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of Contract cannot be ascertained until the end of the year, as full payment is not promised until that time. There are, however, indications of considerable trouble, owing to the failure of crops, and to the fact that the State Law gives as protection to the labor of the country. Many freedmen have contracted with irresponsible parties, who now refuse to meet their obligations, but the better class of Planters seem disposed to settle without difficulty.
Manner of Punishing Crime.
Owing to the severity of the State Law; which makes a "vagrant" of every servant who violates his contract, imposing upon him a fine of not less than fifty (50) dollars, which if not paid, renders him liable to be confined in the county jail six(6) months, or "sold" for that length of time for the benefit of the County,; I have endeavored as far as possible to keep such cases out of the hands of the civil authorities, and punish offenders by a few days confinement in the city Calaboose, with working on the streets, which has proved very efficacious. Most of the Magistrates in this vicinity, seeing the injustice of the State Law have favored me in this course. The number of Freedmen punished in this way have been thirty eight. (38)
Numerous cases of Assault, and Assault & Battery by whites upon Freedmen, have been brought to my notice, among which were eight (8) by shooting, three (3) of these proving fatal. The punishment of the offending party in such cases has been left almost entirely to the civil Authorities. It has been my course to notify them of the offence by sending the assaulted party to