The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1865-12-21
Gen. Grant. Repor, TO the Pre.idshs.
HEApoR's ARMY OF THE U. s., I

His Ercellency 4. Johnson, President OF the
United States:
SIR-In reply to your note OF the 10th
inst, requesting report from me giving
such information as may be possessed
of, coming within the scope OF inquiries
made by the Senate pf the.United States
in their resolutions of the 18th, 1fhave
the honor to submit the following, with
your approval, and also that OF the Hon
orable Secretary of War; ES "a
left Wasling gt6n City lon the 9th of
last month for the purpose of making a
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, &c,
and to learn, as far as possible, the feel
ings and intentions of the citizens of the
States towards the General Government
The State of Virginia being so accessa-
BILE to Washington City, and information
from this quarter, therefore, being readi-
ly yobtained, FASTENED through the State
without conversing or meeting with its
citizens. In Raleigh, n. c., Ispent one
day; in Charleston, S. c., two days; and
Savannah and Augusta, Ga, each one
day. Both in travelling and whilst stop
ping / saw much and conversed freely
with the citizens of those States, as we'll
as with the officers of the army who have
been stationed among thebt The kfoli
lowing are the conclusions me to by
me:
am satisfied that the mass of think
ing men of the South accept the present
situation of affairs i'll good faith. The
questions which have hitherto divided
the sentiments of the people of the two
sections-slavery and State rights, or the
right of State to secede from the Union
they regard as having been settled
forever by the highest tribunal-arms-
that man can resort to. l was pleased
to learn from the leading men whom
met, that they not only accepted the de-
cision arrived at as final but now that
the smoke of battle has cleared away
and time has been given for reflection,
this decision has been for the good
of the whole country, they receiving
the like benefit from it with those who
opposed them in the field and in council.
Four years of war, during which 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 obedi
ence to civil authority the American
people have been in the habit OF yield
ing. This would render the presence of
small garrisons throughout those States
necessary until such time as labor re-
turns to its proper channel and civil au'
thority is fully re-established. | did not
meet any one, either of 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 the black mutually require the pro-
lection of the general government
There is such universal acquiescenee in
the authority of the general government
throughout the portions of the country
visited by me, that the mere presence OF
a military force, without regard to num-
bers is sufficient to maintain order. The
good of the country requires that the
force kept in the interior, where there
are many more freedmen than elsewhere
in the Southern States, should all be
white troops. The reasons for this, with
out mentioning many of them, are, that
the presence Of black troops is likely to
demoralize the freedmen and labor, both
by their advice and furnishing in their
camps a resort for the freedmen for long
distances around White troops gener-
ally excite no opposition, and therefore
a small number of them can maintain or
der There must be kept in the cities
sufficient number to defend them. 1t is
not the thinking men who would do VI
olence towards any class OF troops sent
among them by ne general government,
but the ignoraut in some cases might,
and the late lave, too, who might be in
duced, with the idea that the property
of his late master should by right belong
to him. &c least should have no protec-
ton by colored soldiers. There is no
danger of collision being brought on by
such courses.
Nv observations lead me to the con-
clusion that citizens of the Southern
States are anxious to return to selt-gov-
ernment within the Union as soon as
possible that whilst reconstructing their
protection Is required by
the Government, and it is not humilia-
ting to them as citizens; that If snch
course was pointed out they would pnr-
sue it in good faith.
1t is to be regretted that there cannot
be greater commingling at this time
between the citizens of the two sections,
and particularly of those entrusted with
the law-making power.
/ did not give the operations of the
Freedmen's Bureau that attention l
would have done if more time had been
at nv disposal Conversations, however,
on the subject, with officers connected
with the Bureau, led me to think that-in
some of the States its affairs have not
been conducted with good judgment and
economy, and that the belief will be
spread among the freedmen of the South
that the lands oftheir former owners will
be divided among them, has come
from the agents of this Bureau, This
belief is enormously interfering with the
willingness of freedmen to make con-
tracts for the coming year In some cases
the Freedmen's Bureau is an absolute
necessity until civil law is established
and enforced, securing 10 tbe ueouHeu
their rights and full protection. At
present, however, it is independent of
the military establishment of the coun-
trv. and seems to be operated by the diff
ferent agents of the Bureau, according
70 their individual notions everywhere.
Gen. Howard, the head of the Bureau,
made friends by the lust and fair instruc-
tions and advice he gave, but the i'm
in South Carolina was that