Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1866-05-24
rreedmen,s Affairs in the South

Generals Steedman and Fullerton,
sent by the President to investigate the
operations of the Freedmen's Bureau IN
the South, reported on the 9Th from
Wilmington, n. c., the results OF their
observations in Virginia and North Car
DINA. They visited all the stations OF
the Bureau in these two states, exam
ined its officers, freedmen and citizens,
and claim that they have fully suostan-
tiated the facts they report
ain Virginia they report the the mum,
her of colored people receiving ratlons
from the government in February was
ahout 10000. A majority Of these, the
commissioners say, are able to earn
| living if they were removed to localltles
where their labor is wanted. They are
now accumulated in large numbers
where the land is unproductlve, ana
thew will be dependent on the govern
ment so long as they remain Where tney
are. It indicates bad management tha1
thew have not before this been sent
where there is demand for their LABOR.
Those agents of the bureau who are
, men of Judgment are found to be IN mar
, monv with the civil officers and the Cit
zens. But many agents are not men "
capacity and integrity; they lnterleIe
!, unnecessarily and arbitrarily WIN Iht
people, and make great deal OF trouble
e provoke hostility between whites ahC
: blacks, and i'll feeling towards the gov
eminent. The commissioners rspor
that in Virginia the bureau agent
= should be dispensed with, and their du
: ties he turned over to the military com
J. manders. as the courts of that State nov
ia Give full protection to the negroes.
=. administered in many cases In virginia
~ the effect of the bureau has been tomaB
v the negroes idle and insolent 10 III
Of white people. The white people are NJ
ne onnosed to the education OF the lree'
az men, but in many places are co-opera
CO ing with Northern teachers IN the "ofI
90 The commissioners praise the Justlt
u and humanity with which Gen. Brow
d. has administered the general affairs
lie, the bureau in Virginia.
ce In North Carolina about 5000 1ree'
We men were receiving government ratiol
=. in March. There is more feeling again
~ the bureau agents in North Caroiii
Ity than in Virginia, and evidently WI
is GOOD reason. The commissioners asce
on tanned that Col. Whittlesey, Rev. Hora
sd James. Capt. F. A. Seeley, Capt. lisa
~ Rosekrans and other officers OF the .
al reau are working plantations. Maj
ca Cilley, who is in charge at Raleigh,
.he the only prominent bureau officer w
ow has not become planter. The comm
nd sioners found that government ratio
-. were furnished in some cases to LAHORE
on the farms Of the agents, ana th
'ho freedmen were sent to labor on the
md farms grstuitously as a punishment
DIS certain offences"
In reply to similar statements, Gene
Howard writes the following, whi
on. from the known character OF the writ
to will have great weight with intellig'
OBJ loyal people:
re- "71e Rev. George WbippIe-Ay Dear S
Un- When | saw the article you culled IT
nds the Herald, written by a correspond
49, from Washington of May Z, l cut
ou- from the paper and enclosed it to =
'efy Whittlesey. / have not yet receives
renly. You will notice my letter, p
ests lished in the Herald Of the next day
4 of Now the Rev. Horace James is the IS
, oil who was fCapt. James, A. Q. NJ, I
who has ever lived above reproach in
Vot matters. As to these gentlemen own
D, of limitations / do not doubt it. Their
n, Of no speculation in the matter. 1t is
HON that many officers, all through tne 20
ia - and not confined to the Freedmens
e aid leau .n naS ~ ,n ,nis wsv Our yolunt
On OF officers are soon to leave the service,
like provident men generally, they
own To secure some livelihood. Gen. v