New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1866-01-23
THE FREEDmEN's BUREAU.

It's Operations In North Carelina-Beport
Of CommissIener WhistIesey-Exem.
piery Conduct Of the Freedmen.
The following is the report of the Assistant
Commissioner Of the Freedmens Bureau for North
Carolina for the quarter ending December 81. 1865:
BUREAU OF REFUGLEs. FREEDMEN AND ABANDoSEDl
| LANDS, HDQRs. ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER,
/ RALEIGH, n. c.. Jan. u.s. 1866.
Major. GsnsralO o. o. HOWARD CommissiOnei
| GENERAL: have the honor to transmit herewith my
report OF the various operations OF this Bureau Tor the
quarter ending December 81, ls65. The figures and
facts speak plainly for Themselves that need add
but very few remarks Defective as our ORC
is in some respects affected by its dependence upon and
subsection to other brancheg OF the War Department
yet having got established and lis machinery put In
motion 1t is doing its work with vigor and success
Many changes among my subordinate officers have been
caused by the musterout OF the regiments. but the
losses sustained have been partially compensated by de-
tails from the Veteran Reserve Corps. My efforts 10
the services of citizens agents Of the Bureau
| have not met with success
Immediately after your visit here In October ad.
dressed note to each member OF the constitutional
Convention, requesting him to give me the name OF
some suitable persons in his own county, to be ap'
pointed to this Office But though many promised to
YOU their hearty cooperation In organizing this agency
not one replied to my request. / have however, by
other means found few who were willing TO accept
the position and some OF then have done good service
Others have proved On fit for the duties required not
being able TO comprehend that negro can be free
man. or have any rights which white man Is
! appointment Of any other than military officers.
Even these after being musteredout not as eff.
Gent as when in the military service. They fail TO
command respect. They do not inspire the freedmen
with confidence 49,
AS the year has drawn to a close ell the officers OF
the Bureau have been busy settling up claims for labor
dnrng the past The old story been repesed
| thousands of times: No definite bargain made-no
wages promised. but masa said stay til the crop Is
made and he would do what was right" On that
pont what is right" arises the dispute. But when
the parties be brought together. and all the facts
decision. Cart. Evans reported that as many as $50
claims and difficulties of this kind were brought before
him in Warren County at the close OF the year. So long
az these claims and questions of wages were unsettled
II was natural that the freedmen should refuse to enter
into any contracts for another year They wanted
little experience to give them faith. And 1t gives me
great pleasure to state that in large majority Of cases
q fair settlement has been effected.
i have put the question officers In all parts Of the
State, How large proportion Of the white people
answer Is From three.fourths to four-fiths." The
other fourth OF fifth would Cypress them and defraad
them IL permtted perhaps larger proportion might
show disposition to do this. were it not for the
restraining presence Of military force. One sitting
few DAYS In one of our Offices and listening to com.
plans from morning till night. might suppose that the
Whole laborns population was unsettled but such is
not the case The great have made their bargains
for the coming year. and trains are seen moving from
the towns to the farming districts. 80 generally have
the freedmen sought employment and obtained it. that
the demands for lsborers cannot be easily supplied If
IN instances they leave their employers, II is
more than we should expect and often it will not be
difficult to discover good reason. By an arrangement
with L. p Odds & Co. land agents 1 have an intei.
/ gence Office in nearly every county.
The expectation that lands would be granted by Gov.
eminent hope first kindled by Rebel politicians In
their efforts ito FIRE the Southern heart and aterward
Increased by the cOnfscation act has passed away
All officers OF this Bureau discounenanoed such hopes
BY public addresses and circulars widely scattered but
so fixed had they become before the closed that
4 was not easy to eradicate them. When, however,
Christmas actually passed. and the year ended without
any gifts of the kind 1t was admitted that we had told
them the TRUTH and that they had been deceived by the
talk Of their former masters &c. also. on the other
hand have the idle and fears Of
insureotion passed away The holidays have gone by
and no outbreaks have occurred All admit that more
quiet and orderly Christmas has never been enjoyed In
this region. The history Of the world may be cha-
ienged for another instance Of such good conduct in
similar circumstances az the freedmen have thus far
maintained.
During the quarter 81 cases Of violent assault upon
freedmen other criminal acts have been reported TO
the military authorities for trial such action might
be deemed proper. OF these 81 cases, the only ones
brought to trial. so far as this Bureau has information
are those OF Isaac and Wiley freedmen OF the town
Of Salisbury Rowan County" on the charge OF lar
ceny" of which they found mot guilty." and dis.
charged Several eases reported during the previous
quarter have been tried, and among them are:
| l. Emanuel Baxter (colored) assault with intent TO
O. John W. German jwhite>. assault and battery"
guilty fined CSC and imprisoned 30 days. fine remited
g. stephen C. Lee (wbite), "murder," found guilty
and sentenced 70 DO hanged sentence RENTED by
viewing officer on the ground that malice was not
proved.
l. Joseph Corpening (white) "assauk with intent to
kill !" found guilty Of shooting with inteut to main
sentence, $500 fine and 90 days Imprisonment.
| s. George A. Pitts j. A. Propst VIM. Rstler Al.
| fred STALKER. Thomas Williford Gibson Kline. and
Dwight Russell (wbitel riot and assault and battery"
guilty, fined and imprisonedi Kline and Russell 90.
Quilted.
G. Shock (colored), "rape on colored grill" fncins,
guilty. sentenced to DO hanged; sentence mitgsted to
one years hard labor
T. Monroe Davis (white) "riot and assault and bat.
| terry !" guilty. and imprisoned I months.
g. Privstes Bloom Shannon. and Lewis, 10th Indi-
and sentenced TO loss Of mouths pay.
9. Henry Brown (coored) "thefsi' guilty. and i'm
prisoned months
10. Gaion carp Cwhite> "maltreatment Of freedmen
and assault and battery" euiltyi sentenced to hard
labor on public works two years.
Some o. the reported during the Last quarter are
/. willis p. Moore. charged With the murder Of Q
colored man.
o Reddiok Kesrney and others. Pitt County. riot
and murder OF two freedmen.
4 Magistrates Of Brunswick Comfy sentenced two
coorod men TO be cold into servitude for Eve years
Ths case was acted upon promptly By Gen. Creek. and
the freedmen released.
Contrary 10 my fears, expressed In Q former re-
port there u no increase Of dependents Winter i'd
vances The rations issued have steadily diminished.
The demands for clothing have been great; but the
supplies now On hand nom the Quartermas.ers De. |
pertinent are ample for men and boys II 10 diff
cult TO furnish what 10 needed By women and ohdren
There are many cases Of great destitution amcpg
whites " ioh should be glad 70 relieves bat 90 they
are not "oyl refusess" tssy do not cone xitafu ny
iu1isdietie