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Contracts

During the year just ended one thousand and eight contracts have been approved and recorded, embracing twenty four hundred Freedmen, which have yielded to the Bureau in the way of fees the sum of Nine Hundred and Sixty two Dollars and twenty five cents ($962.25) which will be found reported and accounted for in my Monthly acct's current. There have been but few cases of serious trouble reported to this office, growing out of contracts. Both employers and Freedmen seem to understand that contracts made under the auspices of the Bureau, must be executed in good faith. A disposition on the part of many has become apparrent to bind the Freedmen to the most merciless terms who in many instances have placed their marks to and worked under contracts that were cruel and heartless in the last degree; and where the hardship becomes apparent to the laborer, it is common for the employer to attempt to shield himself under the statement, "that was the bargain", "there is the contract with your name to it" and such like. There is too much of this, and the most careful scrutiny is required to prevent it, and even then the community will afford too many instances of this species of imposition.
The system of requiring contracts between white and blacks to be approved by Agents of the Bureau, has unquestionably prevented much reckless practice of the above character; although it has not been effectual in every instance. The most successful preventive undoubtedly lies in the speedy enlightment and education of the colored race. Hereto annexed is a copy of the form of contract between employer and Freedmen,