The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1866-05-26
Editor Ne,o York Herald:

Editor Ne,o York Herald:
Your Charleston correspondence, under date of
the 18th inst. reports rs follows.
"In January last General BEECHER found but
two acres listed out for planting on the whole OF
Edisto Islsndp &C., &c.
Your correspondent unwittingy omits the some
what important words " in any one patch"-also,
confounds Edisto with Johns and Wadamalaw Isl
ands adjacent.
In this connection it may not be out of place to
offer few suggestions concerning the earlier or
gsnization Of the Bureau under civilian agents,
and its present military form. The former was
made screditable by the character OF it's subordi-
nate agents, who seem to have been, with few
honorable exceptions, good men without judg-
ment, or shrewd men without principle.
The military organization has seemed to work
damage rather through failure to establish any
definite plan for permanent arrangement Of the
relations between the freed people and whites,
and through jealous interference with military
endeavor to organize on practical basis. Charges
of malpractices by subordinate agents have COM
psrstiyely little to do with the main issue.
They may all be true, or may be e1aggerat-
ed. As present, the question is simply this:
Can the two systems work together as separate
organizations2
II is very evident they cannot. They can be
die together; but if one works, it disturbs the
other; il both work, they clash.
As an organizing force for permanent arrange
ment OF affairs, the Bureau has accomplished little
or nothing. General Order No. 1, January, 1866,
from sj.-Gen. SICKLEs, did the business; and the
execution Of this order by military subordinstes
settled the labor question for the year, and pro-
bably for coming years, in the State.
It is worry true the Bureau has it's uses and rem
ders some valuable services, but these are counter
balanced by the seeming establishment of sepa-
rate sources of redress for whites and freed people,
and an increase of the chances Of collision and
bitterness.
Does it not, then, commend itself as reason
able proposition, to secure the benefit OF both
organizations, by combining them under one head
and hand? either to add to Commissioner OF
the Bureau military command Of his department,
or endow the military commander with such addi-
tional powers and duties as now rest upon Com
missioner Thus We shall reduce from two
systems to one, and be prepared to dispense
with that one at no very late day, or to have the
necessity for it cease to exist. It must come to
this, sooner or later, and the sooner the better.
AS a personal matter, regret exceedingly to
even seem to be in antagonism with an institution
whose object and aim is the welfare Of the freed
people. But know this object can not be attain
ed except by establishing them upon basis
active industry and mutual good will between
themselves and their white neighbors. believe
the chief workers in the Bureau to be honest and
sincere, but for six months have watched the fall
ure to do what must be done.
Hence, in no party spirit, but simply SIS one who
for year has worked steadily for the object Tor
which the Bureau is instituted, cannot DO other
wise than bear testimony accordingly.
Respectfully yours,
JAMES C. BEECHER,
Brevet Brigadier- General o. 3. V.
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