The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1901-02-20
said - for tho above time, and pay
wages as above set forth and otherwise
fulfill my part of above agreement.
witness our hands and seals this,
the - day -, 1S0-.
"Witness :"

Mr.. Foreman and Gentlemen of the
Grand Jury: This so-called printed
contract. printed here in Anderson, is
another fact fOr you to consider in this
Important investigation. 1t would be
interesting to know whose legal acn.
men IL was tnut was able to frame such
paper for such q purpose. Was he a
member Of the BARI 1t would be ln-
teresting to know his name. Listen.
gentlemen, to some of the terms Of this
contract: ~ agree at all times to be
SUBJECT to the orders and commands of
said landlord or his agents. he snail
nave right to use such force as he or
MS agents may deem necessary to re-
perform good and satisfactory servi :,
ces."
Here, gentlemen, is an attempt under
q apretense of legal authority to give
the landlord and his agents the power
to punish the poor labOrer who is in
duced or forced to sign such q contract.
And it is currently reported that the
lash is freely applied under this pro
vision uf the contract.
right to lock me up for snfe keeping"
Here tho poor laborer gives the land
lord the power TO imprison him.
Again che shall have the right to
work me under tho rules and rcgula-
tiOns of his farm" What is this, gen
tlemen, but a cunning dovice whereby
poor labOrer subjects himself to the
treatment of State convict camps.
Again-"And if l should leave his
farm or run away he shall have the
right to offer and pay n reward of not
exceeding Sa5 for my capture and re-
turn, together with the expenses of
same. which amount SO advanced, to-
gcthcr with any indebtedness | may
Owo - at tho cxpira-
tion of above time, agree to work out
under all the rules and regulations of
this contract at same wages as above.n
MIR. Foreman and Gentlemen, if this
were statute providing for the cap
ture and return of runaway slaves or
escaped felons it would not be difficult
to understand, but this is one of the
contract aud agreepcnt to labor on
farms in Anderson County. BY such
terms and conditions it is manifest
that poor ignorant negroes are sub
jected to n state that is worse than
slavery. doubt if there ever wns such
n contract framed or devised or con-
ceivcd before in any civilized or Chris
tian community: 1t is absurd to call it
a contract, it has no binding force.
No Court would attempt to enforce it.
1t is contra bonos m0res, against the
public good, and utterly null and void.
No free man in this commonwea lth nor
any other free country can be permit
ted, even if he desired to do so, to bar
ter away his liberty and make himself
mere chuttel; and that is what this
contract attempts to do, for the last
stipulation in it reads: "The said
landlord ehall have the right to trans
fer his interest in this contract to any
other party, and / agree to continue
work for said assignee same as for the
original party of the first part"
So you see, gentlemen, this stipula-
ton attempts to provide for the sale
practical result Of this so-called CON
tract when carried into effect is to re-
duce the laborer to q position worse
than slavery and to subject him to
treatment worthy only of Siberian
prisons. 1t :s currently reported that
not only are men confined in stOckades
in this country under such contracts,
but that even women and little babes
are also imprisoned there. l call it
imprisonment, gentlemen, and without
doubt. 1t is false Imprisonment, and
whoever as landlord holds in coniine-
ment under such contract as this is
guilty of the offence of falls, impris0n-
ment and should be summarily and
severely punished. 1t would be inter
csting to know it any such contracts
are on record in the clerks office. You
should ascertain from the clerk if such
papers are OH record in this County.
You will procure from him list Of
the names Of the so O-called landlords
and labOrers, parties to such contracts,
and report them in your presentment.
Mr.. Foreman and Gentlemen: AS
white men living in State whero so
composed of negroes, it 10 our duty as
representing the law abiding element
Of or population to see that justice is
done to that inferior race. There is
no doubt that the negro race is inferior
to ours in intelligence, in civilization,
In moral character. There is no doubt
that We have deprived them practically
of political power, and it is best for
them that it is so. but we are all The
iy and justly. They arc, in fact, our
wards, and VIC as their guardians,
must teo to it that they are not made
the victims of deceit and fraud, imposi-
tion and oppression. The fact that the
negro is Ignorant, poor and dependents
on the white man is no reason why he
should be made the helpless victim of
the Wnltc mans greed, deceit and
tyranny. We must not allow the ne
gro's necessity to be the hard hearted
white mans opportunity. The white
mans burden is II heavy one, and the
white man of the Southern States has
a larger portion Of it to bear than any
other white man. We must endeavor
to show ourselves worthy of our re
spOnslbility, and as Grand Jurors and
officers of the Court we must sec TO il
that in Anderson County, this prosper
ous, euterprising, Christian cOmmuni-
ty, tho negro shall have justice dune
him. You will therefore spare no pains
to make a. thorough Investigation of
the stockade scandal. The oath which
you took as Grand Jurors requires You
TO present all things truly as they come
to your knowledge, to the best of your
understanding, 30 help you God. You
have sworn not only that you will not
present any one for envy, hatred or
malice, bat that you will leave no one
unpresenLed FOR fear, favor, affection,
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