Viewing page 95 of 268

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

until it was too late for the laborers to obtain other places, and by threatening them with loss of all wages should they leave before a settlement; were enabled thro' this fraud to retain freedmen on their places against their will and thereby secure their labor for the coming year. Such cases as ths and cases of false promises last year, have caused the f.m. to refuse to [[strikethrough]] enter [[/strikethrough]] enter into contracts. Such an expression as this is often hears in those cases. "Well the white man can read and write and promise us a great deal, but puts what he pleases in the Contract therefore I shall not go into Contracts another year," was and is very common with the freedmen. But under the wise provisions of Circular Order No 25, understanding that they are not bound under a contract till it is approved by

3