New Orleans daily crescent., 1866-05-28
HIF0sUEs OF THE FREGD1flNs BUREAU.

The New York Herald of late date contains
two important and interesting documents relating
to the freedmeu's bureau. One Of these douu-
ments is a speech delivered by General Howard at
the anniversary of the freedmen's American and
British international commission. Gen. Howard Is
the engineer of the concern, He runs the machine,
and of course he proves very couclusivey for him
self and his auditors and for all the radicals in the
land that the machine is a splendid affair; and
that the South could not get along without it, In
Illustration of his position this truthful gentleman
drew moving picture Of "the suherings of the
nations wards at the hands of the poor, vile,
whisky drinking gambling cut-throatsn of the
South The Southern whites were described in
these elegant terms, and were accused of having
banded together under the name of regulators, .
iayhawkers,' and "nigger- killers" for the pur-
pose Of extirpating the unhappy blacks. This is
said of the Confederate soldiers, whose conduct
after the failure of their cause has excited the
sympathy and won the admiration of the world.
Retiring to their homes, they have resumed the
peaceful pursuits Of industry and are trying, by
honest toll and perseyering endeavor, to retrieve
their fortunes, and to restore the prosperity of
their native land. How could they accomplish
these objects by spending their time, from "morn
I'LL dewy eve" in slaughtering negroes, General
Howard has neglected to inform us. 1t being,
however, the radical theory that Southern white
people will kill negroes wherever negroes can be
found of course it is the first duty of their agent
to make the facts conform to the hypothesis, tits
on statements like this that the argument for the
necessity Of the freedmen's bureau is founded.
Unfortunately for General Howard, the delivery
of his speech was contemporaneous with the
report Of Generals Stedman and Fullerton Those
officers were deputed by the President to examine
into and report on the condition and working of
the freedmen's bureau in North Carolina and Yir-
ginia- Their examination does not at all sustain
General HoWard's assertions. On the contrary, it
showed to them, and through them to the country,
that the bureau is a most gigantic engine Of op-
preston. as to the negroes themselves. Many ofl
the persons acting as agents of the bureau appear
to have been merely canting hypocrites, who
cloaked an Unsuitable cupidity under garment Of
naudiin sympathy. Most of them seem to have
had an eye single to their personal fortunes, which
we're TO be confirmed by the exactions imposed on
the unhappy victims Of their imaginary protection
md others found IL necessary to conceal their own
nfamy by turning states evidence against their
colleagues. A few of these have escaped the fate
If the majority Of them, and have come under
ieneral Stedman's eye and are embodied in his
eport. From these facts we learn that the most
expressions of the negroes are the
york Of those who are ostensibly invested with the
luthority to protect them. Prominent among the
etors in these prosecutions and outrages are found
wo reverend sheepin.wolves' -clothing-one, the
eYerend Fitz, in charge Of negro colony near
Sewbern, North Carolina, from Massachusetts
nd the other the reverend James, who is
Llso, doubtless, citizen of the same virtuous
State. The most cruel and mercenary conduct to |
he black sheep under their care IS charged to
these two rogues in Gen. Stedmans report. The
Rey. Fitz, the report says, s'has exercised the
most arbitrary and despotic power, and praetised
-he most revolving and unheard of cruelties on
me helpless freedmen under his charger The I
main purpose Of this knaYe was to extort money
rom his victims, and when they refused, or pro
tested against his demands, he would inf1ct upon
hem punishment varying from suspension for
lours with the toes just touching the floor to i'm
1risonment for weeks and months at time. His
Plea, on being detected in these outrages was that
mother agent one Captain Seeley, superintendent
IF freedmen's affairs for the eastern district Of
North Carolina, had instructed him to raise
thousand dollars per month out Of his 4 eolony ,,
ind to hand ii over to him.
General Stedman arrives at the conclusion that
he affairs Of the freedmen in North Carolina and
Virginia should be transferred to the care of the
military officers. This would certainly be better
han the present system, for, although tile mill
ary authorities may be arbitrary IN th liz proceed
ngs, they at least would spurn such conduct as
General stedman attributes to the civil agents of
he bureau. The true conclusion would be To