The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-01-31
THE POSSESSION OF THE SEA
ISLAND LANDS.
Objections to the Presidents Re-
construction Policy.
Important Letter from James L. Orr, Gov
ernOT of South Carolina, to Andrew
Johnson, President of the United
States.

1S66.-TO the President OF the United States
Sir When first your wise and humane policy OF
proprietors was declared, there was hopeful
prospect of a very happy result. But in the
execution oil that policy there has been most
unaccountable delay, and that especially in those
sections of the State where there was the largest
scope for its exercise, and where the presence of
the Freedmen's Bureau ought TO have furnished
the readiest means for It's execution. Now it
appears to me that If there is one subject upon
which the interests of all parties agree, of the
Union and of the State, of the freedman and of
the landowner, it is this: the speedy resumption
and steady prosecution of the agricultural indus
try of the South. And all these interests are
directly concerned in knowing whence the diff
entities come and how they can be removed.
L believe there is but one main difficulty. For
/ would observe first, that in this State the
freedman now suffers under no civil disability.
Without reference to any special legislation, and
there is as yet no special legislation of force
here, the freedman, by the States acceptance of
the act of emancipation and the passage OF the
Constitutional Amendment is relieved OF the
disabilities of his former condition of slavery,
and is to-day as thoroughly protected in his
rights OF person and property as any other
inhabitant of the State. He has, therefore
every right to labor and every guarantee that
have that he will be protected in the enjoyment
of the fruits of his labor. For even supposlng
this not to result from the simple abolition OF
his status as slave the military courts which
alone now exercise Jurisdiction in cases where
he is concerned, afford him ample protection
does not lie in that direction. Nor does it pro.
ceed from the land owner.
The ready and early employment of this labor
is his only salvation. Without it his lands must
lie idle, and that when the promise and pros
pect OF remuneration are ten-told greater than
they ever were, and his wants an hundred fold.
On this head the official reports are conclusive
They expressly declare that the planters are
ready and anxious to work. But that the freed
men will not contract to work for wages as long
as the Government does not explicitly assure
him that lands are not to be given him. ] would
refer you especially to the reports of General
Beecher, from the Combahee plantations and
the reports of Major Delany, coored Officer
who was sent on an official tour of inspection
from department headquarters through the sea-
coast parishes.
The language of this latter is so decisive, his
opportunities for observation peculiarly favor
able, and his sympathies so clearly with the
freedmen that will quote from his oficiPl re-
port:-
"I have met with general representation of
the Intelligence and former wealth Of the planters
and large land owners OF these districts, and
large numbers of the freedmen of both sexes
and every CONDITION among them, and have
generally found the planter ready and willing
to enter into any agreement reasonable and just
to both parties planters and freedmen. All
with whom have yet met and had conversation
on the subject of the planting interest readily
indorse the most liberal desires OF the Govern
ment and the Bureau towards the freedmen.
And the freedmen express the most anxious de-
sire to go to work on plantations and simply
hesitate for the purpose of receiving definite
orders from the Government that they cannot
obtain the lands by purchase or otherwise when
they will readily enter into arrangements to
work or give place to those who will"
In the upper portion of this State where The
Freedman's Bureau has never been organized,
and where post commanders chiefly had charge
OF the relations and conditions of the freedmen,
this delusion was never as strong as lower down,
and yet 1t was strong enough to prevent any
contracts being made before the LIST of January,
ITVNA 70 Al,oH f,n.n Alaf k~zI.- =
the certainty of their future proprietorshlp.
Since that day has passed they are manitesting
much greater willingness to meet the necessities
OF their condition. Bnt in the lower part of the
state the condition of things is different The
delay in carrying out your instructions positively,
which has continued from General Howard's
visit in October to Captain Ketchum's return
in the last few days, rendered the freedmen, as
body, incredulous Of any restoration. They
have in many places quietly but firmly refused
to accept any terms. But l regret to say that
within the last few days they have in some in
stances resorted to violence, burning down
dwellings, destroying bridges, ntrenching them
selves in their quarters, and refusing either to
contract or give way to those who will. And in
these cases it is proper to say that the contracts
offered them have been approved by the United
States authorities as liberal and lust. This is
not unnatural. For as long as the freedman has
reason to believe that the Government will give
him a homestead of forty acres, he will not
voluntary work for wages.
1t cannot, l think, be denied that the action of
the VEeedmen's Bureau in this State has largely
contributed to this unfortunate result Without
entering into a minute detail of its administra-
tion, am constrained to say that there is to my
mind sufficient evidence of an unWillingness to
cooperate cordially with the policy of the Gov
ernment. Certificates OF title have been in some
cases granted to persons filing none of the con-
ditions even of General Sherman's order, aud
have been given to chance visitors to the Island
for lands not only for themselves, but for their
friends who had never been away from their
nalQ hnn In.
terposed in the execution of the forms necessary
to restoration, and the Bureau has indeed gone
so far as by construction too unworthy for any
comment, to defeat the very object of your
orders. For it has been decided that where the
freedman refuses to contract on any terms, how
ever Just, that in such cases there can be no
mutually satisfactory arrangement and his
refusal acts as bar to restoration,
In addition to this, the whole Parish of St.
Helena, and a great portion of ST. Luke's, com
prlsing body Of estates which, in intrinsic
value, in the former amount OF products and in
perfection of culture, cannot be surpassed by
an equal extent of country in any State of the
Union, have been appropriated by the Govern
ment under the provisions of the Direct Tax
acts. These lands are occupied by freedmen
some under pretense Of allotment some under
pretense of purchase, some under pretense of
General Sherman's order, and most under no
| pretense at all. The Tax Commissioners
| charged with the execution of these acts have
| manifested the same sympathies as the agents of
the Freedman's Bureau, and this whole section
| of country is held out not only home of
refuge, but as land of promise for every indolent
freedman in the State. / have felt bound to call
the attention of the Secretary of the Treasury to