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[[preprinted]] 458 [[/preprinted]] [[Footnote 1]] Wm Wallace, charged with whipping Martha (colored); plead guilty. Action. Fined said Wallace fifteen dollars, with assurance that if the above offense was repeated the fine would be doubled. Council Best, attempts to defraud six families of their Summer's labor by offering to sell at auction the crop on his leased plantation. Action - Sent Military force and stopped sale until contract with laborers was complied with. A hundred pages of similar reports might be copied, showing on the one side that many freedmen need the presence of some authority to enforce upon them their new duties, and on the other, that, so far from being true that "there is no country in which a freedman can be imposed upon" (Speech of Judge Reed in Constitutional Convention) there is no country in which he is not often wronged; and these wrongs increase just in proportion to their distance from United States Authorities. There has been great improvement during the Quarter in this aspect. The efforts of the Bureau to protect the freedmen have done much to restrain violence and injustice. Such efforts must be continued until civil government is fully restored, just laws enacted, or great suffering and serious disturbance will be the result. Industry. Contrary to the fears and predictions of many, the great mass of colored people have remained quietly at work upon the plantations of their former masters during the entire Summer. The crowds seen about the towns in the early part of the season had followed in the wake of the Union Armies to escape from slavery. After hostilities ceased these refugees returned to their homes; so that few "vagrants" can now be found. In truth a much larger amount of vagrancy exists among the whites than among the blacks. It is the almost uniform report of officers of the Bureau that "freedmen are industrious". The report is confirmed by the fact that out of a colored population of nearly three hundred and fifty thousands (350.000) in the State only about five thousands (5000) are now receiving support from the Government. Probably some others are receiving aid from kind hearted men who have enjoyed the benefit of their services from childhood. To the general [[blank space]] and industry of this people there can be no doubt that the efforts of the Bureau have contributed greatly. I have visited some of the larger towns as Wilmington, New Berne, Goldsboro, and both by public addresses and private instructions, counciled the freedmen to secure employment and to maintain themselves. Capt. James has made an extensive tour through the Eastern District for the same purpose and has extended a most happy influence. Lt. Col. Clapp has spent much of his time in visiting the Country-seats of the Central District, and every where has been listened to by all classes with deep interest. Other officers have done much good in this way. They have visited plantations explained the difference between slave and free labor, the nature and the moral obligation of contracts. The chief difficulty [[Footnote 1]] Howard [[end page]] [[start page]] [[preprinted]] 459 [[/preprinted]] [[Footnote 1]] met with has been a want of confidence between the parties. The employer accustomed only to the system of compulsory labor, is slow to believe that he can secure faithful services by the stimulus of wages. The laborer is unwilling to trust the promises of those for whom he has toiled all his days without pay. Hence but few contracts for long periods have been effected. The bargains for the present year are generally vague, and their settlement as the crops are gathered in requires much labor. In a great majority of cases the land owners seem disposed to do justly and even generously. And when this year's work is done, and the proceeds divided it is hoped that a large number of freedmen will enter into contracts for the coming year. They will however labor much more cheerfully for money with prompt and frequent payments, than for a share of the crops for which they must wait twelve months. A large farmer in Pitt County hires his hands by the job and states that he never saw negroes work so well. Another in Lenoir County pays monthly and is "satisfied so far with the experiment of free labor." Another obstacle to long contracts was found in the impression which had become prevalent to some degree that lands were to be given to freedmen by the Government. To correct this false impression I published a Circular (No 3) and directed all officers of the Bureau to make it a widely known as possible. From the statistical reports enclosed, it will be seen that during the quarter 257 written contracts for labor have been prepared and witnessed; that the average rate of wages when paid in money is from $5 to $7. 128 farms under the control of the Bureau and cultivated for the benefit of freedmen; that 8540 acres are under cultivation and 6102 laborers are employed. Many of these farms are rented by Agents of the Treasury as abandoned lands previous to the establishment of this Bureau and were transferred to us with the leases upon them. Nearly all have now been restored to their owners under the President's Proclamation of Amnesty, and our tenure of the few that remain is so uncertain that I have not deemed it prudent to set apart any for the use of refugees and freedmen, in accordance with the Act of Congress approved May 3" 1865. But many freedmen are taking this matter into their own hands, and renting lands from the owners for one or more years. The following communications indicate an interesting movement in that direction. Kinston N.C. August 16" 1865 Whereas we, a proportion of the Freedmen of Lenoir County in the State of North Carolina being desirous of embracing every facility which the U.S. Government offers, to provide for ourselves the comfort of a permanent home, and whereas we have felt the importance of mutual labor for mutual interests, and believe that industry is the basis of [[Footnote 1]] Howard
