Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1901-03-16
THE TRUTH Is TOLD.

TIE truth is told at last. The world
knows both ofi,ially and unofRcially
that slavery exists and has existed for
years in Anderson County, South Oar
DINA.
1t adds bat another chapter to the
horrors OF the Southland and shows
to what extent the Constitution OF the
United States is defled. It is admitted
that planters to whom couvicts were
leased, supplemented their number by
securing free labor by the means of IL
legal contracts.
| Illiterste colored men were induced
to sign contracts without knowing
what they were signing. The civilized
world was sstounded Of the sudacity
Of the slsve-owners. The contract
contained the following specifications :
ST agree at all times to be subject to
the orders and commands of said land
lord or his agents, he shall have u
right TO use such force as he or his
agents may deem necessary to req uire
me to remain on his farm and perform
good and satisfactory services.
"He shall have the right to lock me
up for safe keeping.
HE shall have the right to work me
under the rules and regulations of his
farm.
"And il 1 should leave his farm or
run away be shall have the right to
offer and pay q reward of not exseed-
ing $25 for my capture and return. to-
gether with the expenses OF same,
On hIah
with any indebtedness / may owe at
the ex piration of above time, I agree
to work out under all the rules and
regulations OF this contract at same
wages as above.
The said landlord shall have the
right Co transfer his interest in this
contract to any ether party, and
| agree 60 continue work for said as
signee, same as for the original party
OF the tirss part"
Every line of this instrument is iIleg-
al and cannot bs en'ored in q court of
law.
One OF these poor creatures escaped
from the stockade and was uumerci-
fully shot down. He had never been
convicted Of any crime. His murder.
er has not been punished, but the re.
suit has been to secure the release of
the other unfortunate people who are
held in duraRce vile.
This is not the only county in which
this system has been permitted to ex.
list and South Carolina is not the only
state where contracts are enforced at
the muzzle OF riffs or ut the END of q
bull-whip.
It will be remembered that when an
exodus of Negro labor was threatened
in Mississippi and Louisiana few
years ago, that white planters stood
in the road ways with rifles and shot
guns and forbade the free Negroes to
leave.
No attention Was paid TO it then by
the national government, no notice Of
It will be taken now. There are
thousands Of colored people in the
Southland to-day in bondage as abso-
lutte As that from which these unfortu-
mates have been rescued in Anderson
County, South Oarolins,
We have known all along that there
was q concerted effort not only to null
lily the 18th and 18th Amendments to
the Constitution OF the United States,
but to abrogate 18th Amendments az
well.
When the citizen OF color yields up
his right TO vote. he will next yield up
his right to hold property. When he
yields up his right to hold property,
he viii next yield up his right to Iiber-
ty, because no PEOPLE can be truly
free who have been dispossessed Of
the other two prerequisites to free
dom.
The convict-leass system IL not
touched by ShiG exposure, and this
evil is 90 great as the one which has
Jost been exposed. Thousands of in.
nocent men, women and children are
corralled In the stockades OF the
Southland, subjected to all Of the in
dignities of the Middle Ages and made
TO wcrk for sruol masters without