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Contracts 

defraud the other out of the just and hard earned fruits of his labor. Several such instances have come to my notice, and been acted on by me; and the defense usually set up is, that the laborers either demand too much, has failed to perform properly the work required of him, or in fact, any other flimsy pretext, to justify the unwarranted retention of everything made. Some Freedmen
complain that they have been unable to get their employers to draw up the requisite writings, or come with them here for that purpose. I invariably advise all, but these most especially, to by no means consent to work for any one who is not willing to enter into a written agreement with them. 

Complaint
While writing the above complaint was made by "Dennis Brown," colored, that after working the last three months for "Thompson Childs" while, on verbal contract for 1/8 of the crop to be raised, and boarding himself; his employer promising all along to reduce their agreement to writing; he was discharged without any remuneration whatever, because on the afternoon of the 23d, he left off work in the field, plowing, a short time before sun-down, to attend, at this place, a Republican meeting called for the purpose of explaining the new Constitution, recently framed by the late State Convention. I referred this case to Mr James Birney, the most fair dealing Magistrate here, who had issued a warrant for $18.00 against the Defendant."