The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-05-23
The Bureau in South Carolina.

we extract the following from the
Charleston correspondence of the
New York Herald:
In South Carolina the Bureau means
neither three-man power nor q one
man power, but simply disturbing
agency, without any power 1t all, ex-
cept to foment ill-feeling and to
collect charges for the provost courts
to dispose Of. Soon after the
evacuation of Charleston, a contest
relative to their respective powers be-
tween Gems. Gilmore and Saxton led
to the establishment of provost courts,
by whose agency the judicial bust
ness of the Bureau is virtually trans
acted. Hence in and around Charles
ton there is confusion, and q CONT
nued clashing between the military
authorities and the agents of the Bu-
reau, and the abolition of one or the
other is impcratively called for, or
the consolidation of both in one.
The powers and mode of admins
tration of the Freedmen's Bureau in
these three States, Virginia, North
Carolina and South Carolina it will
thus be seen, differ as widely as do
the organic laws OF Dahomey and
Massachusetts,, and to talk of the
Freedmen's Bureau in the abstract as
some wise and benefcent institution.
shedding benignart influence over
the colored race throughout the
South, is to speak of something that
does not exist. and never has existed.
The Bureau is good or bad institu-
ton according to the personal char
acter of the agent who administers
it; 1T varies in every County and
changes with every change of officers.
This is one Of it's greatest weaknesses,
and one of the strongest arguments
against its permanent continuance.
A few Of the representative citi-
zens Of Charleston waited upon Gen.
Steedman last evening. They told
the same story we have heard every
where. No outrages. no burning of
school houses. no antagonism of
races, kindly feeling towards the
freedmen and disposition to act
fairl y and indulgently towards them.
The cX-rcbel General, James Connor,
who was present, asserted that the
Bureau was doing a serious injury to
the class it was designed to benefit in
this way. While the Bureau was in
existence the freedmen would not
abide by their contracts. and the
planters were employing white labor
ers. | cannot tell how far this NAV
be the case. only know Of one in
stance of the kind. A Sea Island
planter, Mr.. Johnson, brought
down fifty white laborers They cost
him $500 for transportation, and when
he got them fairly to work, they
struck for higher wages Mr.. John
son is rather likely to go back to CO.
lored labor IL was maintained bv
another gentleman at the meeting, as
a proof of the disposition Of the plan
ters, that in Districts where there was
no Bureau there were ten to one less
destltutlon, ten to one fewer deaths.
and ten to one less Imposition on the
negroes than in Districts where a Bu-
reau existed. Gen Comor stated
that in kershaw District, where there
was no Bureau. the freedmen made
their own contracts. and were getting
on much better there than elsewhere.
or the present state of affairs on
the Sea Islands | shall be better able
to speak IN my next, bat Gen.
Beecher, who took command of a
department, including these islands.
in August last, gives strange pic
ture of the lawlessneSs and disorder
that then, and had for some time pre-
viously. prevailed under Gen. SAX
ton administration of affairs Frauds
and rascalltics of every description.
from petty larccncy upwards, were
perpetrated under the shadow of the
Freedmens Bureau. The negroes,
lnstigatcd by unscrupulous civilian
agents of thc Bureau. who told them
they had Il right to the land. and
must keep every white man off the
island, formed IN armed organiZa-
ton and arrested every white man
who attempted to land Armed
bands of negroes made predatory
foravs on the main land and drove OFF
all the cattle that came in their way.
The allotmcnts of land set apart for
the freedmen under Gen Sherman 5
order We're universally left unculti-
waited. In January last, Gen. Beechcr.
found but two acres ''Hsted out for
planting in the whole Edisto Island,
and it was only by stopping the
supply of rations and placing the al
tentative of work or starvation before
the negroes that he could get them to
take a hoe in hand These same
..fOrtN acre" allOtmcutS Mrr.. found