Viewing page 264 of 270

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

4.

one main cause for this wholesale discharge from Employment.

Another mode of persecution is adopted by some, and not a few, namely: when the people commenced to crop this Spring, the Colored people were generally in need of provisions, which were advanced by the Employers to be repaid when the Crops were made. The price of Corn was high last Spring and the people have now to pay nearly three Bushel for one received last Spring. This is perhaps lawful, but now comes the persecution. The people generally planted a little wheat (: already eaten up or otherwise disposed of :) and the balance in Corn and Tobacco. The Corn is now ready for division, the Tobacco will not be for months to come. Now, many farmers claim that the freedman shall repay all his advances at once out of their Corn, which generally takes the last piece of bread