518 



MISSISSIPPI. 



ing sheriffs to exempt from seizure and sale by 

 distress or other warrant for rent all property 

 exempt from execution or attachment by the 

 terms of the Homestead Exemption Act of 

 Mississippi. . Boards of arbitration were like- 

 wise created to consider and adjust all claims 

 on the year's crop accrued in the production of 

 the laborer, the party furnishing supplies con- 

 sumed on the plantation, the planter, and the 

 landlord. Their decision was final in all cases, 

 and enforced by all officers, civil and military, 

 having jurisdiction in the cases. 



The agricultural results of the year were gen- 

 erally disastrous to both planters and laborers. 

 The year commenced under auspices even more 

 unfavorable than the one which preceded it, but 

 the planters gathering courage from misfor- 

 tune, and hope from the lessons of the past 

 repeated their effort, this time bringing out all 

 their reserved resources of capital and credit, 

 and staking them upon the issue. In most 

 cases they contracted with the freedmen to cul- 

 tivate their land on shares they furnishing the 

 capital in the way of lands, teams, implements, 

 etc., and the freedmen the labor. They also 

 stipulated to purchase supplies and trust to the 

 chances of the freedmen's industry in making 

 crops to indemnify them. 



As the close of the year approached they 

 found themselves in a far more reduced condi- 

 tion than when they commenced. Land, teams, 

 implements, and supplies, were furnished, but 

 so far from being compensated for their trouble, 

 risk, and investment, in most cases the planters 

 lost money. The crops failed, and prices de- 

 clined to rates less than half what had been 

 anticipated. Excessive rains, drought, and in- 

 sects> did a share of the destruction, but idle- 

 ness completed the work these causes had be- 

 gun. The result was, that the season closed to 

 the disappointment of the planters, merchants, 

 and all concerned. The freedmen, in innumer- 

 able cases, were unable to pay the planters, and 

 had not a week's supplies except of corn, were 

 without clothing, and with no certainty of work 

 in the next year. 



The following is an extract from the report 

 of the Commissioner of the Freedmen's Bureau, 

 General Alvan C. Gillem, dated December 

 10th : 



In consequence of the dry weather and worms, the 

 crop of 1867 has not exceeded half of what was re- 

 garded as an average crop, and that has com- 

 manded but one-half of the price of the previous 

 year, thus reducing the proceeds 'to one-fourth of 

 what was anticipated by the planter and freedman as 

 the proceeds of the year's labor. The result is the 

 financial ruin of the planter and capitalist, and dis- 

 aontent to the laborer. 



In cases where laborers worked for stated wages, 

 there is but little complaint or discontent on the part 

 of the freedmen, remuneration having generally been 

 received by the laborer, either in money or supplies, 

 or if not paid, the claim can be easily established or 

 adjudicated ; and if the planter has the means, the 

 claim can be collected, where the laborer has worked 

 for a share of the crop, endless litigation has been the 

 consequence. The laborer being without means, has 

 generally been furnished the necessary supplies by 



the planter or on his security. On gathering the crop, 

 it has, in a majority of cases, been ascertained that 

 the share of the laborer does not pay his indebted- 

 ness for supplies advanced, and, instead of receiving 

 a dividend, he is in debt. This causes great dis- 

 content, and a conviction, perhaps well founded in 

 some instances, of dishonesty and false accounts on 

 the part of planters, but this cannot generally be the 

 case. Instances have occurred where the planters 

 have entirely abandoned the crop to the laborers, 

 losing their time, the use of their animals and imple- 

 ments, and the supplies advanced. Cases have been 

 brought to my attention of planting, where not only 

 the entire crop has been turned over to the laborers 

 to satisfy their claims, but also the mules and imple- 

 ments used in its production. The result of this con- 

 dition of affairs is the almost universal determination 

 of planters to abandon the culture of cotton, and 

 even if they wished to prosecute it another year, it 

 would, I apprehend, be impossible for them to pro- 

 cure further advance of the necessary supplies from 

 any merchant, so prevalent is the conviction that cot- 

 ton cannot be produced at the present prices. 



The next year the land in cultivation will be almost 

 entirely devoted to corn, which requires but one-fifth 

 of the labor demanded for cotton ; therefore four- 

 fifths of the laborers required last year will be thrown 

 out of employment, and of course there will be a 

 corresponding decrease of wages. This the freedmen 

 do not appreciate, considering it the result of a com- 

 bination to defraud them of what they consider just 

 wages. The consequence is, they almost universally 

 decline entering into contract for the year 1868, on 

 the terms offered by planters. 



The crop of 1867 having been gathered, the froed- 

 men are now idle, and without, in a great majority of 

 instances, the means of support. The result is great 

 complaints from every section of the State, of depre- 

 dations being committed on live-stock, hogs, sheep, 

 and cattle. This is now the condition of affairs in 

 the State of Mississippi. 



A belief existed at this time, very generally, 

 among the freedmen, that the lands of the State 

 were to be divided and distributed among 

 them ; and in some parts of the State they re- 

 fused, under this conviction, to contract for the 

 ensuing year, or to leave the premises. At 

 length the indications of armed conspiracies 

 among them became so manifest, that the Gov- 

 ernor issued the following proclamation: 



EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, STATE OP MISSISSIPPI, ) 

 JACKSON, Miss., December 9, 1S67. j 



"Whereas, Communications have been received at 

 this office, from gentlemen of high official and social 

 position in different portions of the State, expressing 

 serious apprehensions that combinations and con- 

 spiracies are being formed among the blacks " to 

 seize the lands and establish farms, expecting and 

 hoping that Congress will arrange a plan of division 

 and distribution," "but unless this is done by Jan- 

 uary next, they will proceed to help themselves, and 

 are determined to go to war, and are confident that 

 they will be victors in any conflict with the whites," 

 and furnish names of persons and places ; and, 



Whereas, Similar communications have been re- 

 ceived^ headquarters. Fourth Military District, and 

 referred to me for my action, and the cooperation of 

 the civil authorities of the_ State with the United 

 States military in suppressing violence and main- 

 taining order and peace : 



Now, therefore, I ; Benjamin G. Humphreys, Gov- 

 ernor of Mississippi, do issue this my proclamation, 

 admonishing the black race, that if any such hopes 

 or expectations are entertained, you have been gross- 

 ly deceived, and if any such combinations or con- 

 spiracies have been formed to carry into effect such 

 purposes by lawless violence, I now warn you that 

 you cannot succeed. 



