The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1865-12-27
[Signsd] ANDREW JOHNSON
WasHIscroS. December ls, 1865. 7 I
IrxuTESAsr GENERAL osANr's REPORT.

HEADQUARTERS or THE ARMY OF THE
UNITED SrATxs, December Is, 1867
:. To His Excellsncy Andrew Johnson
President Of the United States:
SrR--In reply to your note ofthe l6tl
y inst, requesting . report from me giving
such information as l. may be possessed
Of. coming within the scope Of the in
" quiries made by the Senate Of the United
States in their resolution Of the 18th
Inst, have the honor to submit the
following with your approval and also
that Of the Honorable Secretary Of War"
Lief. Washington City, on the 9th Of
last month, for the purpose Of making .
tour Of inspection throughout some Of the
Southern States lately, in rebellion. and
to see what changes were necessary in
the disposition Of the military forces OF
the country, how these forces could be
reduced and expenses curtailed. ETC.. and
to learn, as far as possible, the feelings
and irtsntions of the citizens OF those
States coward the General Government.
The State Of Virginia being SO access
sible to Washington City. and informa'
ton from this quarter. therefore, being
readily obtained, I fastened through the
State without conversing or meeting with
its citizens.
In Raleigh, North Carolina, I spent
one day; in Charleston. South Carolina
two days; and in Savannah and Augusta.
Georgia. each one day. Both in travel
ing and while stopping, | saw much and
conversed freely with the citizens Of
those States, as we'll as with officers Of
the army who have been stationed among
them. The following are the conclusions
come to BY me.
| am satisfied that the mass Of thinking
men Of the South accept the present stu
alton Of affairs in good faith. The ques-
tions which have hitherto divided the
enliments Of the people Of the two sec
,ions-slavery and State rights. or the
right OF State to secede from the Union
they regard as having been settled for
ever by the highest tribunal---arms-that
man can resort to. ] was pleased to
learn from the leading men whom | met
that they not only accepted the decision
arrived at. as final, but, now the smoke Of
battle has cleared away. and time has been
given for reflection, that this decision
has been a fortunate one for the whole
country, they receiving the like benefits
from it with those who opposed them on
the field and in the council.
-Four years Of war, during which the
law was executed only at the point Of the
bayonet throughout the States in rebel.
lion, have left the people possibly in
condition not to yield that ready obe-
dience to civil authority which the Amer.
'can people have generally been in the
habit of yielding. This would render
the presence Of small gsrrisons through.
out those States necessary, until such
time as labor returns to its proper chan
mel, and the civil authorities are fully
established. I did not meet any one,
either those holding places under the
Government, or citizens of the Southern
States. who thought it practicable to
withdraw the military from the South at
present. The white and black mutually
require the protection Of the General
Government. There is such universal &C.
quescence in the authority Of the Govern
msnt, throughout the portions Of the
country visited by me, that the mere
presence of a military force, without re-
gard to numbers, is sufficient to maintain
order. The good Of the country requires
that the military force kept in the interior,
where there are many freedmen, and
elsewhere in the Southern States, than at
forts upon the sea coast. where no force
is necessary, should oil be white troops.
The reasons for this are obvious. With.
out mentioning many of them, the pres
ence Of black troops. lately slaves, de.
morslizes labor. both by their advice and
by furnishing in their camps resort for
the freedmen for long distances around.
White troops generally excite no opposi-
ton, and therefore a small number OF
them can maintain order in given dis
trict. Colored troops must be kept in
bodies sufficient to defend themselves.