liberal-minded class of planters, and his sayings show in what direction
even those who are not actuated by any spirit of bitterness against the
negro, seek a way out of their perplexities. (Accompanying document No.
29.)

I annex also two documents submitted to Mr. Benjamin F. Flanders, special
treasury agent at New Orleans, who then had the management of freedmen's
affairs in Louisiana, in November and December, 1864. They are not of a
recent date, but may be taken as true representations of the ideas and
sentiments entertained by large numbers to-day. The first (accompanying
document No. 30) contains "suggestions on the wants of planters before
embarking their capital in the cultivation of staple crops," and was
submitted by a committee to a meeting of planters at New Orleans, November
21, 1864. It speaks for itself. The others (accompanying document No. 31)
is a letter addressed to Mr. Flanders by Mr. T. Gibson, a Louisiana
planter, who is well known in New Orleans as professing much affection for
the negro. It commences with the assertion that he "has no prejudices to
overcome, and would do the black all the good in his power," and winds up
with a postscript strongly insisting upon the necessity of corporal
punishment, the "great desideratum in obtaining labor from free blacks
being _its enforcement_."

MUNICIPAL REGULATIONS.

The motives and spirit bringing forth such ideas found a still clearer
expression in some attempted municipal regulations. In no State within the
range of my observation had, at the time of my visit, so much progress
been made in the reorganization of local government as in Louisiana. In
most of the parishes the parish authorities had exercised their functions
for some time; in others the organization was less complete. Governor