Viewing page 26 of 148
This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.
44 45 434# Bureau Refugees Freedmen and A.L. Office Sub Asst Commissioner Columbus Miss August 13. 1867. Preston Major A.W. A.A.A. Genl Bu R.F. and A.L. Vicksburg Miss. Major, I have the honor to present the following cases for your consideration & respectfully request that this office may receive instructions in the premises. James A. Roberts (white) contracted on the 12th of Jany 1866, with freedman James, and fifteen others under him, to do work upon his plantation for which they were to receive one fourth of the Cotton, Corn, Fodder & Potatoes. The freedmen labored faithfully during the entire year and succeeded in raising about 26 1/2 bales Cotton, 400 bushels Corn & 2500 pounds Fodder worth in all about $4400. giving to the freedmen a share worth about $1100. The freedmen during the year drew from Roberts in supplies & cash $397.60 which leaves a balance in their favor of about $702.40 according to their estimate. Roberts at the close of the year disposed of the entire crop, pocketing the amount due the freedmen and refused a settlement. The freedmen are anxious to recover the same but are unable to commence a suit at law for the recover of the amount due & a suit at law would be useless they could attach the growing crop and such they could not do from the fact that they could not give the requisite security. I am also fearful, from my own observation, that the courts at law would fail to render the proper assistance or that the attorneys would treat them with any degree of fairness. White persons in this country fail to appreciate that Freedmen are anything more than chattels and I think, quite unfortunately, are less inclined to believe that the Freedmen are free, than they were immediately after the surrender. I am informed that Roberts has a fine growing crop, but if it were possible to obtain a judgment, by the great liberality of the exemption law & the easy method of encumbering crops, it would not be possible to satisfy an execution. The cases hereinafter mentioned are in a similar condition to the one above mentioned On the 1st day of Jany last A. J. Ritche employed Gus Wells freedman on his plantation for the sum of $130. for the year. Gus worked faithfully until the 22nd of May last when for some trivial cause, he was driven away and settlement refused. Gus never received any pay. Jacob Glover freedmen hired out upon the plantation of Dr Jeptha Harris for $120. per year, received during the year about $70. his wife & son also worked at the same place for the sum of $132. dollars per year for both. The Dr refuses to pay the balance. Your attention is earnestly invited to the above, and the recommendation that assistance be furnished to enable freedmen to recover their claims, or at least to recover in these special cases. I am Major Very Respectfully Your Obd't Servt Geo. S. Smith Capt. V.R.C. Bvt Major Sub Asst Commr G-85-F.B.D.C-1867 435# Bureau Refugees Freedman and A. L. Office Sub Asst Commissioner Columbus Miss Augt 13th 1867. [[Preston]] Major A. W. A.A.A. Genl Bu R.F. and A.L. Vicksburg Miss Major. I have the honor, at the instance and in behalf of William Loftis, Patrick Harsten, Levi Williams and Green Reynolds, freedmen & head men of "squads," representing the claims of ninety freedmen to make the following statement. These Freedmen contracted in Jany 1866, with Archie Davis to run his three plantation for wages of from $10. to 12 50 per month payable when the crops should be fully gathered. When this time had arrived
