Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1866-02-12


such investigation deferred until his re-
turn. The General sent back the fol-
lowing letter in response. From Il, We
learn that the Investigating Committee
is likely to have an interesting time Of
it. The truth is what is wanted, and be,
tween the General and the Committee,
the people will no doubt ascertain the
truth. l-rrx~ -y kerTa xyysFJ<
WAsHISGroS, d. c., Feb. 3, 1865.
Hon j. m. ARMSTRONG, frankfort,
KeHtacky: AtLz -
lDrAR sra: I have the honor to ac-
knowledge the receipt of your telegram
Of this date, giving me notice ofa meet
iLg Of your Legislative Committee, Of
Frankfort, KY, on the present inst u
have responded, asking that the invests
cation be delayed until my return TO
Kentucky. My duties will detain me. in
Washington for several days. hope to
be in. Frankfort by the 10Th or 25th
inst, and will then be pleased to meet
your Committee, and aid you in inyesti-l
eating not only the cases TO which / re,
ferred in my Cincinnati speech, butmany
others Of similar character, of which
complaints are made in different parts
Of the State. / trust that great good
will result from it in this investigation.
Let MS 90 down to the "hard pen" and
ascertain the exact condition of the freed
men .of Kentucky, and the deposition
OF your people toward them. ..ss-.,..,,,
Reports Of outrages, upon returned
colored soldiers. especially, are eontinu-
ally reaching us from the "blue-grsss@
and tobacco producing sections of your
State. tits charged that in some To-
calities the civil authorities utterly neg
lect to protect the freedmen-that In
other sections they refuse to do so; and
in few places they are poWerlsssin the
| presence of outlaws, who pursua with
wrath and vengeance our mustered-out
soldiers, without distinction of color.
l. / know from my own observation that
| there is some truth In these reports.
was at Lexington on the 18th and 10th
ultimo. had been expected there for
many days, and Q number Of freedmen
1 from the surrounding counties had con-
gregated at that point to meet me and
make known their complaints. saw.
| thirteen colored men who had been SOL
diers in the army, all of whom stated
that they bad been rnalsreated by their
former owners, when they had returned
to their old homes to ask for their wives
and children-some Of them from Gar
rard county, think. Their bruised
heads and swollen eyes gave evidence
Of severe treatment Others stated that
they have been cruelty beaten or threat
ened with shooting. Bourbon, Wood
ford, Madison, Montgomery, and Gar.
rsrd counties, were represented at Lex
ington.A These men were intelligent.
They appeared honest, and bore the
evidence of maltrsatment on their per-
sons. i assure you / thoughts from their
statements and appearances that they
had been .hrutally treated. l referred
them to the proper parties, that their
complaints might be duly investigated,
and their wrong redresaed. -
/ / was informed BY gentlemen in whom
/ / had great confidence, that the civil
authorities gave no attention to these
outrages, and left Lexington withsthe
conviction that the freedmen of the
Blue Grass section ought to have more
protection than the civil authorities
could or would afford. e a a&AHA
4 Communications from reliable citi-
gems Of Kentucky, through the War. De-
partment Of Warrington had been re-
ferred to myself for action, in which
similar complaints were made and the
Governments protection invoked.
made strong statements ct Gin ,iunsti.
1Iwas speaking at the Anniversary Of the
Western Freedmen's Aid Commission,
an organization that has expend-
ed many thousands of dollars, con-
Etributed by benevolent people, in both
Europe and America, for the personal
relief and education of the Freedmen.
/ / desire to represent the true condition
Of the people over whom had super
vision. had met persons in Cincinnati
who charged that all Kentucky was in
rssistance to Freedom and Justice.
denied the charge, and stated that By
far the greater portion OF young people
while they protested that the abolition
of slavery waHsa great wrong-accepted
the fact that slavery was abolished, and
were treating the freedmen with Justice
and generosity. I stated that cases
of brutal treatment were exception
able. / also stated that the Kentucky
law makers would be reluctant to en-
act laws that would secure impair
tial Justice to her freedmen, and
I certainly reached that 3 con-
clusions when L was ct Frankfort. 1
hope was mistaken in that particular.
I spoke in the most complimentary
terms Of the action of your State Agri-
cultural Convention which convened at
| Frankfort on the llth ultino. I as
sure you that I did not intend anything
to "extenuate or aught set down in NAL.
ice," and if, upon investigation, strict
land thorough, II shall appear that have
IN the least misrepresented your people,
/ will make honorable amend by retrac-
ton before the world. II upon the oth-
or hand, / present to. yonr committee
confirmation strong as proof OF holy
writ" that / did not misrepresent you, /
trust the gentlemen who have.denouneed
ms as liar and slanderers, will permit
me to forgive them their tresspasses
against me. Sc,
God forbidl that any words of mine
should misrepresent the people Of any
State, or that should be instrumental
in producing discord or strife. It is my
desire to devote myself to the promotion
Of tranquility, to aid in restoring conf.
dence and goodly fellowship all over the
land, and to follow the things that will
make for q peace permanently estab-
hshed in justice and truth. 4, 70 rs1r q (.
4 / am Sir, with great respect,
| Your obedient servant,
i S3el ,eI CLNToN B. Fax, %
II RrAuak Mai Gen and A an,t CONF