The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1865-11-18
Extract from Gen. slOcum,s speech.

|
army, and the present Democratic candidate
for Secretary of State of New York, recently
delivered speech from which we take the
following.
Referring to theFreedman's Bureau he said.
"Gen. Howard, who stands at the baad ~
the Freedman's Bureau, is a man of GREAT
purity OF character, and will never sustain q
system which he does not think productive of
good, andyet after carefully observing the
| operations of that bureau, am convinced
that more evil than good will result from per-
petuatlng it after the States have adopted con.
situations prohibiting slavery. Each State
Is placed IN charge of an assistant commits
sloner. 1t is made the duty of the depart
ment commander to detail such officers and
soldiers as these assistant commissioners NAV
require in the discharge of their duties. Ali
questions between whites and blacks are to
be adjudicated by an officer or agent Of the
bureau. This, of course, requires that one
officer or agent shall be stationed in each
county, or at least that they shall be so dis
trlbuted 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 Lleutenants selected from
the regiments on duty in the State. Each
to term him, has his guard, and each guard
its commissary establishment The news of
his arrival in any section of the country
spreads with wonderful rapidly. A negro
has grievance against his employer or some
other white person-he enters his complaint.
and the Judge or lieutenant orders the white
man or white lady to confront his or her ac-
cuser. The usual form adopted in our courts
| OF justice, to ascertain the facts in the case
are discarded. In some cases the accused is
at once released; in others he is fined twen-
ty, fifty, ora hundred dollars. The Judge col
lects thefin and usually forwards it to his SUI
perior, to be used in defraying the expenses
of the institution. The negro goes home,
stopping at each plantation, and detailing the
particulars of the case to other freedmen.
Half the negroes in that section are at once
seized with desire to see the Yankee military
Judge, and to see how their old masters or
mlstresses would act on being brought before
him. Complaints are made against the kind
est and best people in the country. The inn
mediate results, dependency ard anger on
thepart ofthe whites discomfort and insolence
on the part of the blacks. Here is a young
man, from Northern State, not educated as
a Judicial officer, and often not possessing
single qualification for the discharge of such
duties, upon whom deVolve greater respon-
slbllitles than devolve upon the Justices of
our Supreme Courts; for he not only acts as
Judge, but also as 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 off,
GERS connected with it. Generally they are
earnest and sincere men, and are doing all
in their power to make it successful. It is
of the system speak contend that it is so
utterly foreign to theprinciples by which our
people have been governed that it cannot con-
tinue. And yet it appears to be the only
method that can be devised for regulating
these matters, providing the task of regulat-
ing them is to deVolVe upon the general gov
ernment.
During the past few months I have en-
joyed good opportunities for studying the
character and disposition of the freedmen and
of the workings of the organization designed
| to protect them. have become fully con-
vinced that the policy adopted by the Presi-
dent of leaving to the respective States the
entire control of their local affairs is the only
safe policy that can be adopted. During
the war which has just closed, j have had but
little to do with politics. have made no
political speeches-written no political let
tiers. have found the responsibilities de-
volving upon me from my position in the ar
my quite sumclent TO occupy all my time and
attention. Having now returned to civil life;
intend to support such measures as deem
best calculated to promote the interests ofour
country. and the prosperity and happiness Of
our people. find one party united in the
support of such measures-the other party
divided upon them and in several States
strongly denouncing them-could hesitate
as to my course2 Earnestly endorsing and
approving every resolution adopted by the
Democratic Convention, I supposed in ac-
cepting a nomination from that convention
that was entering the house of my political
friends, rather than that of my Opponents"
The tornado which swept slavery from the
laud swept with it every platform ever adopt
ed by the Republican party prior to they war.
I can call to mind but one resolution adopted
by that party, before the close of the war.
which has any bearing on the issues now be.
fore the people. On the 22d of July, 1861,
the representatives of that party in Congress
assembled, without dissenting voice, de-
clared, "The war is waged to defend and
maintain the supremacy of the Constitution,
and to preserve the Union with all the dign1-
ty, equality and rights of the several States
unimpaired." To the principles thus solemn
ly declared still adhere, and regret to see
large portion of the Republican party d.
vergirg from them. do not think that the
triumph of that party will tend to strengthen
the President in his determination tn adhere