Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1865-12-22
and suspicion Of the


]. 1t VIII require least year from January, 1866,
to bring close the land division, whatever DISPOSE
ton is made of tie lands The faith of the govern
ment having been pledged US to leases and contracts
for the coming year it would be unwse 10 commit
them to any State agencies
,. The government has set the slaves free and
bound itself 70 make that freedom an undsputed
fact. Some Guarantee, beyond any existing ordi-
nance in any State visited, is essential To secure
the actual and continuous protection of life and
property to the freedmen. Where legislation IS con
strained, il is in the Southern States Tor tile
most part from several causes, there Is danger oil
the statute law being III advance OF public sentiment
80 that where there Is the most beTaty, Ill cOnse-
quenccs would DC likely To result, If government
] protection should be Immediately Withdrawn.
Where the bureau fails 10 afford this protection II
| Is yet a means Of exposing To the Government ana
tn the public acts Of Injustice and oppression, andn
this way ii affords Il moral check against their
nilsson.
3. Want of mutual confidence between the white
employers and the cOloed employees actually exists
| To u large extent This usually he traced 10
circumstances connected with the war, and ii is in
creased by the peculiar prcjudceS and education OF
| all persons under the slavery system.
The bureau officers actually do restore this conf
! dencc, a. general rule, when fairly met
With scarcely any exceptions, the freedmen eX-
pressed the utmost confidence in it, agents, and are
only alienated where agents prove themselves untrue
| t. their interests.
Wherever the planters have taken advantage of
the aid afforded BY the bureau the best results have
followed. THIS work will require time for its com
petiOn
i. Education is absolutely essential to the freed
men TO lit them for their duties and rcspOns-
bties. find many enlightened and learned men
! IN every state advocating the necessity and wisdom
| OF establishing system of education yet believe
the majority of the white people to be utterly OPP
| posed to educating the negroes The opposition Is
great that the teachers, though they may be the
purest OF Christian people, are, nevertheless, visited
! publicly and privately with undisguised marks OF
Odium. This bureau fearlessly supcrntends and
fosters these Schools which, it is believed will. in
time, by their success and good influence bring
! all fair men, ut least to their support.
o. Every colOred man met, OF any considerable
intelligence plead earnestly for the continuance of
the bureau, his only hope Of justice and prvil-
| eye correspondent to the necessities of his new
! position. Therefore | should fear an almost uni
! versal disturbance among the freedmen a con-
! sequence oil its removal, till society had become
more settled and State action more liberal than at
! present.
6. The absolutely INDECENT as orphans sick, aged
any inlim persons, now aided by the bureau, have
no present prospect OI local aid.
| Z. The large accumulations of freedmen from the
different States in certain localities, though very
much reduced in numbers, will require 4 United
States Agency to separate the freedmen and find
them homes or places of labor.
5. The poor white refugees, disturbed and impOv-
erished by the operations OF war, are yet in some
States, in extreme need. liberal construction OF
Tie term refugees VIII enaDe tne government 10 lc-
leve the pressing want sure to exist in Georgia and
Alabama during the coming winter
9. The bureau, with It's agencies affords n means
of constant and reliable information essential to
Congressional and Executive action till the HOSTILE
ty against the government shall have more COmpcte-
~ subsidized till free labor shall become more pala
table and till the rights of negroes to full protection
by the laws becomes more generally believed in than
now appears
10. The bureau, in conjunction with the military
force, is at present means of encouraging immi-
grafton to the different southern States Union men
of the South and Northern men now residing there,
have expressed their utmost fear lest the War De-
partmcnt should withdraw its agencies asserting
that the state Ol society Is such that they could not
remain in the South with safety. Quite number
have urged me with all their might to do what
could to prevent such withdrawal
This fear is doubtless much exaggerated, and
probably based on the unusually large criminal list
vet it does exist. Every possible material interest
now favOrs such immigration.
ILL., That the present organization of the Bureau,
with the understanding that it is not to he pcrna
ncnt, is as good any | can suggest, except rs to
the subject Of Frcedmen's Court and the employ
ment of civil agencies. Many of the sub-agcnts
who absolutely essential at pres mt to aid III reg
ulatng labor and perform such other duties a. are
dcvOlvcd upon them, could be selected from the
county or district requiring such officer from the
citizens, receiving compensation from fees. provided
there were law for this action. Should this course
be deemed ineXpcd:cnt and not be authorized by
law. the Bureau may have sufficiently largeAppro-
priatiOnS tn admit of employing civil agents
IL the Veteran Reserve Corps lac retained, many of
its officers who have been partially disabled, and
who would, if discharged, receive Il pension from
the government could he detailed to this duty, with
out detrment to the general service.
w. That IN consequence of the emancipation re-
licving the master OF the direct responsibility to care
for the aged the luiirm ami the hcplc negroes
and observing how mPcricctly the family relation
has existed among them, in some States their MARI,
age not having the sanction of law some general
system of providing for this class will bc necessary
while the freedmen regarded as wards of the gov
crnment something beyond the scope OF the present
law establishing the bureau.
V. That 10 render any portion OF the dependents
able 10 take advantage of the homestead law III
Florida, Louisiana, Arkansas, where there are
available public lands AID viii have to be furnished
them in the shape "i transportation temporary lood
and shelter, and implements Of hnsbandry
vi. That in order to place education on lirncr
basis than it is it would be well 10 devote those
funds raised during the war, under the Treasury
laws for the benefit OF freedmen, 10 securing sites
and buildings for school purposes in the different
States tn he held United states property unlil
the people in turn shall be able 10 rcpurchasc the
same SHOOT buildings should not be exclusively for
freedmen; for any aid given TO educate the niImcr-
Gus poor white children of the South will be most
important and conducive 10 the object our govern
ment has in view, mean the harmony, the elevation
and prosperity OF our people. Industrial schools
and orphan asynms could he provided for in the
same way. These funds would at best he but
meagre amount for such work, yet they would
give an Impulse in the locality where expended.
VII That joint companies, whose object shall be
to aid the poor blacks and whites in the rental pur
chase and settlement OF land, should be encouraged
by the government, and that the rights Of the freed
men To rent and purchase real property should b.
guaranteed to them beyond question.
VIII. That in ease this Bureau be continued, it
would he well to fix definitely upon the conditions
that should govern the withdrawal Of its agents from
any district county, state; also, to prescribe
pIicty the duties and powers of this agency in the
states where it shall exist, ana especially in those
within the territory embraced in the operations OF
the army but which have not been declared in in.
Surection. Many perpleNnG questions have arisen
in Maryland ana Kentucky, and greater conflicts of
authority are anticipated in the reorganized States,
whenever the Provisional government and United
States forces shall be withdrawn
IN. That since the present law expires by its own
limitation one year after the close OF the war; and.
since the circumstances attending its inception have
altogether changed, | would recommend through
YOU, Sir, complete remOdcling or revision of that
law, should it be deemed best to continue this branch
of your Department.
Its estimated that the amount required forthe eX-
penditurcs of the Bureau for the fiscal year com
mencng January, 1866, will he Sill, $50. This
sum Is requisite Tor the following purposes
Salaries OF Assistant and Sub-AssiStant
commissioners. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS lIL5OO
Salaries of Clerks. Observation-Disclosures. 81 800
Quarters and Fuel Observation-Disclosures. 1880
Clothing for distribution ................ l,75OUOO
COmmissary Stores. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 4, l06 2j0
Medical Dcnartmeut - 500 90
TranSportation Observation-Disclosures. $50 600
School Superintendent. Observation-Disclosures. 81 GOO
Sites for School Houses and Asylums...... 5000 900
Telegraphnr ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 1900
In closing this report permit Inc to say that the
officers of my staff, whom you permitted me to re-
tain have rendered incalculabe service by their d-
ligcnce and undated interest in the work assigned
them, and that almost without exception have
found the officers and agents here and in the DIFF
fercnt States performing their delicate and trying
duties with ability and fidelity
do not feel that the difficult problems given me
have been solved, nor do ! hope for complete and
satisfactory results in the work of this bureau. Yet
| firmly believe that the same just God that cou-
Quoted us to freedom will continue to direct Us
that we shall be able to keep the pledge We have
made that that freedom shall bu a substantial reality
Very respectfully,
Your obedient servant.