The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-01-29
PLANTERS AND FREEDMEN.
INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE BUREAU.
Regulations in Regard to furnishing
Subsistence, etc.

The two following orders, IN regard TO subject
which is now Of great interest to all classes Of
people in the planting districts of the State,
received by us yesterday:
HEADQUARTERS, BUREAU OF REFUGEES, FRgED-)
MIN AND ABANDONED LANDS, STATE OF LOUIS
lama, New Orleans, La, Jan. 70, 1868.
Circular No.
In order TO carry out the Instructions contained
IN letter from war department, bureau refugees,
freedmen and abandoned lands, dated Washington,
ID. c., January eth, 1868, and, TO relieve extreme
want occssioDed by reason Of freedmen being
without employment, through inability Of plan
tiers TO furnish supplies, il is hereby announced
that as far as may be in the power Of the bureau,
aid will be furnished In such cases under the fol-
low regulations:
ARTICLE l. l. Duplicate copies OF contract IN
der which freedmen are employed, must be filed
In Office Of bureau agent in the parish.
2. For supplies OF corn meal aud meat, advanced
By the bureau, q formal first lien will be taxed
upon the crops and moVablss used in cultivation
of the same, tor reimbursement for cost Of such
supplies.
until the necessity for such issue longer exists
and IN each case the lien will he taken staled.
8. Upon receipt by the planter Of the first
months supplies, he will file in the office Of the
bureau agentof the parish, duplicate bonds, 11ih
good and sufficient surety, in the amount OF $500
for every twenty freedmen employed, stipulating
that for and in consideration of supplies furnished
by the bureau, 10 the freed people employed as
lsborers on his plantation during the year 1868 he
binds himself to reimburse to the bureau, before
the expiration Of said year. the full cost OF such
supplies from the proceeds Of the crops, or other
products Of industry, raised by him, or from the
mOvables on the plantation, used in the cultiVa-
tion of the crop; and he further agrees that when
said crops OF other products, are prepared for
market, that the same, or his portion thereof,
shall be shipped for sale, to such merchants as
may be designated by the bureau. in the city of
New Orleans, La, and that, Immediately upon
the sale Of said crops, sufficient amount OF the
proceeds accruing therefrOm, TO the full amount,
II necessary, shall be turned over to the proper
officer Of the bureau, In liquidation OF his Just in
cebiedness for the subsistence advanced He
further STIMULATES and agrees, that, should there
still be q balance due the bureau, after the pro-
ceeds OF the crop have been thus applied, then,
and in that event. the movables and other goods
on the plantation shall be liable therefor.
A copy OF the contracts and bond will be for
warded TO these headquarters, by the assistant
sut-assistant commissioner on duty in the parish.
ARTIcLE III. With view to systema tize the Is.
suing Of supplies, as indicated ia the preceding
article, the following detailed instructions will be
strictly complied with:
/. A planter who may be unable to furnish sup.
plies to the freedmen in his employ and desire to
procure them from the bureau, will apply to the
bureau agent OF the parish, and file in his Office
afidavits, in duplicate, stating whole number Of
freed people employed for whom rstions are re-
CURED during the MONTH and specifying number
of pounds Of corn meal, or hard bread, and
number of pounds Of meat needed for the subsis-
further that he IL not able to furnish subsistence
for them In any other manner. The parish agent,
after being fully satisfied of the reliability of tue
planter, Of the correctness OF the number Of freed
people reported as employed in each case, and of
the necessity of the bureau advancing the sup
plies, will then forward TO these headquarters a
duplicate OF the affidavit, and application for ap-
pTovsl. The supplies will then be procured and
shipped to the bureau agent in the parish.
2. The cost Of the supplies, including that Of
transpor ing them to the agent, will be charged
against the planter requiring them, by the officer
procuring and forwarding the same.
3. Said charges will be communicated to the
parish agent, and will in Ike manner be entered
npon books, prepared for the purpose, in his
Gf1ce.
4. Upon receipt of the supplies, the parish
bureau agent WILL II necessary, cause the same to
be transported to tho plantation where they are
required.
s. The cost Of this transportation will be an
additional charge against the planter, and the
agent will Immediately report to the assistant
commissary of subsistence. at these headquarters,
the amount OF such additional charge, 10 order that
the same may be charged on his books.
6. Upon the delivery OF the supplies to the
planter, he will receipt to the agent for the
number of pounds of each article of subsistence,
on which receipt will be specified the full )st of
the supplies including all charges same up to
time OF delivery by the parish buresu agent.
z. These receipts will be in duplicate, and to
each will be attached an agreement, on part of
plsnter, giving to the bureau formal lien, rst
privilege, upon crops and moyabl les, as specified
above. The agent will then retain one copy on
file, and forward duplicate TO the assistant COM
missary subsistence, at these headquarters.
s. At the end OF each month, the parish agent
will forward TO these headquarters full report Of
all supplies issued in accordance with the fore
going directions.
9. It must be constantly borne in mind by the
bureau agents. that the distribution OF these sup
plies is solely for the purpose of securing employ
ment to the freedmen by enabling the planter to
To- h,s,
and whenever the planter becomes able, from any
cause TO furnish his employees the necessary sub
sistence, the advances made by the bureau will
be Immediately discontinued, and the fact so re-
ported to these headquarters, In order that the
account with such employer may be closed.
In the adoption OF this system, agents are in
stTucted TO advise freedmen TO contract to labor,
during the year, for stipulated monthly wages, in
all cases when At Is in the power of the planter so
30 DO.
The experience Of the pssttwo years has clearly
proven the disadvantage OF working for shares.
The former system should be given preference,
whenever found practicable, as il establishes
labor upon a fixed and certain basis, preventing
the endless complications aud numerous diff.
culhes incident TO the system Of shares.
In this connection agents are instructed that
their action with reference TO the character OF the
contracts with the freedmen is to be ddoiSory, and
nv no means compulsory. The freedman Ia an
thorized 70 make his contract on such terms as
may be most agreeable to himself.
Many planters are uuhDle, luTOuSu want VI
means, to pay freedmen wages, and can only en-
poy them on the system Of shares in crops iised.
In all such cases bureau agents will, when called
upon, furnish all necessary assistance, as provided
under existing orders
ARTICLE III. Monthly reports OF "indigent and
helpless" specified lin circular No. 10, series of
1867, from these headquarters, will be made
and forwarded as heretofore, aud must
include only those destitutes who are
unable TO labor, or otherwise provide for
themselves and TO whom the parish or other local
authorities fail 70 render the necessary assistance,
10 prevent starvation and suffering.
The utmost care will be taken by the agents not
60 include the accounts Of the INDECENT and help'
less with those Of the abOrers who receive assist
ance through the planter. In all cases their &C
counts must be distinct and separate.
Subsistence for the INDECENT and helpless VII
be issued grstutously, aud will be accounted for
in accordance with instructions heretofore pro-
mulgated.
The necessary blanks will be furnished to
ag'nts requiring them, on their application for the
SINE 70 these headquarters.