New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-06-13
THE RAID on THE. BUREAU.

We pint this morning a report from the Presidents
Bureau Inspectors Messrs. Steedman and Fullerton,
covering the States OF South Carolina, Georgia, and
Florida Although wo give this 10 our readers as a
matter o. news. we DO not conceal our opinion that
the furnishing of such report to the press for pubca
ton D. gross improperly and an inexcusabe injury
IN the officers whom IL assails. The iuquis!ton Of
Gens. Sieedman and Fullerton might be proper
enough had the President in good faith desired to in
torn himself concerning the BIreau. In that
case, their report would have been confideu-
tia Ike the proceedings Of Grand jury and
would have been submitted 70 the President for his
private information. Matters Of hearsay might have
been embodied in such report aud if Mr. Johnson lad
deemed them grave enough, he could have ordered a
court Of inquiry, before which the officers accused
would have been heard in their own defense. II they
had been found guilty, they would have been pun
shed. and their disgrace have been published to the
world. But IN this case two officers sent on a spy
mission one Of whom is prominent supporter Of that
Presidential policy which assumes that the Bureau
is a nuisance, and the other Of whom prov ed him
self in Louisiana a bitter enemy Of the Bureau and
Of the Freedmen. II there were any doubt about It
otherwise, the purpose Of their expedition might be
accurately inferred from the character Of the agents
In pursuance Of that object the perpatetic inspectors
Of Mr. johnson collect taitle Of all sorts from half
constructed Rebels, with whom they associate so ex-
clusiyey that, as recent dispatch informed US, it
was with great difficulty that any Union man could
get a hearing from them. TO preserve an appearance
of impartiaty they convene meetings Of the freed
men, whose opinions and evidence ignored in their
reports Into these reports they crowd the slanders
the misstatements the prcjudiced versions of facts
the wiful lies, which enemies Of the Bureau are only
too happy to supply. No opportunity is offered for
meeting these charges, If any form of investigation
is gone through it is a form only Then this mass Of
scandal is sent North in two baches one official re-
port to the President and unofficial to The Ncr
York Herald; and there seems to be race between
these two authorities To which shall first get his
account before the public. We need only refer to the
report from North Carolina and To that which now
print as evidence of the accuracy Of this picture.
The North Carolina report has been so riddlcd and
silted, and the answer of Gen. Whittlescy to his
accusers was so complete that the Bureau which it
was meant TO annihilae stands higher than ever in
public opinion. The President made a mistake in
selecting his instruments. They are perfectly willing
to do the work expected Of them but they have made
Ic mistake OF exhibiting luclI Nlnbuth5 lVO VIcJ'
They lack ability to play the role assigned them.
We may suggest to this firm that in preparing
their next report for the press, they should
endeayor to disguise, if possible, their hatred to the
Bureau. They would have done much better had
they affected interest in its prosperity and assumed
air of regret such shortcomings as their duty
required them tn expose. In future they should strive
TO conceal their eagerness TO find fault, and their ex
ultaton over every petty peccado they succeed in
unearthing. If they are unable to wear such mask,
perhaps their next best resource would be to avow
frankly that they sent South to prepare al in
dctment against the Bureau and that they appear at
the bar as prosecuting officers instead Of sitting on
the bench as judges. If they would avow this the
public would understand the situation precisely.
We do not intend to examine the present report in
detail though would be easy TO point ont its incon
sisences, and to comment the animosity it every
where displays toward the true friends Of the freed
men. We leave all that to the officers whom it at
tacks, and content to leave the report as il
stands to the judgment Of its readers. They will Oh.
serve in this in the other reports from tho same
source that every officer who has consulted the inter-
ess Of the Freedmen is denounced while every officer
who has exhibited his devotion TO the interests ofthe
Rebels Is appauded. These Presidential messengers
exhaust their ingenuity in sneers and innuendocs