The weekly sun. (New York [N.Y.]) 1851-1869, 1865-11-04
Negro Testimony nd. Of the Govern
meat

GrSrHAL HowARD, Chief Of tie Fresdmen's Bu-
>, ,u' recently started from Washington on stour
Nv ugh The Southern States, upon alleged impor
,an,A urnets connected with his department. We
now h., from him At Charleston. South Carolina,
and Nh. i. 1portAnce Of his mission is developed in
a ,s.ecb 10 he local authorities q that city. In
his address. O neral HowARp said
Due ,bouvb, that the state, on consideration,
would and "A wi. % allow the negro testify In
courts At east In matters that concerned HIM and
his property. He vas lrec 70 say ihit unhl mat
r,Au would continue AZ soon o. The Legislature
allowed ne no tc,timou in the legal courts Of the
state oil ,he troous woulG he ~ithirassn."
The remarks Of General How AID nav safely be
regarded - indicative Of the policy If The Govern
ment 'r he ,rts entirely in an ofbc ifl csp,city.
Therefore. II Is evident ihstin tie sb1ve paragraph
We have the scluHon Of two OF the u )st important
questions At citing TIE southern fcoI lie, snd which
arc Of tho creates, inierss, 10 The ~hol country
Fret II s,emstat 81. Go, erouenl has determined
to sbolish the Frcsduen'S Bureau, IN q be revernl
! reclaimed ststss, soon TO said ta,cs snail
have provided i,- ~ lection Of the ieroes. by
| permitting them to testify N court ipon ques-
| lions Affecting Icr personal Interest Second,
the Federal troops viii lie V,,l drawn ~ soon as
the Legislature allows negro testimony IN the legal
courts" It appears, therefore, shat bot h tho hhol
ishmens Of tho Freed'nen's Bureau, al d tho with
drawal Of tho troops rom the Southern S,ates
now solely dspe udcut upon the act an Of tho
,ald States with regard " the sdmiss IN n negro
ties. uony IN the courts. ~ complyin with This
simple requirement, they VII be at o lcc oleved
from two especial sources ol compsh At and, on
th. other hand, by persistng in excl uding fre,d-
| IL H. A.
troops will be retained indefinitely. Tho case is
very plain one, and the Southern pee pie ought no;
10 hesitate long upon a choice. In any event, n
will be necessary for them, eveu!us lily, to admit
negro testimony in lhsir codri, and tho only thing
for them 10 consider Ia whether ths 3 shNll comply
with the demtnd now and A. once relieve
themselves OF an obno yinus surveillance, or
whether they shall persist IN nursiug 4 ground
loss prejudice, to their lie rrncri The oxsotion
Of the Government ~ This psct il right and pro.
per. While the Freedmon's ,frr'su r. practically
= great nuisance, II cannot he ds Cd hat the Gov
mcnt 10 morally bound to make rsnc permanent
provision Tor the protection Of ,hc freedmen, and
ihi, protection 1t can secure only by requiring the
states, while in the.r presens condition, 10 adopt
the necessary legislation Accol ding 10 the eVsting
laws In the q slave states . nel TO be cruelty
misused, and yet his testimony 81 the outrage Is
not admissible In court. All tho Government re-
qures, in removing both the troops and the Freed
mems Bureau, Is tlat the said ,srics shall permit
the negro to tell his story IN oourL Miss ssirp Il,
will be rcmeru arld has alre,d~ taken the In liz
tive In this nj after, by providing for the admission
Of negro testimony, and As that s,atn has trsn toe
pioneer in previous stop. o rehabilitation, it's exam
nj. will dou htless ~ he the 9th A.