Viewing page 122 of 176

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

D.O. of the State could spend in purchasing meal and pork which he would furnish each Officer on his Approved requisitions The officer furnishing leins as his vouchers for his issues. In view of the fact that it will soon be the planting season, I would respectfully state that it is absolutely necessary to afford relief at once, or next year will be worse that this, owing to the farmers not being able to employ hands to work their lands. One fifth of the land planted last year will not be planted this except assistance is rendered. This information I have from White and Colored from all parts of this Sub Div. Reasons and causes for recommending assistance to be rendered in the manner above mentioned. In this Sub Div. particularly Carteret County Freedmen have leased Swamplands from 3 to 5 years containing from 10 to 20 acres, receiving it free of rent in consideration of their puting it farming order, many of them have cleared from 5 to 7 acres, others rent land from the owners. The owners supplying Land Seed Teams and feed for the team with farming utensils, receiving one half the crop. The Freedman, or tenant furnishing labor, receiving the other half. By this mode of working they are unable to have the benefit of the labor of their families, which in most cases is sufficient to cultivate the farms they rent. I have daily applications from poor whites and Freedmen inquiring if the government will aid them, by furnishing rations, taking a lein on their crop. They state if assisted they will be able to pay the amount of the lein and have sufficient remaining to support their families next year while cultivating that years crop. If assistance is not thus rendered, they state they will not be able to cultivate what land the have labored on, and where to go, they do not know. Another reason