Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1865-12-28

who would do violence toward any class Of
troops sent among them by the general gov
ernmcnt, but the ignorant in some places
might. The late late slave too, might be
inbued with the idea that the property of
! his late master should by right belong to
him, or at least it should have no protection
from colorcd soldiers There is danger of q
collision being brought on 10y such a course.
My observations lead me to the conclusion
that the citizens of tho South are anxious
to return to self government within the
Union as soon as possible, and whilst re-
constructing they want and require protec-
tion from the Government that is not hu-
initiating to them a5 colonies, and if such a
plan was pointed out they would pursue it in
good faith. 1t is to be regretted that there
can not be greater comminglng at this
time between the citizens of the two sec
tons, and particularly those entrusted with
the law.making power.
l did not give the operations of the
Freedmen $ Bureau that attention | would
have done If more time had been at my dis
posal. Conversations, however, on the
subject with officers connected with the bu-
roau, led me to think that in some of the
States its affairs have not been conducted
with good judgment or economy, and that
the belief widely spread among the freed
men of the Southern States that the lands
Of their former owners will in part, at least
be divided among them, has come from the
agents of this bureau This belief is seri-
ousy interfering with the willingness of the
freedmen te make contracts for the coming
year.
In some form the Frcedmcn's Bureau is
an absolute necessity until the civil law is
established and enforced, securing to freed
men their full rights and privileges. At
present, however, it is independent of the
military establishment Of the country, and
seems to be operated by the different agents
notions Everywhere General Howard, the
able head of the Bureau, made friends by
his just and fair instructions and the advice
he gave, but the complaint in South Caro-
lima was that when he left things went on
as before. Many, perhaps the majority of
the agents of Freed linens Bureau, advise
the freedmen that by their own industry
they must expect to live; to this end they
cndeavor to secure employment for them
and see that both contracting parties com
ply with their engagements
| In some cases | am sorry the freedmen S
minds do not seem to be disabused Of the
idea that the freedmen has the right to live
without care or provision for the future -
The effect of the belief in the division of
lands is ideness and accumulation in camps,
town and cities. In such cases, | think it
will be found that vice and disease will tend
to the determination or great destruction of
the colored race 1t can not be expected
that the opinions held by men at the South
for years cun be changed in day. There
fore, the freedmen require for few years
not only laws to protect them, but the fos-
tcring care of those who will give them
good counsel, and on whom they can rely.
The Freedmen s Bureau being separated
from the military establishment of the
country, requires all the expense Of a sepa-
rate organization. One does not necessari-
ly know what the other is doing or what
orders they are acting under 1t seems to
me this could be corrected by regarding ev
cry officer on duty with troops in the South
ern States as an agent Of the Freedmen $
Bureau, and then have all orders from the
! Bureau sent through department command
ers. This would create responsibility that
would create uniformity of action through
out the South, would ensure orders and in
structions from the head of the Bureau be
ing carried out, and would relieve from du-
ty and pay large number Of employees Of
the government.
| have the honor to be,
very respectfully,
your obcdient scrv't,
| L. s. GRANT, Lieut. Gen.