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Agreement with Freedmen.

This Agreement, made this 16th day of September A.D., 1865, by and between A Smith of the county of [[strikethrough]] the of [[/strikethrough]] Oktibbeha and State of Mississippi, of the first part, and the person hereinafter named and undersigned, Freedmen of the same place, part hereto of the second part, [[strikethrough]] witnesseth that for [[/strikethrough]]

Witnesseth, That for the purpose of cultivating the plantation known as the plantation owned by A Smith in the county aforesaid, during the year commencing on the 1st day of January A.D., 1865, and terminating on the 1st day of January, 1866. The said A Smith party of the first part, in consideration of the promises and conditions hereinafter mentioned on the part of the part of the second part, agrees to furnish to the said laborers and those rightfully dependent upon them, free of charge, clothing and food of good quality and sufficient quantity; good and sufficient quarters; medical attendance when necessary, and kind and humane treatment; to allot from the lands of said plantation, for garden purposes, one acre to each family; such allotment to include a reasonable use of tools and animals for the cultivation of the same; to exact only one half a day's labor on Saturdays, and none whatever on Sundays.
except the regular house hold work and care of stock or in case of emergency and it is further agreed the parties of this first part will pay to the parties of the second part one tenth part of my crop also the pork fattened & slaughtered during the term of said labor

And it is further agreed, That in case the said A Smith shall fail, neglect, or refuse to fulfil any of the obligations assumed by him, or shall furnish said part of the second part with insufficient food or clothing, or be guilty of cruelty to, he shall, besides the legal recourse left to the party or parties aggrieved, render this contract liable to annulment by the Provost Marshal of Freedmen. And it is agreed on the part of the part of the second part that they will each well and faithfully perform such labor as the said A Smith may require of them for the time aforesaid, not exceeding ten hours per day in summer and nine hours in winter, and in case any laborer shall voluntarily absent himself from, or shall neglect, or refuse to perform the labor herein promised, and the fact shall be proven to the satisfaction of the proper officer, the party so offending shall be punished in such manner as the Provost Marshal of Freedmen shall deem proper.

IT IS FURTHER AGREED, That any wages or share of profits due the said laborers under this agreement, shall constitute a first lien upon all crops or parts of crops produced on said plantation or tract of land by their labor.  And no shipments of products shall be made until the Provost Marshal of Freedmen shall certify that all dues to said laborers are paid or satisfactorily arranged.

Alfred Smith