The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1866-01-25
Lieutenant General Grants
..,. Report. .uv.4. .-

b
To His Excellency, Andrew Johnson, Presi-
dent of the United States: {
SIH-EIn reply to your note of the 10th |
inst, requesting report from me giving (
such information as may be possessed of,
coming within the scope of the inquiries 1
made by the Senate of the United States in
their resolution of the 18th inst, have the
honor to submit the following with your
approval and also that of the Honorable
Secretary of War: II
left Washington City, on the 9th of
last month, for the purpose of making
! tour of inspection throughout some OF the
Southern States lately in rebellion, and TO
see what changes were necessary In the
/ disposition Of the military forces of the
poainfrv. how,these forces could be reduced
and. expenses eurtailed, &C., and to learn,
as far rs possible, the feelings and inten-
n tions of the citizens of those States toward
the General Government. en-
The State of Virginia being 50 accessible |
to Washington City, and information from |
this quarter, therefore, being readily OBJ
tanned, I hastcned through the State with
out conversing or meeting with its citizens.
In Raleigh, North Carolina, spent one
day in Charleston, South Carolina, two
days; and in Savannah and Augusta,
Georgia, each one day. Both in travelling
= and while stopping, I saw much and con-
versed freely with the citizens of those
States, as well as with officers of the army
: who have been stationed among them.-
The following are the conclusions come to
: by me:
s am satisfied that the mass of thinking
I men of the South accept the present situa-
ton of affairs in good faith. The questions
which have hitherto divided the sentiments
of the people of the two sections-slavery
land State rights, or the right of State to
Isecede from the Union--they regard as hav-
ing been settled forever by the highest tri-
lbunal-arms-tha man can resort to. l
I was pleased to learn from the leading men
whom met that they not only accepted
the decision arrived at, as final, but, now
n the smoke of battle has cleared away, and
a ltIine hls been given for reflection, that this
/, tdeeisi0h 9has been n fortunate one for the
4 whole country, they receiving the like bene-
is fits from it with those who opposed them
III OH the field and in the council.
40 ' Four wears of war, during which the
+ tlaw was executed only at the point of tile
te bavonet throughout the States in rebellion,
r 1have left the people possibly in condt-
r ton not to yield that ready obedience to
5. tcivn authority which the American people
ri have generally been in the habit of yield
- ing. This would render the presence OF
y small garrisons throughout those State?
y necessary, until such time as labor returns
y to its proper channel, and the civil authori-
= ties are fully established. did not meet
to any one, either those holding places under
r the Government, or citizens of the South
=, ern States, who thought it practicable tC
i'll withdraw the military from the South al
III present The white and the black mutually
lO require the protection of the General Gov
GO ernment. There is such universal ac-
- qhiescence in the authority of the General
~ Government, throughout the portions of
L the country visited by me, that the Nero
d; presence of military force, without re-
,e gard to numbers, is sufficient to maintain
Il order The good of the country requires
that the military kept in the interior, where
=. there are many freedmen, and elsewhere
'u in the Southern States, than at forts upon
G. the sea-coast, where no force is necessary,
m should all be white troops. The reasons
NJ for this are obvious. Without mentioning
= many of them, the presence of black troops
- lately slaves demOraliZes labor, both by
rs their advice and by furnishing in theil
camps II resort for the freedmen, for long
distances around. White troops generally
/ excite no opposition, and therefore q small
number of them can maintain order in q
s. given district COlored troops must be kept
- in bodies sufficient to defend themselves
i0 1t is not the thinking men wRo would dc
u violence toward any class of troops sent
~ among them by the General Government
~ but the ignorant, in some places, might
and the late slave, too, who might be i'm
ra bued with the idea that the property of his
A.. late master should, by right, belong to him
vi at least should have no protection from tho
an colored soldiers. There is danger of COLI
IS sion being brought on by such causes.
RS NV observations lead me to the conclu
g sion that the citizens ofthe Southern States
- are anxious to return to self-government
er within the Union, as soon as possible; that
~ while rcconstructing, they want and re
rs, dIiire protection from the Government tha
lr- they think is required by the Government
ds and isit not huniliating to them as citizens
on and that if such a course was pointed on
~ they would pursue it in good faith. n,
ng II is to be regretted that there can no
o. be a greater communicating mt this time be
no tween the citizens of the two sections, an
he pdtiticularly Of those Entrusted nth the tdit
20 mdkifg pOper, -
W did not give the operation of the Freed
re mems Bureau that attention would hay
at done if more time had been at my disposa
ed Conversations, however, on the subjec
nir with officers connected with the Bureau
- led me to think that in some of the State
ey its affairs have not been conducted wit
cir good Judgment or economy, and that til
for belief, widely spread among the Frcedme
fiji of the Southern States, that the lands o
the former owner will, at least in part, /
divided among them, has come from til
agents Of the Bureau. This belief is ser
at tOusly interfering with the willingness 9
nd the freedmen to make contracts for I'll
no coming year. In some form the Freed
10, mems Bureau is an absolute necessity unit
All civil law is established and enforced, 81
"a curing to the freedmen their rights an
j. fun protection. At present, however, it
ert Independent of the military establishmeI
7, of the country, and seems to be operate
- by the different agents of the Bureau n
#. cording to their individual notions ever,
ler where. ...l -.,. ID. .,, ..,. -,
NJ. General Howard, the able head of Il
o. Bureau, made friends by the just and fa
,,,, instructions and advice he gave, but IL
" complaint in South Carolina was that wh6
w. he left things went on as before. Man
as perhaps the majority, Of the agents of Il
H. Freedmen's Bureau, advise the freedmG
nm that by their own industry they must e
oect to live.- To this end they endeavor
NY secure employment. for them, and to 8
rer that both contracting parties comply Wi
Iol- their engagements. 49,. ......
ven In some cases. / am sorry to say, Il
au Freedman's mind does not seem TO be di
a. abused of the idea that the freedmen ha'
n0 the right to live without care or provlsio
on for the future. The effect of the belief
en- the division of land isidleness and accum
mes lation in Camps, towns and cities. In su,
~ cases think il will be found that vice al
N disease will tend to the eNternination
destruction Of the colored race;