Year: 1865

commissioner of the bureau of refugees freedmen and
Abandoned lands in the State of Louisiana. Mr.. Con-
w4 has been relieved, and have temporarily assumed
th duties of said office. Before progressing further in
m work | wish to address to YOU the following plain
wrds. The remarks will perhaps properly apply to
bit few for believe that nearly all of you fully under
stnd the relation in which you stand towards the gov
eminent and the white people; that you endeayor to
oserve that relation and that you are in the main
hnest, industrious and frugal.


The government has made YOU free ou can now
work for such employers you may DESIRE you can con
tDl and your wages and you sue and obtain
stce in the State courts as other free men dd when
yu in state of slavery. For what more can you
ak? Slavery has passed away and you now placed


trial li for you to prove that You are able to take
ere of yourselves, and that you deserved 10 be made
fee In the abrupt change brought about by the sud
DIN passing away of slavery you required some assist
nce-some power that would that would take care OF
pu for the time, and that would properly direct you IN
tnew path of life. Therefore, the bureau OF refugees
feedmen and abandoned lands was established. But
gu must not mistake the object of this department 1t


mot the intention of the officers of this bureau to nurse


d pamper you to feed and cothe you, or to give you
ny privileges that other persons do not enjoy Neither
Fill you be shielded and protected when you do g0Hg
you will then be placed in the hands of the military
authorities, or IN the civil courts Tor tria The OBJECT
the bureau merely to protect uWhen you were
lebarred from the benefits of the law and to teach you
you how to live and labor as free men, You cannot al
ways have this help which generous government has
offered YOU Soon it will be withdrawn, and you can
mot them without it. you do not deserve to be free
You are now working for yourselves, and You have
very nducement to be industrious and frugal faithful
your employers, and honest. by so DONG, you VIII
soon pain the confidence of the community and all men
will respect YOU and treat you fairly and kindly You
must try and lay by much of your wages poSSble
hus you will soon be able to buy land and estabhsh
ourselves in business, and then when old age comes
ou will have the means to live in peace and comfort


lou must remember that you have no masters now to
tke care you in sickness andin old age.


Some few of you have the mistaken notion that free
DIM means liberty to be idle Thisis great mistake
Tcre work for every in Ais country and oilers
al yagrants will not be tolerated Those OF you who
haze gone to the cities and cannot get work to do, must
cal leave them and 80 back to the plantations where all
be employed Do not fear that you Will not bepald tor
vou labor for the law will protect you The planters
WLgive you good wages, and your work VIII be OF pen
ettloth to them and yourselves.


Tere is no way for you to live but by hard work.
beb7c now that you are free, that you will work better
tm ever: but if YOU do not work Of your own accord
or the law cannot compel YOU to work. then you must
lec the country and the good opportunities that you
nav have of gaining living and making yourselves III
adise Won all to return to your old plantations, where
vG have been kindly treated for there you are KNOWN
AM there you get beterwages ou musFnot sup
pGe that your former masters have become your enc
mrs because YOU are free. All good men among them
vii properly recognise your relations towards them as
far laorers and you gain the confidence and good
willof all others BY being industrious and faithful and
bv living up to YOUR contracts Neither fear that you
viii ose your freedom for your formermasers acknowl
edgdt, and it will be defended by the government


Ills thing you must learn above all others-a CON
be SaCrGdIy observed. II you " Cl
audtben through no fault of your employer you do not
do To- or cease to work after having commenced or 40
pofwork well, your employers Will lose all commence
IN ou they will not be obliged to pay you your wages


ni o will not again be hiIed In the absence OF civil
law regulating agreements between the whites ana
yorseges contracts for hire have been made for you
by the agents Of this bureau and by mlltay oncefs
Fo the present your wages secured by en on Tue
crs which YOU producing but as the civil law can
no afford relief to the planters, they have no way to
mike Won perform YOUR part of the contract Instruc-
he rIyp


Ills bureau to compel those you who do not do So to
york and fulfill your obligations, unless you have been
Unfairly dealt with by your employers. AS soon as
these contracts expire you must make new ones similar
to them the coming year, for you must remember
vou are working for yourselves and If you do not renew
vour contracts and live up to them, you VIII nave no
means of living for in that you will be able to get
assistance from no person.


You must not believe the idle and malicious stories
that have been told by bad men, as to what the
government intends to do for Your. All has been done
that You can expect. Neither rations, nor clothing,
nor mules nor working implements will be gwen you
hereafter The most the government Will do, Will be to
Furnish assistance to the aged and infrm-thos who
cannot work; and this assistance will not be furnished
when the State can take care ct such persons 40 Sq%a
Land which was held by this bureau has been returned
tn its owners and had 1t not been returned 1t
would not have been given to you or divided amongst
YOU There is no possible way by which you can pro-
cure houses and land for yourselves but by working hard
and saving your wages; then you will have the means
to purchase such, other persons have done. Ihe
Government will not do more for you than tor the white
aborers who your neghbors and it is not proposed
to divide up the lands in the south for rem nor do they
expect or demand such action. The government has
made YOU free and will protect you in your freedom
will do nothing The only change that you must
cxpcct next christmas and new year IS that yon must
then make contracts to work and tor hire Tor the
coming year.


have addressed you thus plainly, in order that you
may all understand what l say. Now let me repeat
that the government has made you free and Will proec
you your freedom for all time to come and IN return
for this great boon do not dsappoint those who ezpec
to find you industrious, enerprising and honest


J. S. FULLERTON,
Brt Brig Cen Vols, Asst Com. Bureau R F. and Al