Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1866-12-12


dlately to secure from so few sources the large
amount which we now require through indi
rect taxation, but additions of such articles "a
Congress shall determine should be made to
the list Of those exempted as rapidly as the
amount to be deprived from such taxation can
be safely reduced"
The Freedmen
OPINION OF UNION GENERALS REsPE CITING THE
NECESSITY OF PROTECTING FIRE EDMEN.
Below we print an extract from General
Sheridan's report to Gen. Grant:
The condition of civil affairs in Texas was
anomalous, singular, and unsatisfactory. found
the Provisional Governor, backed by small
portion Of the population, had for his standard
of loyalty, " abhorrence for the Rebellion and
glory IN the defeat;' - while his successor, as
actual Governor, had for his standard of loyalty,
" pride in rebeilion-thas it righteous
but lost Cause, being overpowered by the Fed
eral forces" Both of these representatives of
the civil law, entertaining opposite standards
for the loyalty of their subjects, was required
to support. and did it to The best OF my ability;
but 1t hss been embarrassing in the extreme.
Gov. Hamilton, the Provisional Governor, was
ciamorous for more troops, and IN several com
municatlous to me asserted that the civil law
could not be carried out that freedmen would
be killed. and Union men driven from the
State without military support, which | gave
whenever 1t was possible. Gov. Throckmor-
ton, the present Governor, wants all the trOops
moved from the settled portions of the State,
asserting that the civil law was all r ghU that
justice would be done to freedmen. Union men
and our soldiers in the courts. But justice Is
not done. 10 give you instance OF this,
two soldiers were shot at Benham, Texas,
about two months ago they were nnarme1, /,
and offered no provocation. The grand jury
could find no bill against their would-5s a,sas
sins, but found bill against Brevet Map
Smith, 18th Infantry, for burglary, because he
broke into the house of some citizen in his az
tempt 10 arrest these men.
My own opinion is that he trla. of white
man for the murder of freedman, in Texas,
would be farce, and in making this statement
| make it because truth compels me-, and for 10
other reason.
During the last six months Indian depreda-
tons have taken place on the remote frontier.
Their extent is not defined as yet, but they ara
not very charming, and | think that tne Gov
ernor las 10 some extent been infiu enced by
exaggerated reports, gotten up, in some n
stances, by frontier people TO get a market for
their produce, and IN other instances y army
contractors, to make money.
nave OIGSrSL Two Regiments OF cavalry 20
the frontier, and placed a regiment Of infantry
at Austin, TO be moved if necessary.
1t is strange that over white man killed by
Indians on an extensive frontier. The gre1tes {
excitement Will take place. but the AilljoS :
o. maay freedmen in the settlements nothing
is done. cannot help but see this, and !
cannot help but tell it to my superiors, 20 mat
ter how unpleasant it may sssm 20 the author
ties Of Texas.
Gen. jeff c. Davis reports from kentucky
as FOL lows:
D-aas Of saa-r.lla. - and negro razu-
lators " soon increased IN numbers and au-
dacIty, and many lawless acts have been per-
petrated by them upon the defenseleSs aGd
unofending citizsns, both white ana black.
The increase OF robbery and lawessuess. and
the intellectual measures taken bv the civil au-
thorities TO suppress these bands, rendered il
ms duty to offer to tbe citizsns more pro &c.
tion from the military than had before iouna
necessary.
10 Gallatin and surrounding counties, tkese
bands become so formidable and bold in com
mttiug their robberies, that | was com mpelled
TO send, about the first OF September last, I
company of troops to Warsaw, also Bowling
Green and Paduclh, for the protection OF the
peope. These troops still occupy their camps
at these places, and Judging from he present
state of affairs il viii be necessary TO continua
their presence there.
From these posts small detachments of men
are sent out as necessity requires to protect
the agents of the Bureau, ana make arrests Of
desperadoes. | have allowed arrests Of
citizens to be made, except where it was ma nj
fest that the civil authorities Jailed refused
10 take action, and then only on affidav,s
previously taken showing conclusively the
identity and guilt of the parties. All parties
arrested up to this date, except i've, have been
turned to the civil courts for trial after a
few days imprisonme mt ;these five prisoners who
have been in confinement only few DAYS, are
now awaiting the demand OF the United States
marshal to be go turned over. These parties
have generally been turned over to the United
States District Court of this state, the only
court in the state within my knowledge thas
will admit the testimony of colored witnesses
against accused white parties For further
particulars on this subject, would especially
refer to the accompanying report OF the Bu-
reau ahalrs.
Gen. Wood reports from Mississippi this
state of affairs
Several of the statute laws OF this state IN
reference to the negroes are very Objectionable.
will specially designate few that seem 20 bs
most open 70 objection
ness in all cases in which one or both OF the
parties litigant are negroes 1t therefore fully
prote cts the rights of the negroes. But Il
both the parties iitigane in any white
persons, the negro is not competent witness.
Since the negro is competent wi tness,
either for the prosecution or defense, in cases
in " hich a white person is either plaintiff or
defendant, and the other party negro, no rea-
son can be perceived why the colored person
should not be competent witness when both
parties are white persons. 1t Is true this stat
ute does not injure the rights of person or
property of the negroes, out it does work
great injury and inconvenience to the white IN
habitants. As the law now stands the negro
can use the testimony of the members OF the
colored race, as also the evidence of whi e
people, in all cases in which his rights are in
litigation but in matt ters OF litigation between
two white person neither of the parties can
use negro testimony, though 1t my be the only
evidence available in the A white per
son can use the test imony of the negro only in
case a negro is party to the suit.
Ihs statute prohibiting the coiored people
from bearing arms without special license Is
unjust, oppressive end unconstitutional. One
of the courts of the state has decided the law
to be unconstitutional, while another has main
taiued its consttutlOnality.
The law prohibiting the negroes from pur-
| chasing or leasing real estate, except IN corpo-
rate towns clues, is impoiitic and unconsti-
tutional. The effect of it is to drive the
negroesiin large Numbers into the towns, where
they suffer from idleness, vice and disease !;
whereas, if they were allowed to acquire homes
in the country, they would become useful, con-
tented and happy laboregs. The constitution
Of this state, amended In 1865, invests the
negroes with the right to acquire and hold