The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1866-08-24

Tor clerks, contract surgeons, hospital
servants, &c, the following amounts:
Per annum.
Georgia, S34, ,5S4
Alabama, 1891.
Mississippi, 30, ,27G
Louisiana, 5j,9S4
Peyas, IO,S9f
Total. SIG5. .052
All the labor performedby these EN-
ployees except, perhaps, the occasional
services ola contract surgeon, might
be discharged by details from the
troops, In previous reports we have
recommended the merging of the du-
ties Of the Bureau and the military
We would again respectfully urge this
amaigamation, and that one set of of
ticers should be required to perform
the joint duties, thus avoiding the ex-
pense of maintaining two establish
ments.
We have previously stated our 0pin-
ion rs to the effect Of the operations of
the Bureau on the habits Of the freed
men and their disposition to labor and
support themselves and we have seen
nothing in our subsequent inycStiga-
tiOns to induce Us to change the views
expressed on the subject in past re-
ports. 1t is so apparent that q people
compelled to labor for a livelihood
must be rendered less industrious By
the hope or implied promiseOf Of support
in idlencss, that we deem it unncces-
sary to present further argument on
the subject.
LOUISIANA.
The Bureau in this department is
more in need of retrenchment and re-
form than the Bureau in any other
State we have visited. More money has
been collected and more money squan-
dered in Louisiana than in any other
three Southern States. The expenses
Of the Bureau, as accounted for, for the
fiscal year ending the ist Of June, 1866.
were over $300,000. To meet this ex-
penditure there were collected, in tax
es and rents, the following amounts:
For school purposes, $9G, ,3S7 3G
From rents, @. .43l 80
From poll tax, 1886 II
Fromcorp d'Afrique tax, 5000 90
From fines, G73 10
Total. S253, AS, n
Leaving a deficit Of 500, ,057 33, to be
paid out of the National Treasury
These expenses are in addition to the
transportation, rations, and Quarter
masters supplies furnished by the
Government. It's difficult to deter
mine to what use the vast amount Of
property held by the Bureau has been
applied. At the very lowest estimate
the property taken possession of, as
confiscated or abandoned, amounted in
value to ten millions Of dollars, and the
rents returned above are less than one
per cent. on the entire amount.
The expenditure Of the Bureau, IN
der the present administration, for a.
gents, civilian clerks, and employees
about it, headquarters alone, amount
to not less than $40, 23G year, cxclu-
sive ofthcpay Of staff Officers, and or
derlics in the military service.
\ large proportion 0fthe money eX-
no,dod -, tl,a ,,,hI;. ...h,ar- .,,lro,. tI,o
of tha D., ~ W. ~,
,,,,, Iato As.i,torf ror,,,,iss;o,or ,,.o
v,n ,ro .otf.eod wa. ..o,,,ndorod Mr.
Mathew U,biId,, r,r,,or1,, .h;of
cIo,i, !, tbo school d.,art,nonf IN a,.i
.,1,.,,.o ,.;,.o,, boc,n, ,,.. an, la,.,t, -,
,,o,loI j,,.rl,oJ y, s+,+o, +hot ~ Ca
tp,nber 1861 Contain Pnasn thp school
s,lnorintnndnn+ rorortod officially, +la+
+F,ero ,yaro fo,..,. -abooy. in onor,t;o,
and !, eourisbinc condition who, :,
f,c+ +haro v,are hut two II was also
.,,.o,., to boforo -. tho+ tbo hooI,s o,d
rocords which wouId have shown This
ranort fo be inaccurate were DESTROYED
in Captain Pease'S office and others
substituted. We can see no object for
the fabrication Of this false report. un-
less it was to account for payments
made to persons who were not engag-
ed in teaching. on examining the pay
roll Ma. , for the month of August