Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1865-12-22

fulir established III lid not meet any
one,Aaifher those 10 lsfIbg place ennder
the g dvernnents Dr citizens of The
Southern States, who thought it pfacti-
cable 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 acquieseence in the authority
of the General Government, throughout
the portions of the country visited BY
me, that the mere presence of mill
tary force, without regard to numbers;
is sufficient to maintain order. The
good of the country requires that the |
military force kept Ia the interior where
there are many freedmen, and elsewhere |
in the Southern States, than at the forts |
upon the sea coast, where no force is
necessary, should all be white troops
The reasons for this are obvious. With
out mentioning many of them, the pres
ence of black troops, lately slgvesSde 1
moralizes labor, both by their advice
and BY furnishing IN their camps a re-
sort for freedmen, for long distances
around. White troops. generally excite,
no goppositipn,l and therefore eCsmall
number of them can maintain order in a
given district. Colored troops must be
Kept in bodies sufficient to defend them
selves. 1t is not the thinking men who
would do violence toward any class Of
troops sent among them by the General
Government, but the ignorant, in some
places, might; and the. late slave, too,
who might be imbued with the idea that
the property of his late master should,
by right, belong to him, at least should
have no protection from the colored SOL
diers. There is danger of collision be-
ing brought on by such causes.
My observations lead me tothe-1con-
clusion that the citizens of the Southern
States are anxious to return to selfgov-
ernme nt, within, ther Union, as SOON as
possible that, while reconstructing,
they want and require protection from
Government, that, they, think is required
by the sGovernrnent, and Is not 6unil-
iating to them as eitizkhs, and that if
such course is pointed out they would
pursue 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 otTahose entrusted with
the law-making power.
| / did not give the operations of the
Freedmen's Bureau that attention /
would have done if more time had been
at my disposal Conversations, howev-
err, on the subject with officers. connected
with the Bureaa qed me to think that
in some of the States its affairs have not
been conducted with good judgment or
ECONOMY, and that the belief widely
spread among the freedmen of the South
ern States, that the land of the former
owner will at least in part be divided
\ among them, has come from the agent
| Of the B1reant This belief is seriously
interfering with the willingness of the
freedmen to make contracts for the COM
ing year. In SONS forms the Freed
mems Bureau ia an absolute necessity
until civil law is established and enforce
/ ed, securing toths freedm enTtheiE rights
AMI full protection. At present, howeV-
err, it is independent of the military
establishment of the country, and
seems to be operated by the different
4 agents of the Bureau according to their
4 individual notions eysrywhers.G
General Howard, the able head of the
Bureau, made friends by the Just and
fair instructions and advice he gave, but
\ the complaint I'm South Carolina was
that when he left things went on as be-
fore. Many, perhaps the majority of
the agents of the Freedmen Bureau,
advise the freedmen thasvby their own
industry they must expect TO live, To
this end they endeavor to secure en-
ployment for them, and to see that both
contracting parties comply with their
engagements. YHHISOII
| In some cases, l am sorry to say, the
freedman's mind does not seem to be dis
abused of the idea that the freedmen
have the rightAt to live without care or
provision for the future. The effect of
the belief in the division of land is idle
ness and accommodations in camps, towns
and cities In such cases think il. will
be found that vice and disease win tend
to the determination or destruction of
B the colored race. srrf e i 8 WrTcT Z q
1t cannot be expected that the opin-
ions held by men at the South for years
can be changed in day, and therefore
the freedmen require forEa few years
not only laws to protect them, but the
2 fostering care of those who will. give
them good counsel and on whom they
can rely. The Freedmen's Bureau, be-
ing separated from the military estab-
Alishment of the country, requires all the
expense 9of TEaA separate organization.
One does not necessarily know what the
other is doing, or what orders they are
acting under. 1t seems to me this could
be corrected by regarding every, officer
on duty with troops in The Southern
States as agents of1the Freedmen1s Blu
reau, and then have aR orders for the
head of the Bureau sent through the
Department commanders. This wonld
create responsibility that would create
uniformity of action throughout the
South, and would insure the orders and
instructions from the head of the Bu-
reau being carried out, and would re-
lieve from duty and pay a large number
of mployesl of the Governme1td -
j have the honor to be, very respect
fully, your obedient servant,
! LSigned q S. GRANT, q
.ld4 sc Lieutenant General.