The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1865-10-04

We publish with pleasure extract from a circular
issued By DR. Conway assistant commissioner of freed
men for this State which was no doubt called forth by
the action Of Mr. Callahan towards jadge Weems This
is decidedly long step in the right direction, and il
the tenor of the circular is carried in good faith ii
viii be Of ncalcuable benefit in establishing good
feeling between the proprietor and laborer Mr.. Gala
hams high handed measures have resulted after ALL in
doing some good for can't help but think that to
his course we indebted for this circular. ats an
i'll wind that blows nobody any good"
Here's the extract spoken Of;
"Whenever any judicial officer Of the State arragns
and tries freedmen for alleged fault and shows by his
proceedings that he is disposed deal Justly with
this class Of persons with white persons inter
ference by any of the agents Of this bureau will be
allowed The cooperation of such officers assists rather
than retards the work Of this bureau.
Officers Of the bureau will only interfere with the
civil authorities when the testimony of the freedmen
is denied when by reason of old codes or disregard
of ones impartial justice is denied on account of
the color OF the persons applying for it.
The officers Of the State will everywhere be invited
lard they hereby invited to aid this bureau in adj
mnisering justice to the freedmen and in promoting
the peace and industry Of tue country.
Each State officer who accepts this invitation and
who is willing to receive the testimony of freedmen
without prejudice account of color origin is re-
quested to make the same known in writing addressed
10 the assistant commissioner at his headquarters in
New Orleans
In all cases where State officers will not treat freed
men in this manner the duly authorised officers of this
bureau viii establish, in connection with their Offices
tribunals for the trial of all cases where freedmen are
interested in accordance with the law of congress, act
March 3, 1864 and the orders Of Mai Howard in
pursuance thereof"
In speaking Of the above circular the n O. Star puts
in the following well-timed remarks:
''For the judicial officers Of the State generally we
undertake to say, that they win give no cause for tho
interference Of the agents Of the bureau under the
terms Of this circular. Individual exceptions NAV
possibly be found; but they will not be recognised either
by the people or the press Nay, more than that the
press will condemn them as both wrong in principle
and mischeyous in policy For ourselves to show our
convictions on the subject have but to refer to two
articles headed "Negro Testimony Refused which we
published in our paper of the 9th ult, and in which
condemned the decision of Judge Eastin of St.
Martinsvle, that negro testimony was inadmissble
under the laws OF Louisiana, and supported the course
OF mayor Forsyth of Mobile in accepting his Office ex
pressly to carry out the policy of admitting it, That
this is the general feeling, have since witnessed
an attempt to question.
There never was in the people Of this State desire
to deal otherwise than justly by the negro and there
never will be- The danger is the other way Let the
whites not be oppressed and Wronged and improperly
subjected to insult of the negro aud there
will be no trouble between them. There will be no
opposition to the reception of the testimony of the
freedmen, that will not be Immediately condemned
There will be injustice done them that all good citi
zens will not exert themselves to have redressed We
accept the promise Of the Freedmens bureau of this
State lnder such circumstances there shall be no inter
ference by its agents. with the ordinary course Of JUS
tce, merey on account OF color.
To the most earnest attention Of judicial officers
throughout the State we commend the invitation of
Mr. Conway to notify him Of the cordial acceptance Of
the terms Of this circular. This will go far to unde
ceive the bureau Of the mistaken notions entertained
with respect to the feeling prevailing among u.s. and to
relieve the whole community of a source of serious
injury annoyance and irritation Indeed in view of
the yexatons already experienced and Others feared
we can scarcely regard the issuing Of this circular as
anything less than boon to be highly appreciated
We hope corresponding spirit may continue to actu
ate and to guide the bureau