388 



FEEEDMEtf OF THE SOUTH. 



1864, had failed of success, and that the system 

 of Gen. Banks had also proved a failure, the 

 new Secretary of the Treasury, Mr. Fessenden, 

 prescribed, under date of July 29, 1864, a new 

 Series of Eegulations, which, however, were 

 not expected to take effect till the winter of 

 1864-'o. These provided that the supervising 

 special agents of the Treasury Department in 

 each district should also have charge of the 

 freedmen of their respective districts, and that 

 one or more " Freedmen's Home Colonies " 

 should he established in each special agency 

 district, and that a superintendent of freedmen 

 should be appointed for each colony, under the 

 general direction of the proper supervising 

 special agent. The duties of this superintend- 

 ent were to provide temporary care and shelter 

 for persons received there, and also such build- 

 ings as were proper for the permanent use of 

 those retained there ; and to obtain such work- 

 ing animals and other agricultural implements 

 of labor and other supplies as might be neces- 

 sary and proper for the economical conduct of 

 these establishments. They were also to keep 

 books of record, in which should be entered 

 the name, age, and condition, former owner, 

 residence, and occupation of each person re- 

 ceived in these colonies ; also the marriages, 

 birth, and deaths occurring therein ; also all 

 departures, and by whom those departing are 

 employed, for what purpose, at what place, 

 and on what terms. 



The freedmen who were able to labor were 

 to be divided into three classes : 1st. Those 

 between 18 and 40 and in sound health, who 

 were to receive, males $25, and females $18 

 per month ; 2d. Those between 14 and 18, and 

 between 40 and 55, whose wages were to be, 

 males, $20, and females $14; 3d. Those over 

 12 and under 14, and those over 55, who were 

 to receive, males $15, and females $10. Per- 

 sons suffering from any defect or infirmity but 

 able to work, were to be classed as the super- 

 intendent thought proper. Mechanics and 

 others who could on contract obtain higher 

 wages were at liberty to do so. In addition to 

 these wages it was stipulated that a tenement 

 with good and sufficient rooms and an acre of 

 ground should be furnished to each family, to- 

 gether with tools and a reasonable use of 

 animals; that they should not be required to 

 work more than ten hours a day, nor at ah 1 

 on Sundays or on Fourth of July, and that 

 all extra work should be paid for on such terms 

 as might be agreed. Good food and clothing 

 to be furnished at cost. The superintendent 

 was to see that all these persons were provided 

 promptly with employment, and applications 

 for laborers were to be received and recorded. 

 A form of written agreement between em- 

 ployers and employes was provided, stating in 

 full the conditions and obligations assumed by 

 each, which they were respectively required to 

 sign. Provision was also made that the freed- 

 men might, where both parties agreed, receive 

 an interest in the profits of their labor instead 



of wages. The superintendent was made a 

 judge between the parties when there was 

 complaint on either side, and an appeal could 

 be taken from his decision to that of the 

 special supervising agent, whose decision should 

 be final. Where civil courts were established 

 within reach, redress might be sought there. 

 Aged and infirm persons who could not other- 

 wise be provided for, were to be retained and 

 cared for by the superintendent, and provision 

 was inside for his retaining as many hands at 

 regular rates as were necessary to cultivate the 

 lands attached to the colonies, in order to secure 

 the support of the aged and infirm, these them- 

 selves performing such labor as they were 

 able. Freedmen's associations (i. e. such as 

 were established to improve the condition of 

 freedmen) were to have Freedmen's Home 

 Colonies assigned to their care, where they 

 could give satisfactory assurance of their ability 

 to provide for them, and labor colonies were 

 also to be assigned to these associations under 

 proper guarantees for their good management. 

 Penalties for ill usage of freedmen were pro- 

 vided, and the establishment of schools insisted 

 upon. Monthly reports were required from 

 each supervising special agent, with copies of 

 all records, agreements, and other papers under 

 his charge, and all expenses must be authorized 

 and approved by him. The General Agent of 

 the Treasury Department at New Orleans, "W. 

 P. Mellen, issued in connexion with these regu- 

 lations a series of local regulations for the better 

 enforcing those of the Secretary of the Treas- 

 ury. The tendencies to fraud and dishonesty 

 and the oppression of the poor and ignorant 

 being what they are, it is hardly to be expected 

 that these regulations will answer perfectly their 

 purpose, for they necessarily leave too many 

 points indefinite. 



General Sherman and Secretary Stanton, 

 soon after the arrival of the former at Sa- 

 vannah, had an interview with the leading 

 men of color in that region to ascertain from 

 them their views of what would be the best 

 plan for providing for the freedmen of the At- 

 lantic States, and their suggestions, that those 

 who were not able to go into the army should 

 be colonized, under proper protection, on the 

 islands of the coast and allowed to provide for 

 themselves, receiving in the beginning such 

 supplies of food, clothing, and agricultural 

 implements as were necessary, is to be acted 

 upon. Its results will appear in our volume for 

 1865. 



The Freedmen's Aid Societies, Commissions, 

 and Associations, of which there are eighteen 

 or twenty in the United States, have been 

 active and efficient in furnishing supplies, 

 teachers, and religious instruction to the freed- 

 men. They have expended for these purposes 

 during the three years ending January, 1865, 

 nearly one million of dollars. Through their 

 efforts a bill was introduced into Congress pro- 

 viding for the Establishment of a Freedman's 

 Bureau in connexion with the War Depart- 



