Viewing page 115 of 199

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

informed the Freedman that the place was all turned over to the Lessee Mr Van Holten except the land covered by the Possessory Title and that unless they made a bargain with Mr Van Holten they most leave the place within ten days, as provided in Gov Order no 1 Hd Qrs Department of South Carolina: that they would be paid for what work they had already done but most not do any more work on the place unless they were willing to contract with Lessee. they have at this time only listed a portion of the place.
Notwithstanding this notice they continued to work on the place until about the first of May when my attention was again called to the fact that possession had not been given, the freedman were still on the place and would enter into no contract. I requested the military commandant on the Island to eject them from the place at once. And I learned afterward that Mr. Van Holten met the soldiers on the place who were sent to eject them and again offered his contract to the people which they at once accepted. 
The contract is one of the most liberal on the Island the freedmen being only required to give one third of the cotton crop. and to retain the whole of the provision crop Mr. Van Holten advancing provisions of which they stood in great need.
The contracts were not on the plantation because they were in my office awaiting approval
I assert without fear of successful contradiction that there is not a single instance on either Edisto or