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AGREEMENT WITH FREEDMEN.

This Agreement, made and entered into this 12th day of August -- A. D. 1865, by and between W. S. P. Claughton administration of Estate G. P. Claughton of the County of Franklin and State of Mississippi of the first part, and the Severally persons hereinafter named and undersigned, Freedmen of the same place, parties hereto of the second part, WITNESSETH: 

That for the purpose of cultivating the plantation known as the Wellf Cruk Plantation in the County & State aforesaid, during the year commencing on the twelfth day of August -- A. D. 1865, and terminating on the First day of January, A. D. 1866, the said parties do hereby mutually agree that the Regulations as prescribed by General Orders No. 34, Headquarters Department Mississippi, March 23, 1865, hereto annexed, providing for the employment and general welfare of Freedmen, and the local rules in pursuance thereof, all of which are hereto annexed, and are hereby incorporated in and made part of this agreement as fully as if here recited.

The said W. S. P. Claughton admn. for the considerations and on the conditions and stipulations hereinafter mentioned, agrees to pay to the said laborers, the rates of monthly wages agreed upon and as specified in the orders hereto annexed: one half of such wages to be punctually paid upon the 1st days of May, August, and November, 1865, and the remainder to be paid on or before the 31st day of January, 1866. Said W. S. P. Claughton further agrees to furnish to the said laborers and those rightfully dependant on them, free of charge, clothing and food of good quality and sufficient quantity, as prescribed by the orders hereto annexed; good and sufficient quarters, a separate tenement for each family, fuel and medical attendance; to see that the premises thus furnished are kept in a good sanitary condition; to allot from the lands of said plantation for garden purposes, to each family, the amount of land specified in orders hereto annexed; such allotment to include a reasonable use of tools and animals; to exact only ten hours work per day and summer, and nine hours in winter, and no labor whatever on Sundays; and if any labor in excess of the above per day is rendered, the same is to be paid as extra labor, upon such terms as may be agreed upon by the parties hereto; to grant such laborers one-half of each and every Saturday, to enable them to cultivate the portions of land allotted to them, also, the fourth day of July; to co-operate in the establishment of any school for the education of the children of said laborers; finally, the said W. S. P. Claughton agrees to comply in all respects with the rules and regulations above referred to and made part hereof.

AND IN CONSIDERATION of the faithful performance by the said Freedman of Colour of all the obligations assumed by them, and of the punctual payment by him of the wages agreed upon as aforesaid, the said laborers do hereby severally, and each for himself, agree with the said W. S. P. Claughton heirs and assigns, to well and faithfully perform the labor herein stipulated for the term aforesaid, in strict conformity with the conditions aforesaid; and they further agree to observe and comply with the rules and regulations above referred to.

AND IT IS FURTHERMORE AGREED: That in case the said W. S. P. Claughton shall fail, neglect or refuse to fulfil any of the obligations assumed by him, or shall furnish said parties of the second part with bad or insufficient food or clothing, or insufficient or unhealthy quarters, or shall be guilty of cruelty to them, he shall, besides the legal recourse left to the particular party or parties aggrieved, render this contract liable to annulment, at the option of the Provost Marshal of Freedmen.

AND in case any laborer shall voluntarily absent himself from, or shall neglect or refuse to perform the labor herein contracted for, and the fact shall be proved to the satisfaction of the proper officer, the one-half of the wages due to said party so offending, retained in the hands of the said W. S. P. Claughton as aforesaid, shall be forfeited, one-half of the said W. S. P. Claughton and the other half to the United States, to aid in supporting the helpless, and the party so offending may be discharged from said employment.