The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-03-28

=
ing up a republic in Mex CO may, when they 60
home, ask Themselves equally natural questions,
and their questioning may have equally great
consequences.
The Assistant Commissioners OF the Freed
mems BuIenu on the Condition OF the
Negroes.
From the Times.
Some of the latest reports of the Assistant
Commissioners of the Freedmen's Bureau have
been laid before the United States Senate,
agreeably to a resolution OF that body. Twenty
two different papers are included in the return.
And the officers making these reports rank from
Colonies to Brevet Maor-Generals Eleven
Deputy Commissioners in all present their writ
ten testimony. And the States embraced IN the
valio reports include Kentucky, Tennessee,
North Carolina, South Carolina, Missouri,
Arkansas Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, and
Texas.
Some of these reports must possess no in
considerable historical value. Others are to
some extent marred by impulsive utterances
which, however much naturalness and honesty
they may exhibit, detract from the merits of
the record otherwise, as one of a calmly judicial
character. Thus General Fisk opens his report
by announcing that "there are some of che
meanest, unsubiugated and unreconstructed,
rascally, rebelious revolutionists in Ken.
lucky that curse the soil Of the country"
In the next paragraph OF the same re.
port however January 6, 1865, General
Fisk declares that the majority of the people
ol Kentucky hail the dawn of universal lib
erty, and welcome che agency OF the bureau
in adjusting the new relations arising from the
total abolition OF slavery. If the latter state
merit we're reliable the former applying to the
''unsubiugated and unreconstructedn of Ken
tuCky, need not occasion any great uneasness.
And therefore, it is that soberly disposed
people will greatly regret that there should
be any needless parade of the sympathies of
the small disafected minonty-more especially
as General Fisk proceeds in a sensible address to
admonish the freedmen that they should 'let
the past be forgotten; treat all men with respect;
and avoid disputes.n How these proteges of
General Fisks in Kentucky have fulfilled his
expectations and obeyed his iDiunctions, his
report does not show; but only sixteen days
after he had protested that a majority of the
people, as we have seen, welcomed the agency
OF the Bureau, the Assistant Commissioner AN
nounced that majority of the State Legisla-
tors denounced the Bureau. ana the first recon-
mendation for public Office is hearty and cor
dial hatred OF that institution. The sum of
these singularly conflicting statements, as pre-
sented by General Fisk, is that while the
bureau Is regarded as a good thing to bear bur
dens-as an agency 'tO enforce justice IL as
odloaLs" all throughout Kentucky; that State
standing out in bad eminence, as one wherein
iendish spirit prevails which is not matched in
Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi or
Arkansas.
The latest report from Tennessee, which is
dated Valentines Day, and which comes through
General Fisk's hands, represents rather salts
factory condition of things. The State remains
Represented in Congress; yet there is steady
advancement in the industry, education and
good order of the people. Fences are being
rebuilt, plantations stocked with teams, imple-
ments, and seeds, and determination is gene
rally manifested to redeem the waste places,
repair the desolatons of war, and again place
the Commonwealth on the high road to pros
perity." These results although General Fisk
does not say so-are clearly due to the coopera-
tion and growth OF kindly social feeling between
the two races. How much more is required at
the hands OF the loyal white men of Tennessee to
secure a recognition OF their claims to- repre-
sentation in Congress we shall probably learn
| some day.
| the fears of insurrecton have passed away.
! And when the employer and the employed have
| been brought together by the Intervention of
| iudicious agents. Colonel Whittlesey, assures
| his Chief il is in most cases easy to make bar
! gain. $50 generally" says he, have the freed
men sought employment, and obtained it, that
the demand for laborers cannot be easily sup
| plied.n A further passage in the report of this
officer, we must lay before our readers in FULL
The expectation that lands would be granted bV
| Government-a hope first kindled by Rebel politi.
in their efforts 'to fire the Southern heart aud
afterwards increased by the Confiscation Act-has
now passed away All officers OF the Bureau dis
countenanced such hopes by public addresses and
| circulars, widely scattered; but fixed had they
become before the closed, that it was not easy
to eradicate them When, however, Christmas
actually passed and the wear ended without any
gifts of the klnd 1t was admitted that we had told
Them the truth and that they had been deceived by
the lalk OF their former masters. SO also, on the
other hand have the idle fears OF nf direction passed
away; the hoiuavs have gone by and no outbreaks
| have occurred All admit that more quiet and
oroeTly Christmas has never oeen enjoyed in this
region 1 he history of the world may be challenged
| IoI another instance of such good conduct, in
similar circumstances, as the freedmen have thus
tar maintained"
1t is pity that kindly and philosophic views
| like these should have been accompanied with
extracts from Southern papers intended to show
! that the Presidents veto is only supported by
! "Copperheads." Colonel Whttlesey may be re-
quiIed, as part of his duty to use North Carolina
| newspapers in some party interest TO assail the
| President; but we should have thought General
| Howard would have been discreet enough not
| to parade the act OF his subordinate.
The reports from South Carolina are exceed
| ingly conflicting. The failure of the crops, in
many instances, has been the reason assigned
| for breaches of contracts. The officer reporting
| for the Bureau from the GEORGETOWN District
| says:-"Every contract made in 1866 has been
| broken by the freedmen, the crops raised being
| barely sufficient to keep them from starving y
! On the other hand, from the Chesterfield, Oar.
| lineton, Kershaw, and Marlboro Districts, there
! is a generally favorable report. The freedmen
| are entering willingly into contracts, "and are
| receiving almost universally better wages than
any one expected would be ohered.n The
| planters OF the Charleston District are generally
| willing 20 make tair contracts, but the freedmen
! are indsposed.
In Arkansas the freed negroes are offered
wages 10 which the unskilled rural laborer of
| the North Is altogether unaccustomed. Good
| hands can readily get twenty dollars month
and board, cabins fuel, medicine and medical
| attendance.
| Cases of great wrong ana Injustice are re.