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Agreement With Freedmen. This Agreement, made this 1st day of September, A.D. 1865, by and between Thos Merit of the co of Itawamba 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. WITNESSETH, That for the purpose of cultivating the Plantation known as the Merit place, in the co & state 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 Thos Merit, party of the first part, in consideration of the promises and conditions hereinafter mentioned on the part.....of the second part, agrees to furnish to the said laborers and those rightfully dependent on 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. and one tenth of all the crops raised on said farm during said year And it is Further Agreed, That in case the said Thos Merit shall fail, neglect or refuse to fulfil any of the obligations assumed by him or shall furnish said parties of the second part with insufficient food or clothing, or be guilty of cruelty to them, 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 parties of the second part, that they will each well and faithfully perform such labor as the said Thos Merit may require of them for the time aforesaid, not exceeding ten hours per day in the summer and nine hours in the winter; and in case any laborer shall absent themselves 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 shall deem proper. In Testimony Whereof, The said parties have affixed their names to this Agreement Okolona, State of Mississippi, on the date and date aforesaid Thos Merit. [[Four Columned Table]] | NAMES. | Age. | No. of Dependents | REMARKS | | --- | --- | --- | --- |