8

30

the result is that nearly all have made con-
tracts, and have homes for the present year, with
the exception of the unfortunate classes of women,
children, the aged, the decrepid, and orphans
These classes are a source of much solicitude
and trouble.

Georgia
Condition of
the Freedmen

He further states, that the contracts
on the large farms, generally, are made for
from one quarter (1/4) to one half (1/2) of the
crops; one third (1/3) being the usual rate;
and that the freedmen appear, in most in-
stances, pleased and contented with such
an arrangement.

Florida
Col. Osborn's Report

On the 31st ult.
Col. Osborn, Asst. Comm'r, forwards his Report
of the affairs of the Bureau for Florida, for
the month of December 1865.

He considers the general condition of the
of the affairs of the Bureau, and the official
relations between himself and the Depart-
ment Commander and Provisional Gov.
ernor as eminently Satisfactory.

Most of the crops have been gathered in, and
the planters have honorably adhered to their
contracts. Many of the laborers prefer to
receive their pay in money, or else to
let the planters have for its value, a
large proportion of the crops which falls
to their share, the greater proportion of the
able bodied freedmen receiving, by the
means, from twenty five to one hundred
dollars each, while nearly all have been
supported on the plantations.

New-year hav-
ing passed without any realization of
the expected distribution of lands, contracts

250