Daily national Republican. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1862-1866, 1865-11-16
ADDRESS OF GENERAL TILLsoN
RESPECTING THE FREEDMEN.

address to the Georgia State Convention at
Milledgeville, which may be regarded as an
exposition of the policy of that Bureau
throughout the country. At the beginning
General TILLsoN said
UNFORTUNATELY, the Bureau to no small
extent is regarded by the white people rs
simply the champion Of the freedmen-right
or wrong. 1t is represented as preferring
and believing the statement Of the freedmen
rather than that Of the white man-as in
tending to force the whites to accept the
blacks on terms Of social equality, and as
having been designed and organized and put
in operation for the express purpose of an
noying, humiliating, prosecuting, and ofen-
sively intermeddling with tho affairs Of the
white people of the South. On the other
hand, the freedmen seem to be somewhat
under the impression that the Bureau is to
furnish them food without labor, and to rs.
sist, next Christmas or New Year, in making
a distribution among them of the lands and
other property of their former masters.
II scarcely need tell you that one Of these
opinions is no more absurd than the other,
and that such are not the objects or purposes
| of the Bureau
The speaker proceeded to set forth tho
objects and purposes of the Bureau, which,
under the act of Congress authorizes the
Secretary of War to make "such issues of
provisions, clothing and fuel as he may deem
necessary for immediate and temporary
shelter of destitute and suffering refugees
and freedmen, and their wives and children"
has through its officers and agents, dis
tributed food and clothing to the value of
hundreds Of thousands of dollars to the poor
white refugees Of the South, many of whom
must otherwise have died from starvation and
exposure.
The purposes of the Bureau of Refugees
and Freedmen are to aid all freedmen and
refugees who may need assistance to obtain
homes in the country where fair wages and
kind treatment will be secured to them. The
absorption of those congregated in the cities
among the white population Of the States as
laborers is regarded as the only permanent
and efficient means of providing for their
wants.
The Bureau will prevent the SICK old, and
decrepit blacks from being driven away from
their homes with their former owners, until
such time as provision for their support has
been made by State laws. 1t is also pro-
posed, with the aid of the benevolent So
cieties, to establish schools; but it is not in
tended to corfne them to the use of the
freedmen alone. On the contrary, schools
will be provided for the use of white refugees
. and other poor white children who desire to
avail themselves Of, or who can be prevailed
upon to accept, these opportunities Of OBJ
tanning IN education
| This is considered Of the highest import
ance by the Bureau, for the interests both of
the whites and the blacks.
Gen. TILLsoN assures the Georgians that
he and his officers will do all they can to
secure permanent, reliable, and profitable
labor, but he tells them plainly that it will
depend very much on the employers them
selves whether that result can be accom-
plished. lie mentions certain conditions
precedent, which they must fulfill. First,
they must give fair and reasonable compen-
sation, without which it is folly to expect
satisfactory and profitable labor
Second. The freedmen must be secure in
their persons, their homes and their families
in the enjoyment of the fruits of their labors,
and must be treated justly and fairly. In
relation to this point the General announced |
that it was the full determination of the Gov.
ernment to enforce their protection against
oppression, and to punish severely any party
guilty OF acts of cruelty to the negroes. lie
said
1t is part Of my duty to assert and main
tain their freedom, and protect them in their
just rights; and while | shall endeavor to do
this in perfect kindness, with the anxious
desire to do simple justice to all, white and
black, with the help of Providence, | will not
fail in doing my whole duty toward them.
The stern determination to do this to the
fullest extent and under all circumstances,
is fortunately not incompatible with tho
most perfect good will towards all wcll-dis.
posed citizens. In this / shall be simply
| obeying the orders Of the President of the
United States, who proclaimed "that these
people are and hencetorth shall be free; that
the Executive authority of the United States,
together with the naval and military powers
thereof, shall recognize and maintain the
freedom Of such persons" do not propose
to so beyond tho record, but TO con6ne my
sel stTlctIy Wlthlh IT, 10 ODey the orders of
my superiors and carry into effect the kind
and conciliHtory policy Of the Government
The people who suppressed the rebellion
may diiier on many other questions but
about the right, necessity, or expediency of
keeping sacred the solemn pledge made to the
freedmen, there is happily no question, only
constantly growing and deepening convic. |
tion that it must be maintained at all haz. |
ards, at any cost. Few things in the futu:e |
are 80 certain as that no State will ever he
allowed to deprive these people of the rights
secured to them by the success of our arms, |
and the vain indulgence of any such expec |
tation can only prove injurious to the best
interests Of the people and the State
General TnLsoS argued forcibly the folly
of the policy that would drive the freedmen
beyond the borders of the State. 1t would
be suicidal, as white laboring emigrants
could not be expected to settle in the South
in any great numbers for long time to
come. lie exhortod them to comply with
the plans and encourage the system offered
by the Bureau, and promised them his hearty
cooperation in establishing permanent and
profitable free labor in their State.
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