.
The laborer, on the other hand, obi
gates himself to forfeit whatever sum
may be due him, should he desert his
employer, except for manifest breach
Of the contract on the latter's part.
The stipulation of the agreement is,
that The laborer shall work twenty-six
days Of the month, and an average of
ten hours o day. This average, dis
would give about nine hours
Of work for winter, and eleven hours
for summer days. All timel lost, wheth-
er for causes voluntary or Involuntary,
is to be debited against the laborer.
This win include sickness, rainy wealth
er, and the whole chapter of acciden-
tai obstacles, which disturb agriculture.
In fine, every provision is included in
the contract which seems necessary to
warrant the successful pitching, work
ing and gathering of cotton crop.
Mr.. Simms was informed by one Of
the agents of immigration at St. Louis,
that he could furnish him with any
number OF laborers, that he and his
whole country might require. He pro-
poses to import the hands direct from
Germany, bringing them to New Or
leans, aud then transferring them
without landing; from ship TO steam
boat. In this wise, the demoralizing
influence OF New York associations
would be avoided, and the planters of
the South could receive their laborers,
with the fun bloom of their German
simplicity upon them. The proper