Rule 1st. The overseer will not be expected to work in the
crop, but he must constantly with the hands, when not
otherwise engaged in the employer's business, and will be
required to attend on occasions to any pecuniary transactions
connected with the plantation.
Rule 2nd. The overseer is not expected to be absent from the
plantation unless actual necessity compels him, Sundays
excepted, and then it is expected that he will, on all
occasions, be at home by night.
Rule 3rd. He will attend, morning, noon and night, at the
stable, and see that the mules and horses are ordered, curried,
and fed.
Rule 4th. He will see that every negro is out by daylight in
the morning--a signal being given by a blast of the horn, the
first horn will be blown half an hour before day. He will also
visit the negro cabins at least once or twice a week, at night,
to see that all are in. No negro must be out of his house after
ten oclock in summer and eleven in winter.
Rule 5th. The overseer is not to give passes to the negroes
without the employer's consent. The families the negroes are
allowed to visit will be specified by the employer; also those
allowed to visit the premises. Nor is any negro allowed to
visit the place without showing himself to the employer or
overseer.
Rule 6th. The overseer is required not to chat with the
negroes, except on business, nor to encourage tale bearing, nor
is any tale to be told to him or employer, by any negro, unless
he has a witness to his statements, nor are they allowed, in
any instance, to quarrel and fight. But the employer will
question any negro, if confidence can be placed in him, without
giving him cause of suspicion, about all matters connected with
the plantation, if he has any reason to believe that all things
are not going on right.
Rule 7th. As the employer pays the overseer for his time and
attention, it is not to be expected he will receive much
company.
Rule 8th. As the employer employs an overseer, not to please
himself, but the employer, it will be expected that he will
attend strictly to all his instructions. His opinion will be
frequently asked relative to plantation matters, and
respectfully listened to, but it is required they be given in
a polite and respectful manner, and not urged, or insisted
upon; and if not adopted, he must carry into effect the views
of the employer, and with a sincere desire to produce a
successful result. He is expected to carry on all experiments
faithfully and carefully note the results, and he must, when
required by the employer, give a fair trial to all new methods
of culture, and new implements of agriculture.
Rule 9th. As the whole stock will be under immediate charge
of the overseer, it is expected he will give his personal
attention to it, and will accompany the hog feeder once a week
and feed them, and count and keep a correct number of the same.
The hog feeder is required to attend to feeding them every
morning.
Rule 10th. The negroes must be made to obey, and to work,
which may be done by an overseer who attends regularly to his
business, with very little whipping; for much whipping indicates
a bad tempered or an inattentive manager. He must _never_, on
any occasion, unless in self-defense, kick a negro, or strike
him with his fist, or butt end of his whip. No unusual
punishment must be resorted to without the employer's consent.
He is not expected to punish the foreman, except on some
extraordinary emergency that will not allow of delay, until
the employer is consulted. Of this rule the foreman is to be
kept in entire ignorance.
Rule 11th. The sick must be attended to. When sick they are to
make known the fact to him; if in the field, he is requested
to send them to the employer, if at home; and if not, the
overseer is expected to attend to them in person, or send for
a physician if necessary. Suckling and pregnant women must be
indulged more than others. Sucklers are to be allowed time to
visit their children, morning, noon and evening, until they are
eight months old, and twice a day from thence until they are
twelve months old--they are to be kept working near their
children. No lifting, pulling fodder, or hard work is expected
of pregnant women.
Rule 12th. The negroes are to appear in the field on Monday
mornings cleanly clad. To carry out said rule they are to be
allowed time (say one hour by sun) every Saturday evening for
the purpose of washing their clothes.
Rule 13th. The overseer is particularly required to keep the
negroes as much as possible out of the rain, and from all kind
of exposure.
Rule 14th. It will be expected of a good manager, that he will
constantly arrange the daily work of the negroes, so that no
negro may wait to know what to go to doing. Small jobs that
will not reasonably admit of delay must be forthwith attended
to.
Rule 15th. It is required of him, to keep the tools, ploughs,
hoes &c. out of the weather and have all collected after they
are done using them. The wagon and cart must be kept under a
shed. He is expected to keep good gates, bars and fences.
Rule 16th. The employer will give him a list of all the tools
and farming utensils and place the same in his care, and he is
to return them at the years' end to the employer; if any are
broke, the pieces are expected to be returned.
Rule 17th. He is not to keep a horse or dog against the
employer's approbation--and dogs kept for the purpose of
catching negroes will not be allowed under any consideration.
Rule 18th. He is required to come to his meals at the blowing
of the horn. It is not expected he will leave the field at
night before the hands quit their work.
Rule 19th. It will be expected he will not speak of the
employer's pecuniary business, his domestic affairs, or his
arrangements to any one. He will be expected to inform the
employer of anything going on that may concern his interest.
Rule 20th. He is to have no control whatever over the
employer's domestic affairs; nor to take any privileges in
the way of using himself, or loaning the employers property to
others.
Rule 21st. He is expected to be guilty of no disrespectful
language in the employer's presence--such as vulgarity,
swearing &c; nor is he expected to be guilty of any
indecencies, such as spitting on the floor, wearing his hat in
the house, sitting at the table with his coat off, or whistling
or singing in the house (Such habits are frequently indulged
in, in Bachelor establishments in the South). His room will be
appropriated to him, and he will not be expected to obtrude
upon the employer's private chamber, except on business.
Rule 22nd. It will be expected of him that he will not get
drunk, and if he returns home in that state he will be
immediately discharged. He will also be immediately discharged,
if it is ascertained he is too intimate with any of the negro
women.
Rule 23rd. It is distinctly understood, in the agreement with
every overseer, should they separate, from death or other
cause--and either is at liberty to separate from the other
whenever dissatisfied--without giving his reasons for so doing;
in said event the employer, upon settlement, is not expected to
pay the cash nor settle for the year, but for the time only he
remained in the employer's service, by note, due January next
(with interest) pro rata, he was to pay for the year.