Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1866-10-06
What | Saw.

Hu1lC VI oOu iOp pOu' '
softened, and stint not your mercy.
What l Saw.
Editors GdlreSt0n NewS:
1t being an object of great inter
est to the people of the Northern
States, as we'll as our citizens, to
know the present results of free.
dom to the negro in this State, l
have felt that it might not be an in
trusion to give a synopsis of what
I saw on a trip which embraced the
Trinity, Brazos and Colorado val
leys, and extended over a period OF
four months
Starting in the latter part Of
April, we find the planter greatly in
the grass and weeds.
Selfish motives were prompting
many men to entice laborers from
their then existing engagements
This evil, growing sorapidly, called
forth from Gen. .Kiddoo, the Assist
ant Commissioner Freedmen's Bu-
reau, of this State, his justly celc-
brated order, No. II, which inflict
ed a heavy fine upon the offending
parties.
AS soon as order was generally
restored, the planter again put forth
his best energies to bring his crop
into that condition which is under
stood by the word "clean."
The warm weather approaching,
q general disinclinaton to go to the
field is observed among the Freed
men, and the loss of an hour of day
light at this valuable part of the
day is great drawback to the pro-
prietor.
The operatives in Rhode Island
are obliged to be at their posts at
designated hour, otherwise quar-
ter of a days time is deducted from
the tardy workmans pay.
1t is a known fact to all farmers
that the negro prefers to work for
an hour OF so before getting his
breakfast. In accordance with this
popularity another hour is taken to
perform this operation.
We start afresh: As each hand (be
he plowing or hoeing) reaches their
end of the row, he has to wait until
all his neighbors get up, then com
mences talk from five to fifteen
minutes. As this tetc q tete is re-
peated all through tho day, it be-
comes apparent that additional loss
of time occurs.
About II to l1:3O, the question is
put, "don't you reckon it's time to
quit?"
Generally speaking this opinion
prevails, and the farming implc-
ments are laid aside, and all go to
the quarter.
Fancy Gen. Spragucs factory
hands quietly walking off at half
past eleven, because they thought it
was time to go to dinner?
Poor white creatures, if you were
only colored it would save you many
an hours work !
About oneo'clock dinner is ready,
then comes a sleep, and at 2, 2:3O
and o'clock the freedmen stroll out
to the field.
From one to two hours loss oftimc
again.
Saturday comes. From ten o'clock
A. NJ. the greatest uneasiness pre-
walls, lest. by some mistake twelve
o'clock should arrive, and they be
found working; SO it is practically.
an abandonment of labor from that
hour, Q0.,) Saturday afternoon is
given as holiday. Do the shirt
sewers, of whom Hood sings, and
the Foundry, Mandatory opera
tives, get Saturday afternoon to
themselves, and at the same time get
their weeks pay in gold? Possibly !
Now, that we have carried the
negro through the week, in regard
to time, let us see the character of
the Svigor and industry which free
labor incites."
The falling of a slight drizzling
rain creates mud; this sticks TO the
freedmen's shoes, and, of course, no
work upon that day.
As the weather settles again. and
the hoe is again moving. the behold
er is perfectly dumbfounded at the
vigor displayed. The raised arm
comes down with the power of a
man who felt that the time Of his de-
parture was drawing nigh-a few
more strokes and all would be over.
The contract says that good and
faithful work is to be performed.
Having described the industry,
let us see how the half holiday is
spent.
A carnival on small scale is be-
fore Us. The mules and horses OF
the proprietor, or the animals be-
longing to the freedmen, Sustained
upon the corn, wbichis adroitly and
vigorously stolen from the proprie-
tors crfbs) are mounted and then
urged TO town.
A neighbOrs pasture % corn field,
unfortunately, is in the way. Most
white men 20 around such obstrEo-
tons, bntour colOred friend pulls
down the fence, and replaces il
again. No, no. that Is too trouble
some
It's quite true that gentlemen on