The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1891-1893, 1893-04-30
THE LEASE VERBATIM.
THE TEXT OF THE DOCJTMrN7
SIGNED BY THE JAMES
ClTYITES.
Some Interesting Facts About James
City and Incidents Connected With
the Recent Events There.

Below we give a copy of the
lease made by Mr.. James A. Blyan
with the tenants on his land at
James City. Originally Mr.. Bryan
offered substantially the same
terms. freely offering that the dar-
kies might move their buildings, and
some eighty odd of the best famil-
les on the place at once expressed
snd snSif a,s.so to accept accept the lease
edly have done so had it not been
for lot of agitatogs who interposed
and stopped the proceedings.
Later quite a number of colored
asked Mr.. Bryan to mod
ify.. his terms and he did so meeting
IN part their suggestions.
The settlement at James City
embraces 557 families and about
200 persons. They are extremely
religious, and are devoted to their
churches. But although the minis
ters recommend the acceptance of
this modified proposition, the busi-
ness committee of the people de-
c)ined it. This business committee,
composed of a dozen or more of the
leaders, appear to have had the mat
ter chiefly in charge.
Upon the rejection of the terms
recommended by the negro minis
ters, Mr.. Bryan withdrew his offer
entirely and informed the sheriff
that there was no reason why the
writ and order of the court should
not be executed. The sheriff find
ing that he could not execute the
order of the court without military
aid, called on the Governor, who,
when certain that it had become his
duty to take such action, ordered
the military to aid the sheriff. On
bis reaching New Berne the busi-
ness committee of the negroes in
vited the Governor to come to James
City, and the proceedings were had
there which have heretofore been
published. That night the business
committee, acting for the whole set
tlement, agreed to the terms of the
lease as proposed by their LAWYER,
O'Hara, and the next day the leases
were printed, but the heavy rain
prevented their immediate execu-
ton.
Since then the work Of signin G
the leases has steadily progressed,
When Q Hara drew up his PROPOSE
tion it provided that the negroes
might remove their churches and
school houses, but Nr. Bryan RS
fused that, saying that he proposed
that those quasi public buildings
should remain for the use Of the
residents Of the place hereafter.
This being agreeable, the matter
was considered closed.
That there was unusual expense
attending the execution Of the writ
and order Of the court is to be -e-
gretted; but the expense Is small,
compared to the benefit to that en-
tire section Of the object lesson,
teaching the people that the orders
OF the courts are to be obeyed and
not resisted. The feeling that peo-
pie need not concern themselves
about obeying the orders of court,
but can resist them at their will and
pleasure is entertained by some peo
pie of whom better sense might be
expected. And the benefit which
Will come from the action Of the
State authorities in this instance.
we hope will be great throughout
the entire State.
The Governor was personally
treated with much courtesy by the
people at James City, and he appre-
olated the spirit they manifested to-
wards him. They listened with at
tentlon when he told them that the
sheriff was bound to perform his
duty to put the owner of the prop
erty IN possession. In fact the
great bulk of the people there knew
that from the first, and had it not
been for few agitators, there would
probably have been no trouble at all.
Mr.. Bryan had told the people
on the land, that those who wanted
to do SO, might move their houses
off at any time within a year; and
that those who desired to remain
might continue there, paying a very
small rent, running from 25 cents
to a dollar month for the premises
occupied.
That proposition was SO liberal,
that had it not been for a dis,osi-
tlon on the part of some to DEFY the
law, We do not doubt that the whole
thing could have been settled with
out a jar. When however, this offer
was refused. Mr.. Bryan told the
sheriff that he had no directions tc
give about the writ issued by the
court, and that the sheriff must dc
what the court had ordered.
Now that the leases have been
made, we suppose the sheriff will
make return that the defendants
and the plaintiff have agreed and
that by consent the writ is returned
to court.
The following is copy of the
printed form of lease used.
This indenture, made this--day
of--, A. D., 1S9-, by and be-.