The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-10-13


am confident less injustice will. be done the
hlacks ne we'll as the whites if the matter Is left
in the hands of those most deeply interested.
The labor of the black man is an absolute ne
cessity in every Southern State. NOW tnat ne
is free, self-interest will prompt the men OF
the South to endeavor to make him a cneeriei
and willing laborer. Having acknowledged MS
freedom, humanity, patriotism and seiflnter-
| eat will combine to induce the statesmen OF the
Sonth to adopt such laws with reference to
the negro as will be best calculated 10 pro-
mote his interest and the interest OF society.
But suppose that, distrusting the southern peo-
ple we take into our own hanos the appal-
Inc task of regulating the relations be-
tween employer and employee-the task
of providing for the INDECENT, educating the
vounp and compelling all to labor who are able
Int indisposed to do SO. Aside from the
heavy burdens that it will impose on us-aside
from the contention and bitterness to which it
will give rise in Congress and among our peo-
pie, shall we not be as likely to commit as
many errors-to perpetrate as many acts of in
justice as would be perpetrated under the State
authorities? Look at the working of the in
stitution now in operation for regulating the
affairs of the freedmen. You often read &C
counts in the newspapers as to the condition
of affairs in certain localities. You are inform
ed about the prosperous condition of few
schools established for the benefit of negro
children-of the readiness with which they
learn their letters, and of the ardor with which
they sing patriotic airs. According to some of
these accounts the negro children are far SUI
peri0r to your own they mutter the alphabet
in their sleep and spend most of their waking
hours in blessings on the head of Gen. Saxton
and other distinguished public men. To many
presume this Is pleasant reading matter, and
it may serve to convince some people that the
great problem is already solved, and through
the efforts of Saxton and his colabOrers, four
millions of ignorant and degraded beings are
to be suddenly elevated, and to become edu-
Gated. refined and patriotic members of sOcie-
ty. You seldom hear of the numerous cases
where the freedmen have laid claim to the
lands of their former masters, and have fire.
quently informed them that they held title un-
der the United States Government, and have
persistently refused to do any thing but eat,
loiter and sleep. They fail to tell you of the
cases where, just as the harvest was to COM
mence, every hand has suddenly disappeared
from the place, leaving the labors of a year
to decay in the field. They fail to tell you of
great bands of colored people who leave their
former homes and cOngregate in the cities and
villages, or settle on plantation withot per-
mission from the owner, seeking only food and
utterly careless of the future. On the very
day that l left Vicksburgh, poor woman came
to me with complaint that at least fifty ne
groes, not one of whom she had ever seen be.
70
the few stores she had laid aside for winter
use. Our sympathies are due to the white
man as well as to the black race, though we
have no constitutional right to control either
The difficulties surrounding this question can
only be met and overcome by practical men.
1t is an easy matter to theorize on the subject;
to point out the evils likely to result from the
policy adopted by the President, but it will be
found far more difficult to suggest any other
method not likely to result In still greater evils.
Gen. Howard, who stands at the head of the
Freedmen's Bureau, is man of great purity
of character, and will never sustain a system
which he does not think productive of good,
of that bureau, l am convinced that more evil
than good will result from perpetuating it af-
ter the States have adopted constitutions pro-
hibiting slavery. Each State is placed in charge
of an Assistant Commissioner. 1t is made the
duty of the Department Commander to detail
such officers and soldiers as these Assistant
Commissioners may require in the discharge of
their duties. All questions between whites and
blacks are to be adjudicated by an officer or
agent of the bureau. This, of course, requires
tnat one officer or agent shall be stationed in
each county, or at least they shall be so dis
tributed as to be accessible to all the inhabi.
tants. These gentlemen, who are to act as
judges in matters of difference between the
races are usually Lieutenants selected from
the regiments on duty in the State Each
Judge, Lieutenant or Agent, as you may
please to term him, has his guard, and each
guard its cOmmissary establishment. The
news of his arrival spreads with wonderful
rapidly. A negro has grievance against
his employer or some other white person
he enters his complaint, and the Judge or the
Lieutenant orders the white man or the white
lady to appear before him and confront his or
her accuser. The usual forms adopted in our
courts of justice are discarded. In some cases
the accused is at once released in others he is
fined twenty, fifty or hundred dollars. The
Judge usually collects the fine and forwards it
to his superior to be used in defraying the ex-
penses of the institution. The negro goes
home, stopping at each plantation and detail
ing the particulars of the case to other freed.
men. Half the negroes are at once seized with
a desire 10 see the Yankee Military Judge and
see how their old masters or mistresses would
act on being brought before him. Complaints
are made against the kindest and best people In
the country. The immediate result is deepon-
dency and anger -on the part of the whites
discomfort and insolence on the part of the
blacks Here is young man from North
ern State not educated as judicial officer and
often not possessing q single qualification for
the discharge OF such duties, upon whom de-
volve greater responsibilities than devolve on
Justices OF our Supreme Court-for he not
only acts as q Judge but also as q sheriff and
clerk and from his decision it is seldom an
appeal can be made. In my remarks upon this
bureau do not wish to reflect upon any of the
officers connected with it. Generally they are
earnest and sincere men and are doing all in
their power to make it successful. 1t is of the
system speak. contend it is so utterly for
eign to the principles by which our people
have been governed that it cannot continue.
And yet it appears to be the only method that
can be devised for regulating these matters,
provided the task of regulating them is to de-
volve upon the General Government. During
the past few months have enjoyed good OPP
portunities for studying the character and dis
position Of the freedmen, and of the workings
of the organization designed to protect them.
have become fully convinced that the policy
adopted by the President of leaving to the
respective States the entire control of their
local affairs is the only safe policy that can be
adopted.
Having now returned to civil life, intend
to support such measures as deem best CAL
culated to promote the interests of our coun-
try, and the prosperity and happiness of our
people 1 find one party united in the sup