The Portland daily press., 1865-10-16
The Freedman in Alabama.

Major CHARLES a. MILLER, of this State,
or several years the popular Clerk of the
House of Representatives, now attached to
the Second Me. Cavalry, recently made a re-
port of an expedition sent out By Gen. Swayne
to investigate reported outrages against freed
men in Western Alabama, and to see how the
people were receiving the new regime.
The Montgomery correspondent of the Gin
cinnati Gazette says of Major Miller, who led
the expedition, that he was highly competent
for the important duty assigned him, and that
every word in his report may be set down as
perfectly trustworthy. Says the report:
At Mount Vermont found that the freedmen
were generally doing well. They were re-
naming at home and generally contented.-
The only complaint they made to me was their
separation from their wives and families. Some
OF them came away from other counties, leav-
ing their families behind, and are now afraid
to go for them. The freedmen are WORKING
tor portion of the crop, varying on different
plantations from one-tenth to one-fourtb. be-
sides food and clothing
- v Near Mcintosh Bluff discovered
by the side OF the road newly made grave
near house. inquired whose grave if was.
and was informed that only few days before
one DR.. Grierson, a Union mau and promi-
nent citizen of Washington county, had been
basey murdered, and this his grave. The
supposed mulslerers had left the county, or
were secreted in the swamps, but the citizens
were trying to ferret them out. Some months
ago negro was shot, and these same persons
are supposed to be the, guilty parties QTs &
On Tuesday reached Bladen Springs, in
Choctaw county. Here Imet my tent some
nF yrrnI4 nil Il L.
planned to them the nature of my mission, &C.
They had heard of the existence of a Freed
mems Bureau, but had very imperfect ideas of
its workings. While two or three appeared to
appreciate the existing status of the negro
and manifested decent inclination to make
the best of circumstances, the majority were
doubling and disbelieving. This I found to
be general.
Where / met one man who seemed inclin-
ed TO appreciate the new order of things
met fifty who expressed perfect faithlessness in
any other system than compulsory labor. /
should exaggerate but little were to say
met many who hardly knew the war was over
certainly many who were not half conquer
found vast improvement in this county
IN respect to the restoration of civil authority.
fheir officers are all qualified and at work
Through the country over which / travelled
u.nerent sentlmenJ IS obtaining from that
winch existed among the people few months
ago. outrages on freedmen were then fire.
quent and cruel. In many sections this has
changed, but am aware and know that too
muc = OF this oppression toward these people
(! inc freedmenl still exists. But with the open
ing OF the avenues of intelligence, and, in
some parts, the presence of military force, /
can but think this viii pass away. While the
people have faith only in slavery as success
Jul mode OF labor, they recognize the fact that
the negro must stin be the laborer. Where
formerly they were driving them away, they
are now inviting them to stay In many ca
SEES husbands and families are separated. and
neitherdare join the other. pTgf n d